TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF FLORAL DESIGN?

I spent over 15 years working in offices. A lot of that time was spent in banking/non-profit/government and honestly, I just felt the effects of compounding misery and boredom over time, so I made a major life shift and jumped headfirst into doing something totally different. I already knew I loved creating, making things with my hands, and moving my body more throughout the day, rather than sitting at a desk.

WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR FIRST FLEURS DE VILLES EXPERIENCE?

Most of all, I LOVED meeting the other florists in my city. We don’t often have an opportunity to meet each other, because we MAKE the party, and rarely do we get to ATTEND the party! It was just awesome to see everyone’s creativity and skills in action, and to witness everyone’s passion for the work.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WHEN CREATING A FRESH FLORAL DESIGN FOR FLEURS DE VILLES?

The biggest struggle for us was constructing the underlying mechanics, but we are fortunate to be located in a large arts-focused, repurposed factory building which offers access to super talents in fabricating, carpentry, welding, as well as incredible fine artists. Everyone is supportive of others’ endeavors and we got a few folks’ assistance with the construction of the foundation of Brünhilde.

FLEURS DE VILES ARTISTE PAYS HOMAGE TO REMARKABLE ARTISTS, AS WELL AS CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS AND VIBRANT ART SCENES AROUND THE WORLD. WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION IN CHICAGO’S DIVERSE ARTS AND CULTURAL SCENE?

Chicago is an incredible city for the arts, it would be easier to talk about what DOESN’T inspire me here! We have world-class museums, the Lyric Opera, astounding architecture, Joffrey Ballet, tons of public art, non-stop art festivals in the warmer months, the Garfield Park Conservatory, dining, and of course so many historic theaters. And as mentioned before, our studio is located in an arts complex, so we are never in short supply of local creative talent.

IS THERE AN ARTIST (NON-FLORAL) THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY REALLY INTERESTED IN? PAST OR PRESENT

Since 2022 I have had a chance to visit some really dreamy places, like Monet’s private garden in France, the Alhambra, and most recently Barcelona. I went specifically to visit about half a dozen of Antoni Gaudí’s public and private works, including the Park Güell. I find his work endlessly fascinating, and loved immersing myself in his masterpieces for a few days. It’s hard to say what I appreciate most about it, because they’re all so specifically different from each other and must be experienced individually. The thing that’s most attractive to my eye is that he infuses architecture with nature in a really striking way that anyone can appreciate. The environmentalist in me loves that he introduced a new treatment of waste ceramic pieces & fragments by upcycling them into his structures. He was an OG recycler!

CAN YOU SHARE ANY TIPS FOR NOVICE FLORAL DESIGNERS LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS? 

Watch credible YouTube and TikTok videos of other successful florists. Or ask a florist you admire if you can come shadow them in their shop. I started out with zero experience as “the bucket girl” in a boutique shop and before I knew it they turned me loose at a design bench.

IF YOU COULD CREATE YOUR DREAM GARDEN, WHAT TYPES OF FLOWERS AND PLANTS WOULD YOU INCLUDE, AND WHY?

This Spring I decided to stop dreaming and start doing exactly that! The owner of the building we occupy was gracious enough to let me build out a community garden for the artists in a formerly disused area. It’s been a long, hard labor of love but it’s coming along nicely so far. We’ve got lots of native plants, dahlia, roses, ranunculus, and tons of an easy-peasy to grow personal favorite of mine - Zinnia! There will be updated shots of the garden’s progress this season on our Instagram for sure!

IF YOU COULD ATTEND A FLORAL FESTIVAL OR BOTANICAL GARDEN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?

Chelsea Garden Show, no question! It’s just so iconic. I feel I really need to go soon.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER-RELATED QUOTE OR SAYING THAT RESONATES WITH YOU?

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – attributed to Audrey Hepburn

LASTLY, COULD YOU OFFER OUR READERS A SNEAK PEEK INTO ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS OR TRENDS THEY CAN LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING FROM YOUR FLORAL STUDIO?

We are going to keep slaying! Haha! Well, we will be doing lots of events and weddings, we are focusing much more on local growers to achieve a farm-to-vase whenever possible approach to florals, and are already in planning stages for FLEUROTICA this year and a bit of insider scoop is that we will be majorly incorporating a very specific Chicago architectural gem into our piece… that’s all I can really divulge at this point, but it’s very exciting!!