Fragrant lilies, snapdragons, irises and roses will soon adorn the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) galleries. Stunning blooms transforming the space for a few days this month into a floral paradise thanks to Fine Arts and Flowers.

Hosted from Oct. 23-27, the event celebrates a special connection between art and flowers. While there will be a dazzling gala, renowned guest speakers and floral workshops, perhaps one of the biggest highlights is the custom-made floral displays.

The arrangements, free for all to view, are handcrafted by Garden Club of Virginia, Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs and Ikebana of Richmond members. These floral interpretations will reimagine 76 selections from the VMFA’s permanent gallery highlighting a piece’s distinctive themes, colors and textures.

“Fine Arts and Flowers is a unique exhibition that showcases the creativity and artistry of the floral designs amidst VMFA’s fabulous permanent collection,” says Maura Bisceglia, co-chair of the Fine Arts and Flowers exhibits committee. “The floral exhibitors create a visual feast that enhances the works of art and makes the galleries buzz with visitors – some who might not normally come to an art museum.”

The event came to fruition in 1986 when the museum’s council was searching for some fundraising opportunities. A few members attended a similar event in Boston and were motivated to create one for Richmond. The next year, the city’s Fine Arts and Flowers debuted and has since become a biennial tradition.

The floral displays are made on opening day with designers collecting blooms from labeled buckets at an assigned time and putting their living artwork together in the atrium. About 10,000 stems are provided for the entire event by Strange’s Florists, Greenhouses & Garden Centers.

Once completed, their arrangement is transported to the appropriate gallery piece where a team closely monitors it to ensure the flowers stay happy and watered.

One designer to keep an eye out for this year is JoAnn McNabb, a master flower show judge for the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs and member of the West Hanover and River Road Garden Clubs.

McNabb has previously designed five floral interpretations for Fine Arts and Flowers. This year, she will translate abstract expressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler’s “Mother Goose Melody.” “I am most inspired by vibrant colors and large works of art,” says McNabb. “That has been the case in every arrangement I have designed.”

One of her signatures is the unique display vessels used. She often relies on contemporary vases created by a potter friend to depict the specific painting or sculpture but is also drawn to unusual options. “The year I interpreted Kehinde Wiley’s ‘Willem van Heythuysen’ (2006), I used a size 14 men’s Timberland boot as the container to portray the male subject’s shoes.”

Patience and keen observation are essential for making such displays, especially with finicky flowers. “The challenges for me are the mechanics of putting it all together, how to get the plant material to fit together in a certain way and stay that way,” says McNabb. “I recall my very first design where I used tall, heavy calla lilies that fell over. I finally figured out how to stabilize the flowers.”

There’s no humidity inside the museum so McNabb must pick flowers that won’t dry out too quickly. She has found that roses and carnations are usually the most resilient, although large and colorful tropical flowers often make their way into her displays.

While there’s great satisfaction working with the flowers themselves, one of this floral designer’s most treasured moments is the impact her work has on guests. “My favorite part of Fine Arts and Flowers is hearing comments from viewers such as, ‘I see what she meant by that.’”

But don’t let the seemingly beautiful effortlessness of this event portion fool you – there’s continuous planning well over a year beforehand. The garden clubs seek members interested in assisting with floral design and VMFA staff and exhibit co-chairs start choosing permanent collection pieces for interpretation that represent various cultures, time periods, genres and media.

Participating floral designers then select from the list of artworks and are given background information about them, tips for best interpreting art with flowers and ways to safely create floral designs that will be near delicate artwork. The museum’s staff and exhibit co-chairs also begin brainstorming the best placement and lighting for the future arrangements.

It’s a lot of work for such a fleeting celebration, but the endeavor’s long-lasting impacts are well worth it as visitors aren’t only introduced to more of nature’s beauty, but pushed to contemplate the museum’s art from a fresh perspective.

“It is thrilling to overhear visitors effusively commenting on how wonderful, amazing and beautiful the combination of flowers and art is,” says Bisceglia. “The floral designers are able to take nature’s masterpieces and deftly place each stem to communicate their ideas and feelings about their chosen artwork.”

Fine Art and Flowers 2024 runs from Oct. 23 through Oct. 27 at the VMFA, museum-wide. Admission is free. Go here to read the list of special events and speakers.