Artists celebrate landmark's 125th
Kathleen Sullivan
Friday, April 2, 2004
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To help celebrate its 125th birthday, the Conservatory of Flowers has invited master artists -- who will carve fruit into flowers, turn individual strands of straw into animals, and make elegant leis from fragrant flowers -- to demonstrate their arts in the glass Victorian landmark in Golden Gate Park.
The month-long series, "Tropical Traditions,'' will feature artists from Thailand, China and Hawaii.
This weekend, Narongwacha Broytubtim and Rosalin Moore will demonstrate Thai fruit carving, a tradition that originated many centuries ago in the country's palaces, where royal meals had to be beautiful and delicious.
They will work their magic -- turning a guava into a lotus flower or a melon into a work of art -- using only one sharp knife. The shows will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday.
From 1 to 4 p.m. on April 9, 10 and 11, Hai-Yue Zhangwill weave miniature animals -- such as a cricket or a dragonfly -- from straw, relying on skills he learned from his father.
Hoi Poon, a spokeswoman for the conservatory, said Zhang will also play songs on a straw.
From 2-4 p.m. on April 16, 17 and 18, Marie McDonald, author of "Na Lei Makamae: The Treasured Lei,'' will demonstrate the artistry behind the famed Hawaiian tradition.
McDonald has been recognized as a native Hawaiian Living Treasure by the Smithsonian Institution, and has been recognized as a Master of Traditional Arts by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Poon said the conservatory has not yet finished plans for presentations for April 23, 24 and 25.
The programs are free with paid admission to the conservatory, on JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park. Admission is $5, $3 ages 12-17, seniors and students and $1.50 for ages 5-11.
For information, call (415) 666-7001, or visit www.conservatoryofflowers.org.
Beauty contest: San Francisco Beautiful is accepting public nominations for its 2004 salute to the individuals, organizations, agencies and businesses that have created new islands of beauty in the city, or enhanced or protected existing gardens, parks, playgrounds, buildings, neighborhoods or commercial strips.
Sheila Kolenc, director of operations for San Francisco Beautiful, said the group has mailed announcements to 20 neighborhood associations seeking nominations.
"Our board of directors and our members keep their eyes open all year long, but we can't have eyes on every neighborhood,'' she said.
She said special consideration will be given to projects that reflect this year's theme: New Beginnings: Preservation, Sustainability and Innovative Design.
Eligible projects include landscaping and planting, historic preservation, public art, litter and graffiti reduction, citizen initiatives, open space, parks and plaza improvements, and projects that enhance an area's "sense of place.''
In recent years, the group has given awards to the Alice Fong Yu School Garden, the Dog Patch Neighborhood Association, the 16th Street BART Plaza, the Asian Art Museum and the Ocean View Beautification Project.
Kolenc said the group also welcomes modest beautification projects -- such as a neighborhood garden that lifts the spirits of passersby as they walk to BART.
Nominations are due June 4.
Projects must be in San Francisco, and be visually and/or physically accessible to the public.
Eight to 10 awards will be presented during an awards dinner at the Sheraton Palace Hotel Oct. 27.
For information and nomination forms, call (415) 421-2608, or visit www.sfbeautiful.org.
Send e-mail to sffriday@sfchronicle.com.
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