Farley & Purple take “Best in Show” on the Road
Leslie Purple (R) and Alice Farley (L) showing how to use a large seed pod
Dynamic Duo Shares Tips for Botanical Arts Entries
Alice Farley & Leslie Purple of the Wissahickon Garden Club in Zone V came to speak at our club on March 3rd, 2022. They brought many of their creations with them to show us and talk about their process of making these exquisite works of art, all from plant material. Using glue, spray paint, nail polish, and other adornments, they transform seed pods, leaves, branches and flower parts into the most incredible jewelry and decorative arts marvels!
As of July 2021, Botanical Arts was approved to be a separate GCA judging discipline with its own judges.
Alice & Leslie have entered many shows together and they shared with us some of the joys and pitfalls of working collaboratively. Transporting their creations to and from shows and talks is also a challenge that they spoke about.
Botanical Arts Best in Show: GCA 2021 AM Flower Show
In this case, the result was a stunning bouquet of flowers that won best in show at last year’s Annual Meeting Flower Show.
The amazing piece included a multitude of meticulously crafted flowers, as well as insects and butterflies buzzing in and around the design. We heard all about their trials and tribulations as they worked, and reworked, their entry during the long hours of the pandemic. Some pieces were so delicate they had to be made several times! With patience and persistence, their labors paid off and they learned some valuable lessons along the way!
After their wonderful talk, Leslie and Alice hosted a workshop where they generously shared plant materials that they have collected over the years, as well as spray paints and nail polishes.
We learned how to make a spray booth out of a cardboard box. This prevents the paint from going all over the table. Pam Williams is pictured here adding some gold paint to her piece.
Annie Bigliani is using a block of Oasis to hold some “pearls” that she is making for her piece. She glued some seed pods to a post to hold them while she coated them with an opalescent nail polish. This is just one of many techniques that we learned from Alice and Leslie.
Mary Elizabeth Smith displayed her “butterfly” made out of taro root, seeded stems and other seed pods. Each piece was painted and then glued together.
We were so excited to have Leslie and Alice introduce us to the world of botanical arts! New to many of us, we are eager to try new things. Katie Downes, a very accomplished and well-decorated floral designer, photographer, and GCA judge, is seen here sharing some laughs with Leslie as she branches out into yet another discipline.
A truly unforgettable day was had by all! With a new-found respect for the dried bits plants that we see in our own gardens, and inspired to imagine what they can become, we look forward to having our first in-club botanical arts show next year!
