Famed artist Rebecca Louise Law’s latest floral exhibit will be unveiled in San Clemente

Rebecca Louise Law is a British installation artist, best known for using materials found in nature — namely flowers — as her medium.

Her suspended artworks have appeared everywhere from Times Square to the Royal Academy of Arts in London. She made headlines with an upside-down meadow at the Chelsea Flower Show.

French high-fashion house Hermès hired her to create a piece of hanging hydrangeas for an opera fundraiser at the Theatre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, and for Tiffany & Co. she created a chandelier of mistletoe to cascade over the spiral staircase of their Old Bond Street store in London.

She once was commissioned to make six rose-covered willow arches for Windsor Castle, one for each decade Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne.

Law’s latest work is about to be unveiled at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente. “Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law” opens to the public June 9 and ends Aug. 13.

Casa executive director Berenika Schmitz wants the community to know that this is much more than an art commission.

“It is a year-long commitment by the staff and the volunteers of Casa Romantica to bring high-caliber arts to Orange County and to educate our community about the importance of water-wise horticulture,” she said.

Last October, when the installation was announced, Casa emphasized “community engagement.”

Schmitz has reached out to the Orange County community to collect, grow and dry the flowers Law would need. Scout troops, garden clubs, citizens, the cities of Irvine and Mission Viejo and the Saddleback Horticulture Department have responded with 8,000 blooms.

“Ms. Law’s installation art is arguably unlike anything else presented in Southern California to this point and will elevate the standard of art and exhibition programming beyond Orange County,” Schmitz said.

Schmitz also hopes the installation will “lead educational efforts about the benefits of native and drought-tolerant horticulture from an artistic standpoint.”

Back in October, Casa garden director Lisa Chmura opened “Office Hours” where new gardeners could seek advice about growing flora for the exhibition.

She and her Casa volunteers also spent the better part of a year growing from seed, transplanting, pruningand tending many of the blooms for the exhibition.

Volunteers now are collecting, sorting and cataloguing the blooms, preparing them for threading and hanging by Law’s team, which is due to arrive in Orange County next week.

We sent Law some questions across the pond.

Q: Your exhibits have taken the stage in world-famous cities. Why did you say yes to San Clemente?

A: I don’t accept every commission. It always needs to have nature at the core. The love for community combined with a passion for nature is what attracted me to this commission.

Q: Do you always recruit community members to get involved in your piece?

A: This is the first installation that I have minimal control over the material content. It is completely dependent on what is collected. My material list not only contains flowers, but foliage, wood, shells and ethically preserved insects. Any material that can dry and hold has been selected. It is going to be amazing to see all that is gathered. Nature and humanity is at the core of my work.

Q: Did the Orange County community pull through?

A: The passion for local involvement is amazing, with such drive and brilliant organization. I always want my art to reflect the surrounding area using as much locally sourced material as possible. I think this will be the most impressive collection of local produce. I’m excited to see it all come together.

Q: Can you give us a glimpse of what visitors can expect?

A: The installation is going to be separated into two works that spread over two rooms and the viewer will be able to immerse themselves in the art with material suspended from head to foot. I hope that the work will have a peaceful feel to it and become a space of thought and reflection.

Q: What message do you hope people will walk away from this exhibit with?

A: I want this installation to be a celebration of all the land provides within Orange County; an artwork that allows the viewer time to observe and have pride in all the earth provides. We can often take all we have for granted and I feel that this artwork combined with the community involvement will truly honor nature.

If You Go

What: Casa Coastal: Rebecca Louise Law

When: June 9 to Aug. 13

Where: Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente

Information: For exhibit times and admission, (949) 498-2139 or visit casaromantica.org.

LORI BASHEDA is a contributor to Times Community News.