I fell in love with floristry nearly 20 years ago, when a friend asked me to design her wedding flowers. I was not a florist at the time…I was what I call a “vaguely artistic” person who made jewelry as a hobby. We met to chat about the necklaces I was making for her wedding, and in conversation, she revealed she had not hired a florist. I agreed to help her, thinking it would be an interesting challenge, but I didn’t really have strong feelings about the task. So I was quite surprised when I found myself, in the midst of the work, ( standing in my kitchen at midnight knee-deep in flower detritus ) completely overtaken with the feeling that I had finally found my medium. The understanding was so instant, strong and clear. I became obsessed with being a florist at that very moment. 

AN INDUSTRY RIPE FOR RENAISSANCE

As I began to explore the cultural landscape of floristry and talk about my new passion with family and friends, I was disappointed to find that people ( in my part of the world at least  ) at the time didn’t view floristry with the same curiosity or enthusiasm that I did. From the start, I saw floristry as a rich artform and a legitimate, creative pursuit. I saw it as a way to express myself by fusing together my love of nature with my love of design, entertaining, and the decorative arts. 

Sadly, it was obvious that many people in my orbit did not share that opinion. Quite a few felt it necessary to warn me about my new passion. Some belittled the choice by warning me that I’d never make money. Others suggested there was nothing really to this work; that it was not something an educated person pursues.  The general consensus was that this was a hobby or low wage, low skill service job, not a path with potential to bear real fruits. I heard these limiting statements from many different people in my life and I recognized that the culture as a whole undervalued and underestimated florists. However, at the same time,  I sensed that the field of floristry was ripe for renaissance.

These conflicting factors stirred something in me. I felt strongly pulled to participate in the work of pushing floristry forward. The two motivating factors that fueled ( and continue to fuel ) my drive are: my immediate connection to this medium and realization that floristry is a rich practice with principles of art to explore; and my desire to change the public’s perception of what floristry is- to challenge its low cultural status.  

In the last 20 years, I have done all the things one can do as a florist, but the activity that I connect to most is teaching. Through this practice of sharing my passion, I can actively work towards pushing floristry forward. I can encourage florists to see themselves as artists, and I can challenge the public to see our potential and value. 

SO WHY WRITE THIS MANIFESTO ON TEACHING FLORISTRY? 

There is a phenomenon I’ve witnessed over the last 10 or so years in the floral world.   A renaissance has indeed occurred, and floristry ( with the help of social media, especially Instagram ) has become a more desirable endeavor. A new take on floristry has arisen. One might say the rise of the studio florist….a departure from the traditional models. Some of these florists are artful, hyper-natural, and focused on sustainable methods and locally-grown flowers. Others offer surprising, almost rebellious or irreverent floristry- think painted flowers, purposely exaggerated proportions and clashing color combinations. The commonality I've observed is that many in this “new wave” of florists ( generalizing ) have rejected the “rules” of floristry. Ideology, principles, concepts, design styles, or methods that they view as rigid, traditional, limiting, or outdated. The new wave has captured the attention of floristry students and the public alike. Many artists contributing to this revival of floristry have gained sizable followings and the attention of the media.  Naturally, they began to teach their take on floristry. 

This revival is made up of a diverse group of artful, creative people who found and fell in love with floristry like I did, but for whatever reason, haven’t connected with formal floral education. Maybe they had a mentor who taught them what they needed to know to create beautiful work, but never addressed the underlying design theory. Maybe they sought out formal instruction but found the options to be too rigid or the design style of the school stagnant or irrelevant. Maybe the schools they found were fixed on teaching unsustainable mechanics ( many still rely heavily on foam ) and outdated design applications. Maybe they just needed to start working and earning money right away, so they dove in and found their own way of doing things. Like cheffing, there is no clear, defined path towards a career in floristry. People jump in and find a way. 

I understand and respect that not everyone will have the desire, time, resources, or access to formal training. I recognize that many of the floral design programs available to us leave much to be desired! I understand why formal training could be looked upon with suspicion.  I also think that the work of an “untrained” florist can be utterly beautiful and impactful. An “untrained” florist can be wildly successful and influential! 

