Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Blinded By The Light


Tonight we wandered through the underbelly of the National Museum of Natural History.  We were delivering flowers for the opening of a new exhibit "Against all Odds: Rescue At The Chilean Mine". The museum will be displaying the rescue capsule, video footage and mementos from the miners.

Our passage was not nearly as harrowing.  However, 6 trips in 2 different freight elevators, maneuvering carts filled with towering arrangements through miles of tourists and lifting these heavy vessels onto buffet tables, was fraught with enough danger and suspense for my taste.

There was the ever present elephant standing guard in the rotunda and, for some reason, a strange, blinding yellow light above us. People were being herded out of the museum and servers were whirling in.  Gwen, tres chic in a black sheath and silvery stilettos, had organized every plate, table cloth, bottle of wine, bite of delicious food and of course the flowers. The guests numbered 630 and this was no easy task.  There were invitations, menus and programs to be printed and VIP's ego's to assuage. Our instructions were clear and simple: BIG and beautiful, with a few stems of green cymbidium orchids.



After last minute fiddling with the flowers, adding a leaf here and a stem of Hawaiian ginger there I turned my camera into the light and shot a few pictures.

This done we walked back through the paleozoic era and disappeared once again into the bowels of the museum accompanied by much clanging of the freight elevators gates.

 

Your bleary eyed reporter will now go tumble into bed.

27 comments:

  1. I've never given a second thought to the way these things are organised. I found this fascinating. Your arrangement is stunning and somehow works even with the blinding yellow light which you couldn't have known about in advance!

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  2. What a beautiful arrangement Jane, even the yellow light compliments it x

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  3. Beautiful,,,with a little prehistoric vibe. I can't imagine what they must have weighed.

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  4. Whoa, Girl!! You sure filled the bill! Where's the big flower collar for the elephant? We've been through the bowels of a much smaller museum at Harvard..it's pretty creepy! Nice job!

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  5. The arrangements are fabulous! The yellow light is interesting. Not everything works in yellow lightening; your flowers pop. Great job!

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  6. Wow flowers and an elephant too.

    I would like an elephant.

    also geek alert, construction method of said arrangement? Bucket and chicken wire, or was foam involved too? or do you have a secret American way of making these big arangements?

    xx

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  7. Is it just my imagination or are those flowers an interpretation of the elephant? The large philodendron leaves are its ears and the ginger its trunk. Is it genius? Happy accident? Or am I just crazy?

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  8. I feel such a fool now to have never arranged an elephant behind my flowers. It's not like I'm a professional like you guys, but still, I should have known better.

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  9. I didn't know elephants even liked ginger! Gorgeous arrangement and good pictures in all that yellow light. Hope you got to sleep late this morning.

    xoxo

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  10. How funny. Last night I left my first-ever comment on your blog and today I check in only to find you have posted pictures of where I work! I’ve been with the Smithsonian Libraries (in the NH Museum) for about a month now. Word trickled down to us lowly librarians that your friend threw quite a party. Congratulations to both you and her. Did you get to meet any of the miners? Dr. Sorensen’s tour this morning was really amazing. It is truly a moving story.

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  11. LPC, merci bien:)

    S&Z, muchos gracias!

    Lucille,Right? it probably seems like the flowers waft in the front door and just present themselves.

    Deb, Thank you. I do understand the lights were adjusted later in the evening but not in time for this blogger!

    Shelley, shhhh, they haven't thought of that yet. Now I have to hope Gwen doesn't read your comment. Or we'll be making a lei in XXL.

    Bonnie, I'm just sorry the pics of the other arrangements didn't work out. They were beautiful too.

    Miss P., Big liner filled with foam. My secret? My co designer Betty. She's half my height and mightier than the sword. The bigger the better for her. If we hadn't used foam, the flwrs would have toppled over during delivery. At the museum we added extra curly willow and flws. The others were done in heavy glass footed vases. Fab-o but you'll have to take my word on it. no pics.

    Steve, it is your very good imagination at work, but now I will claim that was our idea!

    Mise, really? In the states large animals of any ilk are all the rage. we're always toting around a giant panda or two. It's a must do!

    Webb, You are all very funny commenters. No really you are. No sleeping late, I'm a blogger. had to hop out of bed and check my blog list:)

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  12. Carrie, That's crazy! When i read your comment last night,(and it was so sweet I called my GF out to read it also), I clicked on your name and saw you were involved with museums. Wouldn't it be funny I thought...and indeed it is.

    One of my coworkers at the flower shop did an internship at the Smithsonian this summer and this fall starts working at Catholic on her masters in Library Science something something. Any tips?

    You have to find Gwen Neild in the museum and introduce yourself!

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  13. Wow! It looks exciting - must have cheered the elephant up no end!

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  14. oh jane these arrangements are gorgeous.
    you are the BEST.

    xo

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  15. wow...wow....wow.... just beautiful...stunning, really

    happy to stop by today

    love,
    kary and teddy
    xx

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  16. Oh Lord. Honey, if you want my tips about being a librarian you had best put on a pot of coffee. No, it’s not that bad. In fact, it is great. While most people can be considered life-long learners, librarians have figured out how to make a career out of it. But unfortunately libraries are the first to go in times of budget-cuts and that is the one thing your friend should be prepared for…

    I will keep my eye out for your friend Gwen. As you know, it is a big museum.

    And can I just say that I nearly burst into tears again in my garden tonight, though these were tears of joy over this balmy 85-degree weather. Enjoy!

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  17. Share My Garden, crazy Brits, all about the elephant:)

    Kary, Almost as beautiful as your pizza.

    Janet, as ever you are too kind.

    Carrie, You are too funny. Why not write a blog?

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  18. Hard work...phew.

    Is there Bulbine in there...yellow, pointy, rocket-shaped?

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  19. Marie, No not Bulbine, tho I can see why you think so. It's Eremurus, the fox tail lily.

    Bornay, Gracias.

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  20. and how many of those Bad Boys did you make? I think I spy another one across the room. Whew!

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  21. guess what i had for lunch !?

    Thai...
    but this pasta last night was so good !!!

    have a great weekend, my friend

    kary and teddy
    ;-)

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  22. Jane,

    Your arrangements are beyond gorgeous! You must be very pleased. Enjoy the weekend.

    Xo Annie

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  23. Magnificent!- love the delicious monster leaf, looks perfectly prehistoric!

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  24. What a fantastic venue in which to display your work,and stunning it is too! Love Linda x

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