The floral tradition at the Honolulu Academy of Arts began on the day the museum opened its doors in 1927. The first guests were greeted, as today's visitors are, with glorious displays of tropical flowers arranged by friends of the museum. This tradition has continued unbroken thanks to a corps of loyal volunteers who have worked under the direction and inspiration of two artists, Caroline Peterson and May Moir, who each contributed her talents and energies to the Academy for more than thirty years. Profiles of Peterson and Moir add a human dimension to the brief history of the Academy and its development included in this book. Since the 1970s, the Asian galleries have been graced with floral arrangements that represent the japanese art of ikebana, which are contributed by volunteers from MOA Sangetsu and are a welcome addition to the Academy's floral traditions.

An overdue tribute to one of the most dedicated and important support groups at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, this volume will also inspire other flower arrangers with the masterful designs of these floral sculptures.

By Kaui Philpotts with photography by Linny Morris Cunningham. Revised, 1996. Hardcover, 88 pages with over 100 color illus. 0-937426-35-0