The dark, untamed arrangements created by Allison Futeral and Lonna Lopez of Crimson Horticulture stem from natural history’s marriage of aesthetic and scientific interest. Whether working with tillandsia, feathers, violet-red marigolds, succulents or butterflies, they favor the vintage side of the Romantic. “We like to use plants and flowers in unusual and unexpected ways,” notes Futeral. Crimson brings sublime, saturated colors and textures to arrangements, wedding floral, curious terrariums and even landscapes, transforming every setting into a natural phenomenon.
Ann Wood’s artfully sewn fauna and flora occupy an alternative woodland. Her owls, mice and spiders, mushrooms, seedpods, bats and ships display the evidence of hand, with stitches visible and edges deconstructed. Handcrafted of textiles ranging from wool flannel to Japanese fabrics to Italian silk, these are creatures well suited to urban flocks. Instead of being precious, these beasties have a modern sensibilities: That her owls sometimes look a bit cranky and disdainful—Pecksniff and Mr. Bittles among them—only adds to their appeal, while cosmopolitan Fortuny mice like Francesco and Alessandro ship off to Venice. These are gifts for grown-ups, destined to become heirlooms. Available through Sloan Miyasato.
Anandamayi Arnold operates in an enviable dimension that values slow time, that embraces the careful wrapping of fragile papers and the lovingly meticulous painting of tiny details. [Editor’s note: For more on Arnold, see “Made in San Francisco,” page 36]. Arnold makes surprise balls: paper animals and botanicals that contain tiny treats and toys. Delights originally of another era, they have been artfully adapted to modern tastes by Arnold. Her repertoire includes swans and turtles, persimmons and pears—her cacti and radishes are pictured here—and, at the holidays, inky-black coal and sparkling white snowballs. Available exclusively at Tale of the Yak, Berkeley.
Nearly every evening, Chef Dominique Crenn creates astonishing poetic culinaria at her two-Michelin-starred San Francisco restaurant, Atelier Crenn. There, the native of Versailles, France, conjures edible landscapes of fresh local ingredients, presenting them in vessels of slate, stone and glass. Equal parts art and gastronomy, they are sublime to the sight and the palate. In lieu of a traditional menu, Crenn writes a seasonal poem to convey the ingredients and dishes. “Under the midnight glow, I can taste the sweetness of the sea” reads her most recent lyric, which is the inspiration for the foodscape pictured here. Composed of caviar, mussels and lobster nestled amongst the plant life and a deep green pool of broth, it captures the abundance and beauty of this most magical of seasons.
