Artists Nationwide Craft Breathtaking Floral Arrangements Influenced by Paintings, Sculptures, and Artifacts

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At “Art in Bloom” exhibitions, museums commission custom floral arrangements to go on display alongside items in their collections

Sonja Anderson

April 29, 2025 8:00 a.m.

As spring blossoms across the United States, museums are embracing the season through their “Art in Bloom” exhibitions, showcasing stunning floral arrangements alongside notable artworks.

The Cincinnati Art Museum recently hosted its own “Art in Bloom” event, where 65 handcrafted floral displays were paired with various pieces in the museum’s collection. According to a statement from the institution, the arrangements were created by a mix of seasoned professionals, aspiring florists, and enthusiastic hobbyists.

Each floral artist was assigned a distinct artwork, as explained by Erin Carmichael-Morgan, who oversees the Rosenthal Education Center at the museum. Their goal was to produce arrangements that reflected the essence of those pieces, which spanned various forms from sculptures to oil paintings.

“It’s about engaging deeply with the artwork and selecting flowers that resonate with it,” says Carmichael-Morgan.

Displayed creations included a flowing white bouquet next to a marble angel sculpture, a floral centerpiece beside a historical evening gown, and a vibrant arrangement within a red shoe, echoing a painting of a shoe blackener. Carmichael-Morgan emphasized that the floral artists utilized a wide variety of blooms. “They’re thinking innovatively, showcasing some unusual flowers,” she added.

This year’s exhibition featured a unique sugar flower installation by Amsterdam artist Natasja Sadi, who crafts edible flowers from sugar paste. Sadi’s work included both real and sugar-made flowers inspired by Dutch master paintings, noted Cincinnati magazine’s Will Coffman.

“The sugar flower installation represents a bold new direction for us, as we’ve not ventured into anything like this before in our annual exhibitions,” remarked Ann M. Keeling, chair of this year’s event.

Many other museums are also celebrating this seasonal tradition with their own iterations of “Art in Bloom.” The event originated at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston back in 1976. This year, the Minneapolis Institute of Art held its 41st exhibition.

Florist Amy Kubas shared insights with Minnesota Public Radio about her inspiration drawn from a Japanese block print titled Egret in Rain. Her arrangement, characterized as “very simplified,” incorporates anthurium and sea star fern to reflect the print’s imagery.

“I strive to integrate the symbolism of both the artwork and the flowers I select,” Kubas explained, noting how the veining in her floral choice enhances the block print’s embossing effect. “It’s always fascinating to witness how other people interpret the artwork,” she added, reflecting on the engagement of visitors with the floral displays.

In Cincinnati, this exhibition continues to be one of the museum’s most favored events. Keeling summarized the appeal: “Flowers are inherently beautiful and reconnect us with nature, a contrast to our tech-driven lives.”

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www.smithsonianmag.com