Flat Rock’s floral fête continues under new ownership
Gallery at Flat Rock’s new owners, Julie and Phil Wilmot, will sustain the venue’s biggest fundraiser.
Photo by Suzanne Camarata
A painting or sculpture may last millennia if properly protected. Meanwhile, fresh-cut flowers wilt and wither within days. Art in Bloom, a blossom bash for a local cause hosted at The Gallery at Flat Rock each summer, will explore this striking juxtaposition in late August.
An annual favorite, the exhibition matches 20 floral designers with 20 pieces of carefully curated visual art. The florists are then tasked with interpreting the artwork using blooms and greenery. Come Labor Day weekend, these ephemeral homages are displayed alongside the original works. Proceeds benefit St. Gerard House, a Henderson County nonprofit serving individuals with autism and their families.
Suzanne Camarata, founder of The Gallery at Flat Rock, describes the show as a “celebration of art interpreted by flowers.” She began hosting the exhibition in 2015 — the same year she rented a 2,550-square-foot commercial space in Flat Rock Square and then “scrambled to figure out what might work to pay the rent.” But the venue quickly flourished, and today houses 60 acclaimed regional and national artists working in all mediums.
And speaking of growing, in the time since its inception, Art in Bloom has attracted talent from down the road and across state lines. Exhibitors include East Flat Rock creative Melanie Hopkins, who, last year, displayed a mixed-media collage made of cascading strips of paper. Hannah Hall, owner and designer at Fern & Flora Studios in Columbia, South Carolina, then created an arrangement that mirrored the patterns in the collage.
“Seeing Hannah’s design was exciting and validating,” says Hopkins. “As I looked closely at her arrangement and then my piece, I discovered how connected they were.”
Now in its ninth iteration, this year’s event will continue without Camarata, who stepped away from the gallery in June to be closer to her aging parents in Dallas, Texas. Instead, new owners Julie and Phil Wilmot will helm the festivities.
As the owners of Art on 7th Fine Contemporary Art Gallery in the Historic Seventh Avenue District, Julie and Phil are “soulful, dedicated advocates for the arts,” says Camarata. She feels confident they will successfully execute the gallery’s “beloved show.”
The gallery’s charming exterior on Greenville Highway.
Julie feels confident, too. This year’s floral exhibitors will include 10 Ikebana artists, who practice a minimalist form of Japanese arrangement, as well as traditional floral designers. But the gallery owner notes: “[No one] does anything traditional for the show. It’s always a surprise to see where their imaginations take them.”
She adds that the Gallery at Flat Rock “remains committed to promoting and enhancing the art experience in our community by creating opportunities for artists, collectors, and friends to learn and connect with each other. It will be a joyful celebration.”
The 9th Annual Art in Bloom kicks off on Friday, Aug. 30, with a preview party from 5-8pm at The Gallery at Flat Rock (2702-A Greenville Hwy., Flat Rock, 828-698-7000, galleryflatrock.com). Cost for the preview party is $75 per person and includes wine from Marked Tree Vineyard and food from Campfire Grill, American Refinery, Gateaux Cakes and Pastries, and other popular local eateries, plus live music. The exhibit is open to the public Saturday, Aug. 31 and Sunday, Sept. 1, 9am-5pm, for $5 admission. Proceeds from the three-day event will benefit St. Gerard House; see stgerardhouse.org for information about the nonprofit.