December 3rd’s General Meeting is for everyone…gardeners and floral designers alike. In partnership with the Botanical Garden, we will be treated to the utterly gorgeous photography of Laurie Tennent, who brings her unique botanical art to Kapnick’s walls. Hear how this budding marine biologist was reeled out of the water and into a darkroom, where she develops work that exposes a plant’s soul. Sign up now.
You might think her subjects would all be “supermodels”, blooms worthy of the Philadelphia Flower Show, but she’s as likely to photograph a roadside weed, as she is a dahlia in the blush of youth. Hers isn’t the school of photography that makes things better than they are; hers presents them as they are inviting our scrutiny.
Ms. Tennent exhibits in both Botanical Gardens and art galleries worldwide. For a preview, go to www.laurietennentbotanicals.com. Experiencing the installations, often described as spiritual, is to be mindful, to dig beneath the surface, to linger in the presence of beauty.
Working with a very high-resolution camera produces razor sharp images against a black background. “They could be blown up to cover the side of a bus and still be super sharp,” she says. Once printed on waterproof aluminum, the works can be displayed outdoors where they are most often viewed—a perfect complement to the real thing. In fact, she once placed a photo of a peony in full bloom in a bed that had not yet blossomed. When the flowers emerged, her photograph was indistinguishable from the real thing.
Lucky for us in this season of giving, the Naples Botanical Garden Gift Shop will be carrying scarves, ties, and elegant serving trays all adorned with her arresting images. Guests are, also, invited to this singular event for a $20 fee in Kapnick Hall from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
