(Courtesy/Ela K.)
On Wednesday, February 13, the new “The Roots of Change” themed art gallery opened for all students and faculty of Academy on the second floor of Morris Hall. The exhibit, open until March 14, features the work of Kirstin West, who owns Bear Roots Florals, a company specializing in wedding floral arrangements. Lower School art teacher Ms. Abraham helped West secure this gallery space, as she wanted to explore a more artistic approach to floral design.
West aimed to visually represent the seasons throughout the gallery while also experimenting with light. If you look at the white walls with the florals, you can see the shadows that are cast. This effect was intentional, as West worked with Mr. Block to create different lighting to represent the seasons.
The set-up for this gallery took two six-hour days. Instead of only using live flowers, this display is composed of flowers that Kirstin dried in her own studio, since this makes them last longer. Abraham says that it, “gives more of a life to the project, and she can use things that might be out of season or from different areas of the world.” Some of the dried flowers were produced by West, and others were purchased from different farmers and artists. For one of the pieces in the Spring area, West said the flowers went through a detailed process where they were “grown, dyed, removed, and then glued back together.”
This showcase can be appreciated both artistically and as a space for relaxation. Abraham says, “Sit underneath it, sit beside it, and be part of each season. I hope people can use it for a lot of different reasons whether it’s reading, writing, drawing, or just meditating and enjoying the space.” Her dream for the gallery is to have classes or individuals go, put on headphones, and just “be inspired,” adding, “Seasons change and so do we. We move through the process of life and are ever changing.”
In addition, Abraham is working on incorporating an auditory element. She aims for people to be able to scan a QR code to hear the sounds associated with the different sections of the gallery.
You can also visit @abraham.heart.art on Instagram to watch videos on the different florals.
