The City of Lake Charles, Louisiana

 

A new exhibition, "Second Life of Plants", will hang at Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center from February 15 through April 6, 2013. The ancient technique of pressing dried botanical materials, known as oshibana, began hundreds of years ago by the Japanese. Rita Ford is a garden designer and artist of botanical materials who creates floral collages. She selects her medium from Mother Nature. Rita says, "Every leaf and every flower is already a piece of art." Rita's creations are intended to save and extend the charm of floral beauty. She believes that in a world of high technology, her viewers are drawn to appreciate such a simple thing as the beauty of plants. Rita is from Saint Petersburg, the cultural capital of Russia, where she was surrounded by museums, art galleries and exhibitions. She is currently a resident of Many, Louisiana.

Historic City Hall is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information, please call 491-9147.