the possible ecological benefits of botanical art.
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I used to think decorating with floral was a waste of money. I didn't understand why you would pay so much for something that was going to die a few days later. I thought it was such a waste of resources.
What if we had that same view of our own life? Are we not valuable in the grand scheme of things because we live and die so rapidly? Flowers became this representation of that fleeting bloom, that moment of beauty within eternity. When I started this business a decade ago I wrestled with the service I was providing. I had a long history of creating with plants, it felt like an extension of me, and yet I abhorred it on some level. I wanted my entire life to be a reflection of idealism and benevolence toward all the earth. I became stifled and stagnant in my life and business because of these impulses for unified beliefs and actions. I thought the floral industry was corrupt, just like everything else. As I dug into it, I found that the flower market I was supporting actually did think about the effects. They shared with me their relationship to the farmers and how they sourced the flowers I was purchasing. I still didn't like the amount of overseas shipping involved but it pushed me to buy from more local people, and sure enough, the market for local flowers began growing. It is much larger today than it was ten years ago. Besides buying local and knowing the source of my flowers, I began wild foraging pieces in nature. I found that many of the plants I would forage were invasive species. I use things like Ivy, Scotch Broom and Clematis in my designs. After years of challenging my own business practices I had a lovely realization: MY ART AND DESIGN ARE COMPOSTABLE! In an age of plastic and one-time-use event/party supplies I finally understood how incredible botanical art and design truly was. People weren't wasting their money on floral, they were purchasing something that could bring beauty and celebration without creating trash. All of their arrangements could be composted and used to grow more flowers and food in the future. All of that to say, I am super excited to announce that this year I will be growing a lot of my own flowers along side my food in a massive garden space. I want to have my hands in the entire process and look at the ways I can use the whole cycle of flowers to help with regeneration and healing our soils. Flowers are this moment of beauty and sensuality. They are here to remind us of life cycles and the importance of allowing ourselves to bloom and die over and over again. When we bring them into a space, we bring life, we cultivate a moment of pure expression and presence. I am devoted to using my business for beauty, celebration, growth and healing on all levels. |
