OUTTAKES FROM THE NORTON SIMON MUSEUM

Last Sunday was one of the brightest highlights of all my floral work over the past years: I was honored with the opportunity to teach a workshop at the Norton Simon Museum! I married two subjects that I love so dearly for this workshop: storytelling + flower arranging. What a wonderful, fun-filled afternoon we had all set in the zen garden at the museum! Above are a few outtakes from my workshop. I have to say that I am always so touched by everyone's intentions behind their creations, especially so when they share their stories at the end of class. Every story was so different and every arrangement stood apart. They were stunning! Such keen floral work and with such nuanced intentions. I was very proud of everyone who participated.

More stories and wildflowers here

Thank you so kindly to everyone who showed up and participated in this afternoon of flowers and stories. It was an honor to have you! 

A huge heartfelt THANK YOU to the Norton Simon museum for this gracious opportunity!

...and after my workshop at The Ecology Center, I couldn't resist taking my étudiante Jessica + student Corrin + V.v. straight to Laguna Beach! How could we not? We feasted on some grilled fish tacos and then made a beeline to the warm sand, salty fresh air and turquoise blue water. It was such a perfect end to a perfect day! We took off our shoes and dipped our toes in the crashing shore-break while V.v. basked in the sun. Life is so beautiful.

Story-telling Through Flower Arranging / A TTL Workshop

A Story Told Through Wildflowers

My flower workshop at The Ecology Center exactly one week ago was incredibly fun and lifting! I am always so blown away by how well students can put flowers together, in their own voice, when given the chance! If you were there, thank you so kindly for being a part of this wonderful group of élèves! If you couldn't attend, then perhaps the next one. 

I always like to bake a little cake the night before class because I feel it's such a nice way to greet my students and start on a full belly. The class was based on a simple idea: telling a story/poem/haiku/thought through the manner which you arranged your flowers. Meaning, letting your arrangements speak for themselves! Seeing that our materials (lucky us - wildflowers picked from TEC's native gardens) had an expiration date, much like all of our lives, the stories didn't have to be perfect or linear or even needed to be understood by everyone. They were going to be present for a week at the most. They just needed to stem from an inner 'story' as opposed to a formulaic rule of how-to's, so that the student could connect with his/her floral creation. Hopefully this was freeing, leaving the student to channel some inner creative guidance.

I have to admit to you, I got goose bumps and my heart swelled when I heard everyone share what their arrangements meant. We set all the finished pieces along the breezy porch and one by one everyone spoke. Some were funny, some were bold while others told of heartache and  remembrance. A few represented food and a few others had bigger philosophies. All were incredibly heartfelt. So much so that I photographed all of them individually and will be releasing a little impromptu book of postcards with my student's floral creations + stories! A collection of stories as told through flowers, to send to someone you're thinking of through the mail! Much more on that - I am shooting to release this around the holidays and will have it on my website/shop too. 

Thank you again to everyone! I so thoroughly enjoyed everyone's story as told through their handpicked wildflowers. Bravo xx

 See more of the workshop H E R E.

Save the Date / WILDFLOWER WORKSHOP!

Hi friends. Save the Date!

Much more info to come but this is going to be a really lovely workshop set in the beautiful gardens at The Ecology Center, led by me.

(I'm even baking a geranium rose summer cake for you)!

Story-telling Through Flower Arranging

Saturday   08 / 23

1-3PM

$30

rsvp : theecologycenter.org