The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) sponsored us to bring our flower crown class to the attendees of the First Thursday event at the museum in December. Approximately 125 people made wearable art during using the eco-friendly crafting materials we provided, so their flower crowns will last for years.
When people hear “flower crown class,” they often imagine a lighthearted arts and craft activity. Fun, yes—but what unfolded during the class at SFMOMA was something deeper—- an educational, interpretive experience rooted in how we look at art.
Participants began by observing—color relationships, form, texture, emotion—then translated those observations into wearable floral compositions. By using recycled mannequin heads as sculptural canvases, this shifted the focus away from self-consciousness and toward composition, symbolism, and storytelling.
Much like a gallery wall, the mannequin heads became a neutral surface where ideas could take shape. This approach aligns naturally with contemporary museum education, where learning happens not only through text or lectures, but through active interpretation.
Even though everyone had access to the same materials, each floral crown reflected a different perspective. The participants could choose the quantity of materials they wanted and the placement. That diversity of outcomes wasn’t accidental—it was the point.
People of all ages, ethnicities and economic backgrounds participated. Many people had planned to come specifically for this class, others just happened to be there because it was free admission at the museum and they were pleasantly surprised to find our activ
Since this was December, we supplemented our usual eco-friendly crafting materials with holiday seasonal materials such as poinsettia’s, pine cones, tinsel garland and xmas balls.
Many of the participants said they planned to wear their flower crown at Santa Con or on Christmas day or for a New Year’s Eve party.
This workshop affirmed our belief that making belongs in museums as a meaningful extension of how visitors engage with art. This wasn’t a craft class.It was a conversation—with flowers.
Just as contemporary art invites viewers to bring their own meaning to what they
This class supported:
- Slow looking
- Personal interpretation
- Creative confidence
- Visual literacy
The workshop also reflected values many museums care deeply about: reuse. Repurposed mannequin heads, materials we purchased from places such as SCRAP SF, retail liquidations and estate sales.
And other crafting materials were deconstructed from their original purpose to be reused in a different way. Sustainability wasn’t a theme shouted from the rooftops—it was simply embedded in the process.
Hosting this experience at SFMOMA affirmed something we’ve always believed at Mannequin Madness: our flower crown class belongs in museums—not as an add-on, but as a meaningful extension of how people engage with art.
When visitors are invited to create, interpretation becomes personal. And when interpretation becomes personal, art stays with us longer.
Visit our website to shop for mannequins and dress forms, rent display pieces, or recycle your old mannequins.
