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The Longwood Garden Club met Monday, Nov. 27 at the Longwood Center for Visual Arts. That’s located at 129 North Main Street, in Farmville.

Rachel Ivers and Tommie Elder hosted the meeting.

The Arrangement for the day was Arts and Flowers at the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts featuring Flapper Fashion of the 1920s. Each member of the club had been invited to select one of the exhibition pieces from the show curated by Ashley Webb, Longwood ’07, from her own private collection and create a floral arrangement. The show opened on Nov. 3 and closes on Feb. 11.

Four members accepted the challenge and selected an item from the show. 

Shirley V. Blackwell chose a black satin dress with an uneven lace skirt. Flowers at the center of the drop waist pulled the eye toward the hem. These flowers immediately suggested to Blackwell a cascade floral arrangement.

Harlan Horton was inspired by a large print 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide. The print was copied from a luxurious fashion magazine, Art-Gout-Beaute, published in Paris from 1920-1933. The magazine was illustrated with hand-colored pochoir (stencil) prints. The print he chose was of four people, three women and one man, dressed for a party. Horton focused on the woman in the front of the print.

Anne Tyler Paulek selected a chartreuse chiffon drop waist dress with a paneled skirt. There is heavy glass beading in metallic silver with silver thread and plastic seed pearl fleur de lis designs.

Jennifer Irving Wall chose a floral printed silk dress with a drop waist. The sleeveless dress has red crepe de chine vertical detail along the left side of the dress and a drop waist. There is an accompanying belt with a red bakelite buckle.

All four participants received Blue ribbons for their arrangements.

The horticulture for the day was Specimens of One’s Choice. Five members exhibited nine specimens. Norwood Bailey, Frances Bailey, Shirley Blackwell, Harlan Horton, and Reed Horton were awarded Blue Ribbons.

After the meeting the members reentered the exhibit to hear the participants discuss some of their creative ideas and some of the problems that they encountered in creating a floral arrangement inspired by the Flapper dresses of the 1920s.