RALEIGH, N.C. — The annual Art in Bloom festival is back at the North Carolina Museum of Art, after it was canceled last year because of the pandemic.
Erica Winston is one of the more than two dozen designers this year. She and the other artists were tasked with creating a floral arrangement inspired by a piece of art in the museum.
Winston says that she’s actually an amateur florist, but has participated since the festival began.
Winston says COVID-19 caused shipping delays for about 40% of the flowers she needed this year, but she found a way to work around it. She says wouldn’t miss an opportunity to be a part of the festival.
“It’s worth it because it’s actually a lot of fun. At the end, you’re tired but that’s what life is like, you do the things you love and then you go home and rest,” Winston said.
Winston is hopeful the event will encourage people to support the museum in a safe way.
“Just to bring us all back out and enjoy art and galleries and the flowers in them again, and maybe, just a little bit of each other at a safe distance. All of us miss being with other people, I think, so the community of art is especially meaningful this year,” Winston said.
All of the flower arrangements are donated by the designers and they actually touch them up every morning with fresh flowers.
The money raised through ticket sales goes towards funding the museum. Museum officials say this is one of their most successful events.
Art in Bloom is happening June 3 through 6 and again, June 10 through 13.