Issue date: 8/2/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Brian Jansky — THE BATTALION The J. Wayne Stark Galleries in the Memorial Student Center features an interpretative floral design exhibit this week called 'Multi-Rhythmic Designs.' The displays in the exhibit are all made of live flowers. The gallery is open until 8 p.m. and the exhibit will be on display until Friday. [Click to enlarge]

On display at the J. Wayne Stark Center Galleries in the Memorial Student Center this week is "Multi-Rhythmic Designs" sponsored by the Benz School of Floral Design and the Texas Garden Club Inc.

Garden Club women from across the nation gathered this week at the Benz School of Floral Design to participate in the Texas Design Seminar in order to renew their credentials as floral design judges.

Jim Johnson, director of the Benz School of Floral Design, has conducted the program since the early 1980s and will spend the week giving lectures and demonstrating different floral design techniques to the Garden Club members.

"The ladies will use the design techniques they learn here for exhibitions and art shows across the nation," Johnson said.

During the seminar, the women spent part of the day in the classroom listening and watching Johnson as he pieced together different designs.

At the end of the day the members headed to the lab where they were required to come up with their own designs, some of which can be viewed at the art gallery in the MSC.

"These pieces are very stimulating because they are not mainstream designs," Johnson said.

He will spend the rest of the week working with the women to show them how to take an empty container and turn it into a beautiful piece of art.

"What I hope the Garden Club ladies get from this seminar is more self-confidence, the ability to really think about design, and to think about why they do what they do," Johnson said.

The first Garden Club was established in Augusta, Ga., in 1932 with the purpose of conserving the environment, eliminating pollution, protecting plant life and promoting beauty in local communities.

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