Program Description
Event Details
As an artistic subject, very few things can compare to flowers for their sheer versatility and symbolic depth - or their historic importance. From the very beginning of painting as a formal discipline, flowers have provided creative inspiration with their vibrant colors, delicate shapes, and representational meaning. Beverly Shipko, a contemporary realist artist and avid art historian, will join us in the Scott Room to discuss the age-old tradition of incorporating flowers into art. From still life to unobtrusive background detail to the rich symbolism behind different blooms, Ms. Shipko will lecture on and explore the many guises of flowers and plants, and how their inherently creative nature infuses painting, sculpture, illustration, glass, architecture, design, and floral design through the lens of her own recent journey with Sogetsu Ikebana.
We hope you come to this program hungry! There will be refreshments and a brief reception afterward.
About the presenter
Beverly Shipko is a professional artist and art historian with more than 25 years of exhibitions. While her personal focus has been on food in art, especially desserts, she has returned to flowers periodically throughout her artistic career. Her confection obsession started as a child when she worked in her grandfather’s gourmet grocery store, with shelves packed full of delectable treats – and, of course, flowers. During the pandemic, Ms. Shipko took up Sogetsu Ikebana, which is a Japanese style of floral art that encourages creativity and individuality. The style emphasizes freedom of expression and rejects traditional rules.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a hybrid program. You may attend this program either in-person at the library or online using your own device. All registrants will receive a Zoom link approximately one hour prior to the start of the program.