Local designers interpret works of art through floral arrangements
Art blossomed last weekend at Cincinnati Art Museum as local designers selected magnificent works of art and designed exquisite floral arrangements that interpreted the work.
The bi-annual Art in Bloom event is one of the most popular draws at Cincinnati Art Museum, with 88 local designers creating floral arrangements that stood beside the artwork they selected. The flowers mirrored highlights, colors, or other nuances in the artwork they represented.
Jim Jones, interior designer and president of Jim Jones & Associates, was one of the local designers who created an arrangement for the event. Jones, who also is a historian, promotes a “marriage between the contemporary and traditional'' in his work, allowing homeowners to enjoy family heirlooms in a modern setting. Another favorite of his is fresh flowers. “Flowers are inexpensive, so why not treat yourself,'' he said.
Jones is both a commercial and a residential designer. He studied at University of Cincinnati, Wright State University, and the Art Academy of Chicago.
Once told he would not be successful because there was no work for an African American interior designer, he is now noted for designing the Porcelain and Painting Wing at the Whitney-Headley Museum in his hometown of Lexington, Ky. He has been featured in national design publications and numerous newspapers.
Jones is chair of the Donald Porter Sowell Endowment that promotes greater involvement and interaction of the African American community with the Cincinnati Art Museum. Sowell was known for selflessly promoting African American works of art and for his drive to place before the Greater Cincinnati community the art created by African Americans diasporically spread throughout the Western hemisphere. The Endowment supports lectures, workshops, exhibits, scholarships, and appearances by visual and performing artists.
The Art in Bloom event also marked the opening of “Designed to Dazzle: Cincinnati Collects Tiffany Jewelry'' and the unveiling of Beverly Erchell's newest painting inspired by the Art in Bloom.
