Today's florist spotlight, features the beautiful work of Emily Thompson, a talented floral designer and artist from Brooklyn. You are all in for a treat! Not only was she kind enough to share some of the most amazing, whimsical and unusual arrangements I have ever seen, including a 10 1/2 foot bridal bouquet but she also took time to participate in a little Q&A with me.
So please, enjoy!
So please, enjoy!
photo credit Josie Miner
Q&A with Emily........
How did you get into floral design?
I was trained as a sculptor, in fact I am still a sculptor, and I have a combined studio for that work and flowers. I grew up with a really serious gardener for a mother, and remember when she used to let me choose bulbs with her every year (I always chose frittilaria- they have these amazing checkerboard patterns). But I really fell into floral design after doing my brother's wedding and then my sister's and then my sister-in-law's... it just happened by accident! I only ever worked in a flower shop for a brief month during a summer in college- I was lucky to work there with the amazing Ann Miller-Cawley. I think that my lack of standard floral design training has really allowed me to explore my own vision with flowers, without being constrained by a sense of what is expected in the industry, which can be quite conservative.
How many weddings do you work on in a year?
What was the most unusual request from a bride? (I'm guessing it was the 10 1/2 feet bouquet!)
What has been your most memorable wedding you worked on? (I'm sure they are all special but which one stands out)
Do most brides that approach you have a clear vision on what they want?
If not, what advice and creative direction would you give to brides when it comes to picking out their flowers?
If a bride doesn't quite know what she wants, I suggest she think most about the all-over sensibility of her celebration- does she want it to be austere? Formal? Rustic? Humorous? These are the kinds of descriptions that really allow me to do my best work. Specific flowers can be helpful in fixing on themes and aesthetics, but usually this comes later in the process.
Not only do you work on weddings but you also provide flowers for other events, private homes,restaurants and store fronts? For my fellow New Yorker and Brooklyn readers, can you share which store fronts and restaurants?
To see more of her GORGEOUS work, I highly suggest visiting her website here
Grazie Mille Emily!
6 comments:
Now I want to get married just so I can carry that first bouquet! The autumn arrangement is stunning.
Yes! I agree with kbw - that first arrangement is like nothing I have ever seen before! It's awesome and beautiful!
Thanks for sharing.. I will get marry next week and I have placed a order at 1800Flowers for beautiful and fresh flowers.
I love this interview. We need more artists like Emily to edge over into the world of weddings!
well, Emily is a goddess with flowers, what can I say. Not to mention her edible food extravaganzas. I have some great footage from an Easter banquet she staged which I'm itching to get a chance to count. You can get a hint of her creations on my Listen With Your Eyes website (http://listenwithyoureyes.org/Matinees/).
Stunning. I've never seen a bridal bouquet like this one that Emily created. Gorgeous!
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