Still Life with Alaska Peonies

Alaska has peonies?

When I was 22 years old and living in Anchorage AK, my life began to change. I learned of a very special flower called the Peony. Alaska’s endless summer days and fertile farming soil produce perhaps the largest blooms and the most saturated colors of peonies in the world. I had never seen anything like it.

As I journeyed deeper into floristry, I realized that the growing season for these flowers is rather unique. Alaska’s peonies are available to florists during the months of July and August whereas peonies are traditionally considered available for florists only in the spring. The availability of these flowers is why I so love summer weddings.

Summertime collaboration

This summer, without a wedding on my calendar, I had to find another way to get my hands on these incredible blooms from my friends at the Alaska Peony Cooperative. The APC is a not-for-profit marketing and supply cooperative that facilitates the sale of premium Alaska-grown peonies while working to empower farmer-members through education and resource sharing. Alaska’s endless summer days and fertile farming soil produce perhaps the largest blooms and the most saturated colors of peonies in the world. I have never seen anything like it. In collaboration with the cooperative, the talented photographer Jennefer Wilson, and luxury linen company Nuage Designs, I planned a still life studio session to feature these incredible blooms.

The process of creative collaboration

Typically, my audience—if that’s what you can call the 15 people who make it through the algorithm jungle to my posts and my family members—sees only the final product of my events and projects; perfectly edited images like these:

In this post, I want to share with you what the process looks like from idea, to paper, to physical reality.

Step 1: the vision

Establish the “Why”

I had a bit of a lull in weddings so I needed to find other ways to practice floral design and to keep my creative juices flowing. I also didn’t want the Alaska peony season to pass me by and needed to create a reason to create with them apart from client work.

Developing the Vision

I began to envision an unfussy studio session with opportunities for creative experimentation. Always careful not to find inspiration directly from other florists, for this particular project I felt drawn towards the still life paintings of the old masters, the decadent color, dramatic light, and passage of time (image right).

Step 2: enlisting the collaborators

Money is the most sure way to ensure enthusiastic participants. But because this was not a paid gig, I did not have a budget to pay my fellow artists. So, I resolved to spend as little as possible without jeopardizing the quality of the end result. I made a list of my preferred collaborators then relied on my relationships with them, my previous portfolio, and a vision board (left) to arouse equal enthusiasm in my associates.

Vision Board

It’s not fair to ask someone to blindly share their resources with me. They need to know what value I am bringing to their life or to their work. Moreover, a visual description of my idea allows my fellow collaborators to lean into their specialties. They may be able to recommend a product I didn’t see online or advise me towards a method I didn’t know about. I’m a visionary, but I’m a florist, not a trained photographer, not a studio manager, not a peony grower, not a textile specialist.

The vision board allowed the other experts to collaborate during the planning phase so that the project was as beneficial for them as possible. Allowing input like this always creates a better final product. Everyone is more excited, more prepared, and more invested.

Relational Clout

Not to overwhelm you with pressure and shallow motivation for kindness, but you don’t know who will end up being a resource for a future want or need. I’m going to make a quick list of all involved in this project and how I came about finding them and working with them. I think it’s very interesting to see the range of connections and it may help you to think more creatively about your next project.

• Alaska Peony Cooperative (the peonies): I became very close with a peony farmer in 2012. She later connected me with the cooperative’s sales manager in 2018/2019. We have had an electronically personal relationship ever since. She’s the best.

• American Agro Products and Fleurametz (wholesalers—the other flowers): I love my reps there but they were not interested in donating flowers so I actually had to buy these for the project. Additional flowers were necessary to round out the design although the chocolate cosmos withered before I could use it.

• Jennefer Wilson (the photographer): I needed someone who was good, like really good, with translating color from reality to imagery. The darker peonies especially are so saturated, it takes a particularly talented photographer to accurately read the color. I knew if we got the color wrong, then the peony cooperative would not be able to use the images which was the bulk of their motivation for participating.
  Jennefer and I are members of the same business group and she works closely with a photographer whose work is well known for being full of color. So even though we had not met before, we shared connections and ambitions. I was delighted that she said yes! I always feel so appreciative towards talented photographers who want to collaborate because full price is VERY expensive (though worth every penny). I did reimburse her for the cost of the film and its development.

• TX Studio (location where we photographed): I searched for a studio in the Dallas and decided on this space. I did not have a prior relationship with them so I paid full price for the use of the studio. They did kindly extend our hours when we realized we needed more time and when I needed a studio space for our family photos, we used that same space again.

• Nuage Designs (the linens): I met the Director of Sales at an industry event in North Carolina. After that event, she connected me with the Texas rep. When I reached out about my desire to do a still life series, starting with these peonies, she was happy to participate so long as I paid for shipping. Shipping is shockingly expensive but still not as expensive as paying full price for these luxurious linens. You can’t have it all.

• Childcare: With the project taking place in the middle of the summer, I could not have done this without my husband and my mom keeping up with the kids for the day. Be nice to your family. You need them.

Once I had the vision recorded and the creative team established, the rest of the details (supplies, schedule, childcare, snacks, followup plan) fell into place.

Step 3: the day in the studio

I created about 85% of the first two arrangements the day before the shoot in my parents’ house. I took all of the remaining product and extra materials with me to the studio. After the photographer and I discussed backdrops and looked through the linens, I finished out the first piece while Jennefer finished the setup. I always find it inspiring and invigorating to finish a design in the space it was created for. The third piece with the pink peonies and the locally grown sunflowers was Barbie inspired and I made it very quickly onsite. It was such a joy to work alongside such a talented photographer. We were able to bounce ideas off of each other in the moment and to make adjustments as we went along.

