Art in Bloom

With weeks of winter chill and dampness settled deep in my bones

making me desperate for warmth;

with browns and greys having been the prevailing palette for far too long

making me long for color;

with the divisive ugliness and turmoil of the political landscape

making me long for beauty  
and a sense that any chaos can be contained 
on a canvas,

the Art in Bloom event this weekend 
at the St Louis Art Museum,
was just the antidote

 I needed
for all that ailed me.

 What a glorious tonic; 

my eyes drank it in!

As with art, so it is with flowers.

I know what I like – 

 even if my taste is an ‘outlier’ to what the ‘public’ voted as their favorite.

There were 40 floral interpretations of pieces of art scattered throughout the Museum.

Some floral designers captured the artwork perfectly.

Some were, to me, less readily apparent – 

although the beauty of each arrangement was a standalone work of art

and, if the connection to the specific artwork eluded me, 

I didn’t particularly care.

Possibilities for discovery existed in every wing,

forcing me to explore exhibits I generally walk briskly past.

It was a treasure hunt for the senses.

It was 3 hours of time spent in solitude, 

alone, 

in the company of literally thousands of my fellow St Louisans;

it renewed my spirits on Sunday.

 But, of course,
it only took 10 minutes in the gift shop
to bring 'realty' back in to focus.

How was YOUR weekend?