Park City artists blend paint and petals in stunning nature collaboration

"Art in Bloom" exhibition at Susan Swartz Studios will run until Aug. 31, 2025. Photo: Carla Boecklin

PARK CITY, Utah — Art enthusiasts who visited the Kimball Arts Festival this past weekend discovered a unique creative collaboration at Susan Swartz Studios, 260 Main Street, where “Art in Bloom” showcased the intersection of fine art and floral design.

The exhibition paired nine bold works by internationally renowned environmental artist Susan Swartz with interpretive floral arrangements by Utah florist Hayden Hull of Lamb’s Ear Floral Designs. Hull selected native Utah flowers to complement Swartz’s intricate paintings, creating what organizers called a sensory experience that celebrated the natural world.

“The collaboration allowed us to explore how different artistic mediums can speak to each other,” said Hull, an American School of Flower Design-certified florist with a fine art background. “Susan’s work has such a strong connection to nature that the florals felt like a natural extension of her paintings.”

The pairing proved particularly fitting for Swartz’s current exhibition “Florescence,” which incorporates dried organic materials directly into the paintings. Her “Sunflowers” and “Evolution of Nature” series feature organic florals and fruits as integral elements of the artwork.

Swartz’s journey with abstract painting began during a decade-long battle with Lyme disease and mercury poisoning, leading to a deeper appreciation for nature’s healing power.

“Art became my way of reconnecting with the natural world that helped restore my strength,” Swartz said. “Having Hayden interpret my work through living flowers brought that connection full circle.”

The weekend collaboration invited visitors to vote for their favorite art-and-floral pairing on Instagram @susanswartzstudios, with participants entered to win a gift card for a custom bouquet from Lamb’s Ear Florals.

Swartz’s “Florescence” exhibition continues through Aug. 31 at the Main Street studio.

Lamb’s Ear specializes in wedding, event and interior floral design throughout Park City. Swartz served as official environmental artist for the 2002 Utah Olympic Games and has been recognized by New York art critic Donald Kuspit as among today’s premier nature painters.

For more information, visit www.susanswartz.com.