The day in the studio was fast and furious. We had FOUR HOURS in the studio yet the last 30 minutes was a complete rush. I was so surprised. We probably could have spent the entire day in there. That is the difficulty of being an artist in any medium: knowing when to stop. Constraints of any kind, especially time, often add to the creativity in unexpected ways plus it’s a good exercise to work under a time constraint.

Comment below if you enjoyed this look into the studio! What did you like? What do you want to see more of?

Bisous.

NYFW Bridal October 2023

What is NYFW Bridal?

Twice a year in New York City, in April and October, designers and brands host intimate events, presentations, or large-scale runway shows to reveal their newest collection of bridal gowns and accessories. Being a part of fashion week (bridal or otherwise) in New York City and then in Paris in some flowery capacity has been a dream of mine from the beginning. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve called myself an Atelier, the french word for “studio”.

Vicarious experience of fashion week…

My role model, friend and talented photographer, Sarah Bradshaw participated in the bridal fashion week in NYC which was just last week. She’s already edited and delivered some gorgeous images from her week there and I’m so excited to share my favorites with you!

What are you looking at?

Sarah has graciously permitted me to share her point of view of the bridal fashion week experience. I get giddy just looking at them! Is that just me or do you feel the thrill? The following galleries give you a glimpse of all three types of presentations—
1. The showroom presentation (Elie Saab)
2. The intimate event reveal (Sareh Nouri)
3. The runway presentation (Ines Di Santo)
4. The runway presentation less expected (Nardos)

I’ve also include notes about that particular collection or about the design house in general from each of their websites.

Elie Saab

Elie Saab Bridal FW24 is a poetic expression of optimism and promise. The collection is a glimpse into a bygone era of alluring femininity, celebrating glamorous bridal elegance in simple lines, exceptional detailing and subtle sparkle of diamond dust.

My opinion: Every detail for each dress (and there are a LOT of details) is so meticulously placed to flatter the woman’s body—I love this collection so much.

Sareh Nouri

This season, our collection at Sareh Nouri celebrates the timeless beauty of these dreams and infuses them with a touch of grown-up whimsy. We’ve designed every piece with shapes and details that embrace the little girl inside us all—the one who yearns for enchantment and romance as we embark on this incredible journey towards love and lifelong commitment. Prepare to be captivated by our latest collection, where elegance meets modern charm. Timeless and exquisite, our gowns feature the delicate beauty of French lace, adding a touch of romance to your special day.

My opinion: I am SUPER impressed at the cohesive variety here and love the youthful innocence of these designs. I’m also obsessed with that pink gown at the end of this gallery and love a leggy shoe moment.
These behind the scenes glimpses of this show are more interesting and compelling to me than even the runway images. It’s such a foreign world to the one I live in, it’s fun to see into it a little deeper.

Ines Di Santo

INES DI SANTO is an internationally renowned bridal gown and eveningwear designer. An unapologetic romantic, Ines has built her namesake brand by infusing every wedding gown with the essence of her passion for beauty, love, and desire.

Fueled by the eternal fantasy of the ‘perfect’ wedding gown, Ines Di Santo bridal gowns are a modern interpretation of classic couture techniques, exquisitely handcrafted embroideries, and the finest European fabrics….Using the gestures of fine art as a catalyst, she brought her art, Ines Di Santo bridal, to life in glamorous, feminine glory.

My opinion: I thought it was ok, but I included my favorite gowns from Sarah’s gallery. I absolutely love the draping and volume that’s going on with the designs below. As my own dress 9 years ago had a custom ice blue bodice, I get excited when I see bridal gowns using color. That textured blue princess gown is *chef’s kiss*. I’m also wondering where I can add a ribbed wall in our house like the backdrop from this show—obsessed.

Nardos

NARDOS is a luxury fashion house that has gained an international presence for its commitment to quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. Revered for its artistry in the world of haute couture, NARDOS garments are finely crafted using high-end fabrics and exquisite detailing. The brand's collections range from bespoke haute couture to ready-to-wear items, as well as bridal and accessories. Each season, NARDOS takes inspiration from the natural environment to create timeless feminine designs that exude old-world romanticism blended with modern elegance.

My opinion: Love the setting. I do like some of these gowns (especially that first fringe one) but overall I feel like the heavy textures (which I’m normally super into) were added in less flattering ways, making even these skinny gals look poorly flattered. I didn’t even include some of the more radical examples of this that made the women look positively lumpy.

Perhaps next year I’ll be giving you a view of NYFW Bridal from my own perspective.

Bisous.

Balancing Motherhood and Business: a podcast feature

Quick note before listening:

This episode with Brave Bound was recorded when my now 20 month old was less than two months old. For some reason, it was only released recently. However, upon listening to my slightly younger self back in Chattanooga, I noted that all of the thoughts and sentiments still hold true. In that sense, it is very much up to date.

I also want to acknowledge that each person’s journey into or away from parenthood is unique. Every mother and child is unique to themselves and therefore also unique in their relationship with each other. What is true for me may not be true for you. Stories and testimonies are the hand extended in fellowship, demonstrating that you are not alone. Advice is the arm offered for your relief. But you don’t have to take hold of every arm that is offered to you.

Whenever I share about my journey through motherhood, parenting and marriage, it is not with the intention for you to follow exactly as I have done. Rather, my stories are meant to lift you up. I want be an encouragement to you in the revelation of possibilities for joy as well as empathy in our struggle as parents/dreamers/spouses to do things well.

Little peek behind the curtain—