Art in the Real World

 A quick lesson on how art and design are evident in every day life.

I wanted to write about how horticulture influenced art immediately after visiting the Boboli gardens nearly a month ago. I wanted to but couldn't because I didn't think I knew how it did. I could feel it and see it, but i couldn't put words to it. 

But the other day, we had a lecture on the different art forms of plants. Landscaping, bonsai gardens.. Floral design..

And I realized that I already knew a whole lot about art and horticulture, specifically art and flowers! 

In floral design, you have color, line, mass, pattern, repetition, negative space, and so much more. My favorite aspect is natural negative space; looking at nature and seeing where there isn't anything at all, and incorporating it into my designs to add movement. Movement is what keeps the flowers alive long after they have been cut. It is what tells the story. In my opinion, all aspects of design work together to tell this story.

It is so cool to see how the information I learn in class shapes the lenses I view my life. The first time I learned about the elements of design was in a floral design class, but I am now able to translate it to other aspects of my life. My mom recently completed culinary school, and I see line and mass and color and balance incorporated in her art form when she plates food. My sister is an artist and I can see it in her art and photography. I see it in potted arrangements and in gardens and parks. 

Art is around you everywhere you look if you dig deep enough, that is the most valuable lesson I've learned on this trip!

XO - Amelia Goodall