600 Fresh Artists kids take part in the 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show, “Articulture”

Award-winning veteran Flower Show exhibitors, Flowers by David, invited Fresh Artists to bring children’s artwork into their design for the Major Exhibits Section of the 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show, “Articulture.”  How’s that for starters?!!

 

To make it all happen, we partnered with the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s (PMA) Delphi After School Club to work with  4th-8th grade students from six Philadelphia middle schools to create enormous flower-filled graphics.

 

Under Robin and David Heller’s design direction, Flower Show designer Sam Lemheney, the Delphi After School Art Club teaching artists, and the kids created six banners using floral and botanical motifs drawn from PMA’s collection.  Paintings, prints, textiles, sculptures and metal decorative screens provided inspiration for the brilliant 8” block prints the young artists created.

 

Our own Roger Allen, who also happens to have a long history as a Flower Show stager, digitally enlarged the students’ artwork to fabricate the enormous, colorful graphic banners used in the Heller’s exhibit design.  The children’s botanical-themed banners amplify the dynamic floral displays, dripping off the graphics to connect with the exuberant burst of flowers and foliage below.

 

Kids came to the Flower Show, thanks to the generosity of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS).  The Art Museum and Delphi provided the busses, and PHS invited the children to be their guests to see their artwork in the world's largest (and most important!) indoor flower show!  Thank you PHS!  You're the best!  This was HUGE!

 

Robin, David and all the kids were thrilled to receive the Big People's Award – meaning it was the overall winner of the entire week, chosen by people attending the Flower Show!  

Woooo hooo!

The Philadelphia public schools and their Delphi Teaching Artists represented in this project are:

  • AMY Northwest – Diane Pieri & Doris Rogers
  • Blaine Academics Plus School – Cecelia Dougherty & Roslyn Don
  • Juniata Park Academy Middle School – Diane Piere & Doris Rogers
  • Mastery Charter School – Shoemaker Campus – Cecelia Dougherty & Roslyn Don
  • Middle Years Alternative School – Cecelia Dougherty & Stephanie Rowley
  • Russell Byers Charter School – Diane Piere & Tad Sare

 

We are extraordinarily grateful to the many generous people who helped this happen: