The Art of Bloom
2019
Long Beach
The Art of Bloom redefined the relationship between humans and nature through an immersive exhibition that blended cutting-edge technology with poetic design. Centered on the theme of "Symbiosis," this exhibition transformed a 100 year old theater into a living ecosystem where visitors became active participants in nature's narrative.
The experience unfolded through two interconnected installations: The Petal Room immersed guests in a responsive environment of 3,500 real flowers and 6 million falling paper petals, enhanced by sensor-activated lighting and custom fragrances that created a dynamic dialogue between human presence and botanical wonder. In the Augmented Nature Room, augmented reality revealed invisible connections as visitors manipulated seven essential natural elements through gesture and touch.
Every detail followed a sakura-inspired visual language that bridged Japanese springtime elegance with California's vibrant landscapes. This cohesive aesthetic extended from the custom scent to the AR interactions, creating a unified sensory journey. The exhibition became a cultural phenomenon through organic visitor engagement—from yoga sessions among petals to viral social media moments—proving that technology could deepen rather than distance our connection to nature's beauty.
As Project Manager, Cassy Leeman masterfully orchestrated every dimension of The Art of Bloom, transforming an ambitious vision into a flawlessly executed multi-sensory experience. Over an intensive 18-month planning and execution period, she served as the critical nexus between creative visionaries and technical teams, harmonizing the work of floral designers, AR developers, fragrance specialists, and production crews into a cohesive whole.
Cassy's hands-on leadership extended from macro-level planning to micro-details—she personally oversaw the delicate installation of 3,500 suspended flowers, ensuring both visual impact and botanical freshness. Simultaneously, she synchronized complex technological elements like sensor-activated lighting and augmented reality interfaces with custom scent diffusion, creating seamless transitions between physical and digital interactions.
Her operational acumen shone in balancing artistic ambitions with practical realities, from theater renovations to visitor flow management. When technical challenges arose with projection mappings or floral arrangements, Cassy's real-time problem-solving kept the experience pristine. This meticulous attention to both creative integrity and functional execution resulted in an exhibition that captivated visitors and dominated social media—a testament to her unique ability to unite diverse disciplines under one extraordinary vision.
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