MAY DESIGN EXHIBIT

DESIGN EXHIBIT: Favorite Game

​This month’s design exhibit embraced a playful and nostalgic theme, Favorite Game, inviting members to transform beloved pastimes into imaginative floral creations. Each design told a personal story, blending creativity, technical skill, and a love of plants into unique interpretations of familiar games.

Margo Antonelli drew inspiration from the classic game Pick Up Sticks, capturing its sense of movement and spontaneity through a bright and textural arrangement. She incorporated wooden skewers to represent the game’s scattered sticks, adding structure and visual interest. Her plant material included Sunflower (Helianthus), Daisy (Bellis perennis), Green Maple (Acer saccharum), and Cape Daisy ‘Sunbright’ (Sakata). The interplay of skewers, stems, and blooms echoed the overlapping lines of the game itself, resulting in a lively and engaging composition.

Carol Morris based her design on her favorite card game, bridge, interpreting it through a traditional American style. Each flower represented one of the four suits, with a total of thirteen elements symbolizing a full hand. Her selection included peony, blue sea holly thistle, lavender and red carnations, delicate lavender filler, and peony foliage. The thoughtful symbolism and structured arrangement reflected both the strategy and elegance of the game.

Paulette Heward created a heartfelt tribute to Monopoly, inspired by fond childhood memories of playing the game with her siblings. Her design featured Euonymus japonicus and red carnations, accented with actual game cards to reinforce the theme. The piece conveyed a sense of nostalgia and storytelling, reminding viewers of the connections and traditions formed around the game board.

Trish Lilek Demers presented an Armature Creative Design based on Scrabble, combining engineering and artistry. With assistance from her husband Dave, she constructed a supportive armature that incorporated letter tiles spelling “Tropic Art.” Each letter corresponded to a specific plant material: Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa ‘Hawaiian’), Rex Begonia, Orchid, orange Pincushion protea (Leucospermum), Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato vine), Calla Lily (Zantedeschia), and Aucuba japonica ‘Variegata’ (‘Gold Dust’). The result was an inventive and visually striking design that celebrated both language and horticulture.
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Together, these designs showcased the members’ ability to draw inspiration from everyday joys and transform them into expressive works of floral art. The exhibit was a celebration of creativity, memory, and the shared delight found in both games and gardening.