Each April, flowers sprout throughout the galleries of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. During the anticipated weekend of “Art in Bloom,” selected florists are tasked with creating arrangements inspired by works in the museum’s different collections. Paintings and sculptures become starting points for floral pieces that get integrated into galleries for many Oklahomans’ favorite spring occassion.
For Kris Balaban, owner of A Date With Iris, the event has become a yearly creative feat. Her shop has participated since the event began in 2019, when only a handful of florists were involved.
Balaban said the appeal of the yearly event is its challenge. “Being as creative as possible within a set margin is part of the fun,” said Balaban.
Each florist is paired with a work of art or gallery space and asked to interpret it using flowers. It has varied from year to year whether florists can choose a piece or are assigned to one, as the process is always evolving. Balaban has interpreted a variety of works from Georgia O’Keefe to Colleen Browning to Karen LaMonte.
Participants must submit sketches weeks before the event, but the final arrangement often changes depending on what flowers are available. Being able to adapt and problem-solve has become a crucial skill with many florists working on their design until the very last minute.
“You might have a great idea and then go to the market and the flowers just aren’t there,” Balaban said. “Flowers are perishable. Sometimes you have to switch things up.”
The flowers’ evolution throughout the weekend becomes a spectacle in itself. Running from April 10-12, arrangements appear fresh when the exhibition opens Friday and gradually change over time. Balaban said she tries to account for that transformation, considering how to use gravity and structure so the pieces wilt gracefully by the time Sunday comes around.
This year, Balaban was assigned a piece in the gallery featuring work by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The installation’s bold colors and swirling forms offer both inspiration and difficulty.
While A Date With Iris has been part of “Art in Bloom” since its inception, some participating florists are newer to the spring installation. Last year marked Dahlia Floral Design’s introduction to the exhibition after being invited by the museum to participate. This year, the team signed up as soon as they heard florists were being recruited again. Based in Ada, the shop offers a smaller-town perspective in an event centered in Oklahoma City.
For shop owner Jenny O’Grady, the draw to “Art in Bloom” is the opportunity to push creative boundaries.
“‘Art in Bloom’ is such a cool event, and it was a chance to be creative with flowers in a way that I’d never done before,” she said. “It was a good challenge.” The exhibit also offers an opportunity for recognition, “We live in a small town outside of OKC, but we do great work,” she said. “It’s a good way to get our name out there and be noticed,” said O’Grady.
The event has grown into one of the museum’s most popular annual programs. To locals the event has become almost synonymous with springtime,eagerly awaiting the full sensory experience of traveling through galleries that emit floral scents.
In addition to the gallery installations, the museum hosts gatherings, specialized tours, and workshops throughout the weekend. One of the most anticipated is Bubbles & Blooms, a floral cocktail party held on the museum’s roof terrace. The sold-out event includes flower-themed cocktails, light bites, live entertainment, and access to the “Art in Bloom” galleries.
As the event grows, Balaban continues to enjoy the same creative challenge that drew her to the exhibition years ago, while newer participants like Dahlia Floral Design continue to bring fresh perspectives to the museum’s blooming galleries.
This article appears in Celebrating 60 years of the Festival of Arts!.