Details
Blooms · Birds · Bonsai
Saturday, Feb 28, 2026
11 am – 4 pm
7726 SE 179th Place Evinston, FL 32667
Step into a celebration of art and nature at Blooms · Birds · Bonsai. This annual Fair Oaks Foundation event invites guests to enjoy fine art, house tours, bonsai exhibits, birdwatching walks, and guest speakers—all beneath the timeless beauty of the Fair Oaks canopy.
Tickets may be purchased at the event. Cash and credit cards are accepted.
2026 Blooms · Birds · Bonsai
Guest Speakers
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Mark Elliott
Mark Elliott will present a talk on Florida native plants, sharing insights drawn from decades of scientific research and field experience. He retired as a Senior Biological Scientist in Plant Pathology with the University of Florida / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and is a member and past president of the Payne’s Prairie chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society. His presentation offers a unique perspective on Florida’s plant ecosystems, blending science, conservation, and practical knowledge for gardeners, land stewards, and nature enthusiasts.
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Tonya Becker
Tonya Becker, with the Alachua Audubon Society, will share insights on birding and local avian habitats. Her presentation highlights the importance of bird conservation and offers perspectives for anyone interested in observing and protecting Florida’s native bird species. She will lead several bird walks throughout the day as time allows and will be available to answer questions from guests.
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David VanBuskirk
David VanBuskirk is a lifelong Florida plantsman and bonsai artist with decades of hands-on experience cultivating and shaping a wide range of species. Co-owner of D&L Nursery, he will present a talk on plants and the art of bonsai, sharing insights drawn from years of study, practice, and observation of how trees grow and respond in nature.
2026 Blooms · Birds · Bonsai
Special Highlights
- Fine Art – Explore original works by regional and national artists showcasing paintings, photography, and mixed media inspired by nature’s beauty.
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House Tours – Step inside the historic Fair Oaks home and experience its timeless architecture, curated art displays, and stories that bring the estate’s history to life.
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Golf Cart Tours – Enjoy a guided ride through the scenic grounds, gardens, and oak canopies—perfect for taking in the full beauty of Fair Oaks at a relaxed pace.
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Bird Watching Walks – Join local birding enthusiasts for peaceful walks around the property, spotting native and migratory species that call Fair Oaks home.
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Bonsai Exhibit
2026 Blooms · Birds · Bonsai
Artists
Linda Blondheim
My mission as a landscape painter is about visually recording the rural, agricultural lands, and trees of my beloved Florida. Painters are stewards of our history and culture. We record the experiences and lives of our own time. My legacy as a painter is to leave a visual record of the beauty of rural Florida.
Michelle Nagri
Michelle is a Florida-based artist working in paint, photography, and mixed media. After earning her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida, she felt called to the arts and began exploring creative outlets that gave her purpose.
Initially drawn to oil painting, she later found her voice through photography and began exhibiting at juried art festivals across the country. In 2019, she was selected as the poster artist for Santa Fe College’s 50th Annual Spring Arts Festival with her digital collage Into the Garden of Dreamers.
Today, Michelle blends paint, collage, and photography to express emotion, story, and beauty. Through color, symbolism, and texture, she transforms small details into visual poetry that reflects her search for unity and meaning.
Ronda Richley
I am a process-driven artist fascinated by creation as much as the final image. My work balances realism and abstraction, often using dripping oils and finger painting to leave visible traces of the creative journey. Vibrant, complementary colors—especially radiant yellows—bring warmth and energy to my compositions.
Drawn to joyful, uplifting subjects, I often paint flowers as a way to nurture and share beauty I cannot grow myself. Each piece explores how far materials and composition can be pushed, blending recognizable forms with expressive spontaneity. This fusion invites viewers to connect not only with the image but with the act of creation itself.
Mary Jane Volkmann
I’m on the hunt for flowers to paint. Peppering the landscapes I wander with color, they draw me in for a closer look. I find them in seemingly unlikely places, tiny faces of varied hue and shape peeking out at me from beneath my feet or shyly hiding at the swamp’s edge. They smile as they wave from the grasses of late summer, and wink as they expose themselves from an autumn bush or a vine still lingering in the southern winter. With a call to the birds, pollinators and wildlife, their exuberance seems to wake the world and cheer the heart. Beckoning irresistibly, they have sent my on a mission with my camera and brush…