Casa Captivating
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens has commissioned renowned British artist Rebecca Louise Law to create a floral art installation. The artist will weave and hang 8,000 blooms for our gallery in June 2017. We need your help to grow the blooms needed to comprise this major floral + horticulture initiative.
The image above shows what 8,000 blooms look like. Now, imagine 8,000 blooms in the Casa Romantica gallery. What kinds of blooms do you see?
If you are familiar with Casa Romantica, you will expect to see stunning examples of our California coastal environment, such as California Hummingbird Sage and Nevin’s Wooly Sunflower, along with harmonious water-wise plants such as strawflowers and sea lavender.
Left: California Hummingbird Sage; right: Nevin’s Wooly Sunflower
Left: Strawflowers; right: Sea Lavender
Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens has commissioned renowned British artist Rebecca Louise Law to create an artwork from 8,000 blooms for our gallery in June 2017. The exhibition, which opens June 9, will be on view all summer as the blooms dry.
Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law will lead educational efforts about the benefits of native and drought-tolerant horticulture from an artistic standpoint, and is a pivotal community engagement project for southern California.
We need your help to amass all of the natural materials needed for the artwork. Casa Romantica is recruiting gardeners from the southern California community to grow and donate 8,000 blooms.
If you have ever heard the anecdote, “It takes a village…,” now is a time when we seek the help of our community.
Rebecca Louise Law, “The Art of Decay,” 2016, courtesy of Chandran Gallery in San Francisco
Project Vision
“The purpose of this collaboration is to accomplish three goals that align with our mission,” says Casa Romantica Executive Director Berenika Schmitz.
“These goals are to commission original works for our organization, to educate our community through arts and horticulture programming, and to lead our community in choosing native and drought-tolerant landscaping.”
She continues,
“Casa Romantica strives to be the epicenter for innovative artistic experiences in our southern California community. As a leader and as an American Horticultural Society member, it is equally important that we set an example with landscaping choices. We have a duty to demonstrate that California native and drought-tolerant plants not only benefit the environment, but can be considered art.”
About the Artist
Rebecca Louise Law is a British installation artist whose flora-based works have appeared throughout the western world. Lifecycles and preservation are central themes in her art. The natural evolution of her materials and her preference for site-specific blooms contribute to the uniqueness of each installation.
Law’s work has been exhibited in Times Square, Art Basel, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Royal Academy. She has completed commissions for internationally recognized brands including Viacom, Tiffany, and Hermès. Her publication features include The New York Times, The Oprah Network, CNN, The Huffington Post, Newsweek, and House Beautiful. Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law will be the first southern California exhibition for the artist.
Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in helping Casa Romantica grow the 8,000 blooms needed for Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law? If so, there are three ways that you can participate:
Our Garden Director will help all participants as needed with scheduled “office hours” throughout the year.
For more information regarding Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law and to sign up for participation, visit casaromantica.org/casa-coastal-rebecca-louise-law
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Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law is a major art + horticulture initiative programmed by Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens. Community participation is now open and gardening opportunities are available through the beginning of June. The exhibition will be on view from June 9, 2017 – August 13, 2017.
