2017 Lincoln Park Conservatory / Artist Sharon Bladholm with the Exotic Batflower

Artist Sharon Bladholm and the Exotic Batflower

Location: Lincoln Park Conservatory.

Images were taken on August 17, 2017.

Artist Sharon Bladholm and Batflower

About Sharon Bladholm

Sharon Bladholm is a multi disciplinary artist – sculptor, painter, drawer – who works in multiple mediums including – cast glass, stained glass, bronze, ceramic, printmaking and on paper. Her art is highly influenced with nature and integrates science, conservation, and nature with art. She is owner of Opal Glass Studio. She has had many public and private commissions and her art work can be seen in galleries and public spaces.

Currently her solo exhibition “Soils, Seeds, and Sprouts: Tropical and Temperate – Artwork by Sharon Bladholm”, can be seen at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum… click here.

While catching up with the artist, we also took a tour of the Lincoln Park Conservatory, where we saw this unusual Batflower.

About Batflower

How often do we see a “black” flower? How often do we see a flower with whiskers?
Here is a black flower with whiskers!

Bat flower [Tacca chantieri] is an exotic plant with flowers that mimic a bat in flight. It has black flowers, or maybe deep purple. These flowers are are up to 12 inches across, and have long ‘whiskers’ that can grow up to 28 inches. Tacca chantrierei is native to tropical regions of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, and southern China. They are understory plants, so they prefer shade.