The Worcester Art Museum’s (WAM’s) Flora in Winter event began in 2003. For four days, the event features floral arrangements inspired by the museum’s art collection. Floral designers from neighboring garden clubs create the arrangements, including from our own FGC. Three of our designers were selected to make arrangements based on assigned art pieces.
Designer Minal Akkad was assigned the ancient piece (550-575-CE) called “The Planets (Navagraha).” In the vast cosmos of Indian astrology, the navagrahas hold a place of profound importance. Minal was assisted by Marilyn Hanley.
Ruth Evans’s art piece, entitled “Helmet for a Gladiator,” exemplifies brilliant ancient craftsmanship. Ruth’s arched Sago Palms and protea invokes the Gladiator’s position as showman, fighter and slave.
Nancy Martin and her assistant, Eileen Fialkow, were faced with the challenge of conveying a very small museum piece in a floral arrangement. This golden “Handle in the Shape of a Beast Mask with a Small Bear” is from the Han Dynasty. Their design symbolized the coming of spring and summer.
