Being a regular at exhibitions has made me think of how art is brought to the masses these days. The most obvious way is through museums, which in most of the cases involves an entry fee as well. In the current economic situation, paying these entry fees can be a financial burden many can't afford, especially if we're talking about a larger family. 

However, it doesn't have to be like that. Municipalities can sponsor these events so it can be free for everyone, plus there are other ways to host exhibitions. 

Lately I see it's becoming a trend for churches and community centers to host such events, all for free, which is not only a brilliant idea, but also has huge benefits for both artists and visitors. Someone told me years ago, the how is anyone expecting people to be educated, if education is not free and I fully agree with that. Churches and community centers are supposed to serve the people, so it's a good way to use their conference rooms for such purposes. 

![20231205_122620a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23wMaJdQzDm6NJRx9T4DmBnxCCzqsTCvtBDiCi5QsARJqKSZ3DWbzCSo1KKnSoncM4gzh.jpg)

What you see on the photo above is the community center of the catholic church. They have study rooms, conference rooms, canteen and so on. 

![20231205_122105a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/Eo8SmMAnSaGGyFHZWCjqp5jziBH1eWmDd8bXzdZxLdvNnQjEQbfmnTopoexbcLrXEAc.jpg)

The best thing in this is that no matter what language you speak, no matter what color your skin is or where you're from, these places are open to everyone. 

![20231205_122428a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/EopsvgExUbypdMoW2B7JJJRmhteuJHC83DxzeAjKRpGi94stmu5H7j16K5FoXccbhyv.jpg)

For me it was the first time visiting the community center as I'm not a catholic, but I hope it wasn't the last time. 

![20231205_122452a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/EowHXvGh6ubeXXEb3eyspXmykDFMzCNhqeyapTXJSVsM49ChS3xX1eAv1nkUj7vgq6o.jpg)

So why was I there you may ask. I mean me and my biggest enemy as I wasn't alone. 

![20231205_122157a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/EonmW4GNo5piv37ZrN61qP4gvcEx3HSyB7ed8u4rsrbWZ7TViaFbhmV7DiAzhCwY2p2.jpg)

There was a dry flower exhibition, called *Colors And Years*, by Erzsébet Marton. 

Up until yesterday, I only saw pressed, dry flowers in form of bookmarks and the [Edelweiss flower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leontopodium_nivale) under glass, which is a protected flower and very valuable as well.  

![20231205_121723a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23wqrjkLySKq2hbe4ymFNUz1keLDNM7ukNMoqV6wzT6zt9up5VLvJykENWMCidp1T5PUq.jpg)

However, what I'm going to show you today is more than just dry flowers. I'd say it's the art of dry flowers. This was the first work that I can post here and look at it. Look how the flowers are arranged on the paper, along the the accessories of the composition. 

![20231205_121740a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/24244EvphWddKNqzm1La8X4rrTpoLXD2qEPP8bc3cogwikqgANj4Ty56bxeuCnjD4NDaQ.jpg)

When I saw this one, my first thought was the [herbarium](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbarium) we had to have at elementary school. There was a list of herbs, plants we had to collect, press, dry and have in our herbarium. I love the different shapes of leaves and the colors as well. I was wondering for how long these dry leaves can keep their color. 

![20231205_121754a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23wqrt4W4Pvb4CPYYF79X5c18puhAUjiwXU4AdvHmMkKG8eHPMiFmAF2yD7kAGNUMaxVN.jpg)

I've been complaining about difficulties at the exhibitions, but this one showed me I know nothing about difficulties. Here not only I had to battle with strong reflections, but the frames were too high too. I'm of average high, but if I want to be brutally honest, I may be a bit taller than the ladies these days and even so, these frames were a bit too high for taking decent photos. 

![20231205_121828a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/EonmwB2eC7GffgSKzG5PcDrrsiqFrnwHipBmEkTVPnfhavsB9UBLFPhpP1qBqb5qKMc.jpg)

What I loved about these was the concept the artist tried to show us on paper. The way the dry things were arranged on the paper. It was really lovely. 

![20231205_121842a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23wCEJWDuJ5TLFEhkPUfX79epaQnkcK6f7ECxTzeKcq7pgDRsway2M3h1o1uFFVFYpwDA.jpg)

The next challenge for me was figuring out what kind of flowers, petals the artist used. You really have to know what the petal of different flowers look like, to recognize them. And this is when my addiction comes in handy. I love buds and always looking at the vein of the petals, this is how I was able to recognize a good few.

