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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)–Heralding in the arrival of spring in New Orleans, a procession of flowers and greenery frantically enters through the doors at the New Orleans Museum of art. The Art in Bloom event is an annual fundraiser to support both NOMA and the Garden Study Club of New Orleans. The event is sponsored by First Horizon Bank.

Charlie Tatum is the Director of Marketing and Communications at the New Orleans Museum of Art and says “we’re used to coming to the museum and looking at more traditional forms of art of paintings and sculpture. This is a way to see the museum completely anew.”

Urban Earth Studios does floral displays for weddings and other events and are one of the over 75 exhibitors who built whimsical art displays using the artistic medium of plants. Urban Earth has been participating in Art in Bloom since the 1990’s and always has a grand display.

In artistically articulating this year’s Art in Bloom theme of “Paradise Under the Palms, Roland Montealegre of Urban Earth says, “my idea of Paradise Under the Palms, is being at the beach, relaxing with a cool drink, watching the sunset. That was what we built! The colors we worked with are yellow and orange, that transition gradiently into blue hues.”

The diversity of flora on display encompasses the best of nature and allows the creativity of the many participants to have it’s way.

It’s unique to see still life displays, next to classical paints of still life. Still life can be a lesson on enjoying the prime of life while it is in season. The Art in Bloom event takes the “appreciate life” spirit and brings it forth off of the canvas or statue pedestal, into something visitors can not only see but smell as well.

“I really love still life painting. The artists of the Dutch baroque period were looking to capture these moments that they new were fleeting and were only going to last for a minute. That is what makes the event to special. You only have these few days to experience these beautiful creations,” says Charlie Tatum.

To catch all the beauty of Art in Bloom, the exhibition takes place until Sunday, March 26th.