At this moment the best floral designers in the Bay Area are assembling dazzling arrangements behind closed doors at the de Young Museum, readying for the opening of a Spanish-themed Bouquets to Art 2011. To call the creations "bouquets" is a misnomer; many of them are themselves sculptural artwork.

To be fully transparent, I must tell you that I've volunteered for this event and worked for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. But, honestly, I can put all that history aside to say that this is one of the most fantastic design events of the year.

The premise is simple: floral designers create arrangements inspired by artwork in the de Young's collection. This year, since the highly anticipated exhibition Balenciaga and Spain opens March 26, the event celebrates Cristobal Balenciaga's home country. Read more...