Emily Thompson Tour, Demonstration & Book Signing

Join Emily Thompson, world renowned floral designer, for an exclusive walk through the garden and conservatory. She will highlight a curated selection of plant material perfect for creating one-of-a-kind arrangements. Following the walk, Emily will lead an inspiring demonstration, showcasing the assembly of 2-3 distinctive floral arrangements. After the demonstration, attendees will receive a copy of Emily’s beautiful new hardcover book and have the opportunity for her to sign it. Lunch ticket holders will join Emily for a delightful lunch, catered by Fire and Salt, following the book signing.

Emily Thompson was raised in the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont, a place of uncompromising beauty. She brought her sense of this place, its ruins and its wilds, to her work as an artist, traveling from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the University of Pennsylvania, to UCLA, where she earned her MFA in sculpture, finally landing in New York City. Here, she fell in with a rough crowd of thorny brambles and made it her mission to bring them to light.

Emily likes to cite William Gilpin, 18th century theorist of the picturesque, who directed builders of follies and artificial ruins to do so as if these ruins were not designed but naturally chosen. What’s more, writes Gilpin, they must be in magnificent style. Emily’s work, like her ideal faux ruin, evokes nature in magnificent style.

AGE: Adult audiences

WEATHER: Rain or Shine

SPECIAL NOTES:Please dress appropriately for events and workshops held outdoors.