How I connect through design
The best part of my job is how this work makes me feel connected—to the people I work with, to myself, and to the natural world around me. My previous career in corporate America was fulfilling in so many ways, but sitting in front of my computer, I was often looking for something that made me feel more connected, and I found it in floral design.
For weddings and events, I’m connecting with clients for a year or more. I have this opportunity to hear their stories, meet their families, and work to understand what moves them.
In my shop, I connect with my customers by offering a product that I hope inspires them and providing a service to accompany special moments in their lives—big and small.
I am connected to the flower farmers and other business and vendors as we all strive to grow and be part of something bigger, in the Hudson Valley and beyond.
I feel a connection to each of my team members and collaborators. It’s a joy for me to talk about our work and share my experience, while learning from them as well.
When I’m selecting, processing, or arranging the flowers, I feel connected to nature through my constant wonder of my medium of choice!
Lastly, I feel more connected to myself through this work, every day. I pay closer attention to what is inspiring me and why, and what good looks like to my own eyes. I acknowledge how my background and personal experiences affect these personal preferences and how they have continued to evolve and change over time.
When people refer to what we do as “art,” it is such a compliment yet I always feel my best work are those “designs” that come from these connections. While in art, people can express themselves and how they see the world, design is a service; it’s in response to a need or a challenge and can have rules and boundaries.
As a designer, there is much to consider, including inspirations, tastes and preferences, and the choices we make at every step of the way. As such, the greatest compliment is when someone tells me that they feel I listened to them and really understood them. When that happens, it’s hard for me to think of this as a job!
Now, I want to share this experience with others.
This month, I’ve begun offering workshops where I have the opportunity to work with people and explore how anyone can integrate a regular design practice into their lives. While we will cover basic techniques, the focus is on developing these connections—with nature, with each other, and with ourselves—through the flowers that are right in front of us.
