About this episode
https://youtu.be/Fz6QYN9w3ik
For ten years, New York-based artist and illustrator Abbie Zabar had unique, early-morning access to the Great Hall at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. With colored-pencils and a small square of paper, Abbie drew the dramatic floral arrangements on display in the Great Hall, designed by Chris Giftos, the Met’s floral master who served from 1970-2004.Now, Abbie’s tiny masterpieces are collected in a beautiful new book called BOUQUET: Floral Arrangements at the Metropolitan Museum. From holiday arrangements of magnolia leaves, red berries and flyaway branches to summertime fiestas of palm leaves, red-hot pokers, and birds of paradise; in the hands of their secret chronicler, each floral arrangement comes alive on the page, expressing all the joy of nature. Including Abbie’s own notes on the compositions of the bouquets, as well as the story of her time as the museum’s quiet observer, Bouquet is inspiration for florists, gardeners, and fans of botanical art everywhere. I visited Abbie at her New York apartment and studio a few weeks ago, and I’m delighted to share our conversation with you today.
Abbie Zabar and Debra Prinzing in Abbie's NYC apartment. Some of her original drawings appear on the shelves behind us.
Bouquet cover artwork with Abbie's charming hand-illustrated inscription
https://issuu.com/accpublishinggroup/docs/bouquet
Ten years ago, I hosted Abbie Zabar on the Slow Flowers Podcast in Episode 196 (June 3, 2015). And today, we welcome her back to the show. In that conversation, Abbie talks about her decade-long practice of observing and drawing the gorgeous flower-filled urns, in the Metropolitan Museum’s great hall. To use Amy Stewart’s description of appointing oneself an artist-in-residence, Abbie did just that, quietly observing and sketching Chris Giftos’ magnificent flower-filled urns. At first, she sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and sketching in her lap. After a museum guard tried to shoo her off because she couldn’t sit on the floor, Abbie procured a small stool and later befriended the museum guards who became her advocates and supporters, even letting her into the Metropolitan Museum before opening hours to draw without interruption. What a glorious story!
A peek outside to see Abbie's rooftop garden in the city
Enter Abbie Zabar's rooftop garden in New York
Abbie is an acclaimed artist, illustrator, and garden designer, and the author of six books. Her first book, The Potted Herb (1988), is now considered a gardening classic. She has created garden and graphic designs for numerous prestigious companies and organizations, including Bergdorf Goodman, Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, and PS 198. Her landscape collages have been represented by Allan Stone and BlumHelman, and her Flowers in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art series has been represented by Ursus Books & Prints and the Horticultural Society of New York.
Abbie’s artwork has been shown at the Museum of Modern
