By Noma Faingold

More than 100 of Northern California’s top floral designers are donating their talents, time and materials to the 42nd annual Bouquets to Art (BTA) exhibition at the de Young and the Legion of Honor museums. Approximately 50,000 people will visit the museums to tour the enhanced galleries during the exhibition fundraiser from March 3 to 8.

“It has public appeal because it’s a fresh way to view our permanent collections,” said Amy Sedan, associate director of special events at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF). “It’s different every year and the creations are completely new.”

The popular exhibit, which also includes a gala on the evening of March 2, raises $300,000 to $350,000 each year (more than $10 million overall). The installations are inspired by artworks in the permanent collections. Some floral designers go literal, while others choose more conceptual adaptations.

San Francisco floral designer Neil Hunt, 56, of Hunt Littlefield, has been a BTA exhibitor since 1999.

“The event really adds an entirely different facet to the art,” Hunt said. “The interrelationship with the museum artwork makes it really special. It gives visitors more to think about.”

During a museum walkthrough, participating floral designers each pick six art pieces as pairing options. FAMSF staff members and co-organizers, the San Francisco Auxiliary, a group of FAMSF volunteers devoted to making BTA a success, choose one piece for each exhibitor.

This year, Hunt will tackle the panoramic landscape hanging at the de Young titled, “View of Donner Lake, California,” painted from 1871 to 1872 by Albert Bierstadt.

Typically, Hunt lets ideas ruminate for a while before constructing his corresponding creation.

“One of my rules is I never think what I’m going to do when I pick the art,” Hunt said. “I try to work with theme and symbolism to represent the work within the context the art was created, such as what was happening historically at the time. It leads me in unexpected directions.”

Hunt will spend up to 24 hours a few days before the exhibition to fabricate the structure of the piece at his company’s Bayview District warehouse, which contains welding and wood workshops. Like all of the other participants, he assembles his creation with fresh flowers at the venue, in the allotted time, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., on March 2, just a few hours before the gala begins at 5:30 p.m.

“I like creating things from scratch. I’m a build-your-own type of guy,” Hunt said.

He and his floral designer wife, Trina Littlefield, formed their company in 2005. Hunt comes from a long line of “rugged men who like flowers,” he said.

Hunt’s floral design origins began with his great, great grandfather, Carl Purdy, known as the “Wildflower Dean of California.” The Ukiah property is still in the family. Hunt visits at least once a month, often to collect materials for various projects.

“It’s a magical place,” he said. “I was encouraged to enter the trade and expected to know the Latin names of all the flowers.”

Even though he never met Purdy, Hunt said he’s one of the biggest influences on his life.

“My great, great grandfather said that his work kept him in contact with beautiful things,” Hunt said. “That’s how I feel. It never gets old.”

In addition to a steady stream of corporate and social event clients, Huntlittlefield Stone, Stem & Leaf is involved in landscape design and garden creation. Hunt describes his floral design style as having “a modern, botanical look; naturalistic and architectural.”

Hunt has been a floral designer for 40 years. He and his wife have lived in the same Merced Extension Triangle home for 25 years.

“I’m president of my neighborhood association, yet I’m spiritually rooted in Mendocino County,” he said.

To be selected is regarded as prestigious by floral designers in the Bay Area and beyond. While 87% of this year’s lineup are returning designers, there’s still room for new exhibitors. Prospects have to have professional credentials, such as Certified Floral Designer (CFD) or American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) accreditation, plus industry recognition and work experience. To ensure fairness, there is a lottery system set up, along with a panel of judges, who contribute to the decision-making process.

Each designer is given a lot of creative freedom, although there are strict parameters, mostly regarding the use of materials. Anything that might attract pests or harbor insects is strictly prohibited, including seeds, berries, flowering grasses or plants with fleshy detachable parts, bamboo, pine cones, preserved wood, silk and feathers.

In addition, the structures must be installed at a safe distance from the museum art, allowing for significant foot traffic. Exhibitors are also required to quickly refresh their designs at least twice that week, before or after the museum visiting hours.

Wisconsin-born Janelle Jacky-Litt, who founded her own company, Green Petal Designs, in 2011, completed the City College of San Francisco (CCSF) floristry program in 2010. She has been a BTA exhibitor for four years (after being an assistant to other floral designers in previous years). She was accepted when she submitted an application containing an artist statement, references and portfolio samples.

The 45-year-old mother of three with wife Natasha Litt, has not regretted leaving the corporate world behind. She was introduced to the world of floral design when she took a second job at a flower shop, while still living in the Midwest in the early 2000s.

“I knew nothing about flowers. I didn’t even think about flowers,” she said. “I took to it very fast. I think it is the creativity. It was a good medium for me.”

“Controlled chaos” is how Jacky-Litt describes her style.

“I use a lot of different materials,” she said. “I love textures and colors. There’s a lot of depth and visual interest, yet there’s a nice cohesiveness to my designs.”

For BTA this year, she has been assigned the 1890s painting by Claude Raguet Hirst, titled, “New York Evening Sun.” The realistic still life is named after a New York newspaper and features such objects as a candlestick with a half-melted candle, matchsticks, a tattered book and a folded newspaper casually arranged on a table.

During the first two months of this year, Jacky-Litt said she thought “about which aspects of the painting we want to highlight.”

About two weeks before the exhibition, she makes decisions about whether something needs to be constructed. Next door to her cavernous Dogpatch District studio is a welder, who can craft a structure if she does not already have suitable framework in her inventory.

Green Petal Designs gets all the business it needs, from large events and elaborate weddings, mainly through word of mouth. The company does the flowers for more than 40 weddings per year. She is booked by the San Francisco Giants about 20 times a year. Last year, she provided arrangements for several parties/receptions during the NBA All-Star Game weekend, including the biggest gig Jacky-Litt has ever had: the Legends Brunch held at Moscone Center, where she led her team in creating and installing 230 centerpieces.

Bouquets to Art provides a welcomed change of pace from her day-to-day work.

“I get to be a little more artistic. Sometimes making a centerpiece is just a centerpiece,” she said. “This event allows me to be a little more creative. I’m always excited to be part of the community of florists who do it.”

The 42nd Annual Bouquets to Art is being held March 3-8, at the de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. and the Legion of Honor, 100 34th Ave. For details on extended evening hours for members and non-members, check www.famsf.org.

The gala is on March 2, 5:30-10 p.m., at the de Young Museum. The fundraiser includes a floral fashion show (creations and informal modeling by CCSF students). Tickets, which need to be purchased in advance, are priced from $500 to $20,000. For information on purchasing a table, contact specialevents@famsf.org.