![20231205_121903a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23tvkg4anwoQTcJWW7xvZ95tF2zD9XqzWTX6xWpX4k5geDbsYvQaY4RLzQ3FZ7i9SKSnF.jpg)
 
My apologies for the quality, but I wanted to show you this one as i think it's a beautiful one. The flower looks like a bell, or like a skirt, or the bottom of the dress. So the flower the artist used here is the [datura](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura) or the other name of it is devil's trumpets. A couple of years ago I got some seeds from a public park and gave it to my dad to plant it in the garden. He got some wonderful flowers, everyone was amazed as it's not very common. So all was well, till next year, when the whole yard and garden was full of this flower, as the wind spread the seeds and the flower was unstoppable. My dad got mad and wiped it out the next year 😁. The truth is, it's a nice flower, but it's toxic too. 

![20231205_122312a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23xKvZmiBtysZgYtnxHhRvsbat2DToNdUUSVhiLd1CNwEsenj3mXT9qPwBHt7dDLtF6o6.jpg)

To post this, I had to try every trick from the book, and this is what I could do. I love the composition a lot. These delicate beauties look good on dark background.  

![20231205_122326a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23uQtaeSJ3f7Y7qgZaPxwvGs9ohaVESxZKaSjz9uuz427ZxHgLFtvKrQxt2GvtpUMEo2X.jpg)

I see nice pansies and maybe a poppy. 

![20231205_122343a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23sxrJ21qqoMXT5yio4wZHi6GVJ4nEApvQmiBHYi2mi7TATzhfGY3zxir77c7FaYhEXHr.jpg)

I see lilies and [nigella](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigella_damascena) here and the colors are lovely. The funny thing here is that nigella is not any better than datura or devil's trumpets. It's a lovely flower, but it spreads like wildfire. After the datura drama my dad had in the garden, I bought some nigella seeds 😆. The first year was fine, but in the second year the whole property was full of nigella. So my dad said I'm banned from bringing seeds in the garden 😂. 

![20231205_122423a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23wWxrf5jqo6FtgDPtczmngHAVmhQctP5UkncEhqbQ3viNyNY6jcBV2cjcRc4Vb1rTwcE.jpg)

![20231205_122511a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23w2qGu6Lv8SQWUkHrzLamBfoMxEdP1NBbCngUq54pj2QyhZFYUhTrTU54RkHkQNdKmDB.jpg)

If you thought it can't get better, look at this *lady*. Would you have thought such thing is possible? I love it. It's so delicate. I'd call it *The Flower Lady!*

![20231205_122526a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23wCLEFjrYefjX75ZGtUsfpRzk7uBBbdK83FWhU9gcdd1QwWvw2q1VN9ARoCTuMNxFuYV.jpg)

The second I saw this one, my first thought was @mipiano, and not for the clef, I only saw that later, but because of the [Capsella bursa-pastoris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsella_bursa-pastoris), which look like musical notes 😆. @mipiano, ez pásztortáska!!! 😁 

![20231205_122544a.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/erikah/23xp8dJ1zA6ThrdvP6ECjhe49rf8Hmzts2rpajjSYfrmtmhZFpRwYwHEgQVJmwh7EnXLU.jpg)

And here's the dark version of the flower lady, just as lovely as the light version. Please try to ignore the reflection and look at the flower composition. 

I don't know about you but I consider this as art. You need to have a clear vision about what you can do with these flowers, recognize the value of them and you can create wonderful artworks. It's never easy as these flowers, once dry, are very delicate, but nothing is impossible. 

Unfortunately my biggest enemy made my job a living hell again, but without glass, these wonderful compositions would not last long. And with glass, no matter where you place them or how you photograph them, you have no chance. Unless special glass is used, but that glass is for the biggest galleries, in terms of expenses, not artist of this level. 

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If you're a newbie, you may want to check out these guides:
- [Communities Explained - Newbie Guide](https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@erikah/communities-explained-newbie-guide)
- [Cross Posting And Reposting Explained, Using PeakD](https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@erikah/cross-posting-and-reposting-explained-using-peakd)
- [Hive Is Not For Me](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/hive-is-not-for-me)
- [How To Pump Your Reputation Fast - Newbie Guide](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/how-to-pump-your-reputation-fast-newbie-guide)
- [Tips And Tricks & Useful Hive Tools For Newbies](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/tips-and-tricks-and-useful-hive-tools-for-newbies)
- [More Useful Tools On Hive - Newbie Guide](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/more-useful-tools-on-hive-newbie-guide)
- [Community List And Why It Is Important To Post In The Right Community](https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@erikah/community-list-and-why-it-is-important-to-post-in-the-right-community)
- [Witnesses And Proposals Explained - Newbie Guide](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/wintesses-and-proposals-explained-newbie-guide)
- [To Stake, Or Not To Stake - Newbie Guide](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/to-stake-or-not-to-stake-newbie-guide)
- [Tags And Tagging - Newbie Guide](https://peakd.com/hive-150329/@erikah/tags-and-tagging-newbie-guide)
- [Newbie Expectations And Reality](https://peakd.com/hive-166408/@erikah/newbie-expectations-and-reality)

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