While a flow of fresh energy in any field is exciting, and I think should be acknowledged and welcomed ( at least with curiosity ), especially if it resonates with the public, there is another side to this that I believe needs addressing. 

In my experience, most from this new wave ( generalizing again, forgive me ) are brilliant at creating desirable, relevant, fashion-forward work but are unprepared or uninterested in teaching the why behind the work. The theory, the technique, the steps, the specific information that allows a person to gain the insight necessary to go back to their own studio and actualize the work they desire to make. These teaching sessions can feel more like a floral performance than a lesson- the student watches as the performer creates. This can be a positive experience if the audience has signed up solely for entertainment; but it becomes problematic if the audience has been led to believe the experience is to be an educational one. I believe there is a place for the floral “performance.” It can be lovely to sit down, relax and watch a talented designer design, but it stings when one has made an investment in their education only to encounter a teacher who is performing instead of teaching. 

brimming with curiosity, and hungry to learn as much as possible about our craft - these statements frustrated me and threatened to crush my creative spirit.

Back to the many stifling statements I’ve heard from floral instructors over the years. These statements often come out during a presentation when an instructor is asked to illuminate their process or describe their design decisions. Students desperately ( ok, maybe only I am desperate ) want to know the steps necessary to create work as dynamic and artful as theirs. They have often paid large sums of money to find this out. I can recall my earlier days as a student- brimming with curiosity, and hungry to learn as much as possible about our craft- these statements frustrated me and threatened to crush my creative spirit. Some statements made me feel as if I’d never be able to realize the work I wanted to make. They made me feel that maybe I was missing something or just didn’t have “it,” or maybe I would just never be as skillful or artful as the instructor. Cue the Echosmith hit “Cool Kids”: “I wish that I could be like the cool kids, cause all the cool kids, they seem to get it.” 

This is how I felt after these classes. That I just wasn’t as cool as the instructor.

Other statements were very similar to the limiting beliefs that I’d heard from my community and the larger culture. Statements that served to diminish or simplify what we do; to reduce it so far that all theory, method, and principles were skimmed off- simply not acknowledged or addressed.

Now, as a full-time floristry teacher and writer, when I hear these statements from my peers, I’m frustrated because they betray the depth and richness of our craft. Students who hear these statements may walk away with a reductive view of our work and without replicable steps towards mastery. I’m certain that this is not the intent of the people who share these statements, but I tell you from experience and anecdotal evidence that these statements are damaging. I must say that I don’t see myself as a master florist or a master educator with all of the answers. I see myself as an advocate for the profession- I aim to ask questions, represent floristry well, and do what I can to push progress forward. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I invite you to read through this list and consider the implications of these commonly shared statements. As I write, our floral “renaissance,” gains traction and the public is paying attention. It is time to claim the title of artist and communicate our value to the larger culture. We have a rich art form to share and it’s time for us to teach floristry like any other professional art instructor would. Our medium is unique because so much of it is fleeting, but it is still a legitimate art form. We are artists by definition:  we create visual compositions that evoke emotion in the viewer. We have history, techniques, theory, method, and principles of design to explore, just like sculptors and painters do. I ask you to take a moment to read through this list. 

Have you said these statements before? ( I have!! ) What made you share them? How did they make you feel?

Click the “+” to read my expanded thoughts on each!

Students, teachers, florists of all stripes - I’d love to hear your thoughts on this list! Have you heard these statements? Are there others that you’ve heard that you’d like to share? Please share in the comments or [send me an email]!

Craving a floral mentor?

For detailed instruction and floral theory deep-dives, check out my new book “Flowers For All” and my extensive library of self-paced online classes.

Many thanks to Susan McLeary for sharing her insights to teaching and learning floristry. I encourage to catch Susan’s episodes discussing her passion for flowers, foam free design, and the art of wearable flowers (links below) and our blog featuring Susan’s List of Reliable Flowers/Foliage for Large Scale Designs. Floral design is a beautiful and creative way to express yourself and bring life to any space. From the beauty of the blooms to the creativity of the designs, there are so many reasons to love floral design and to enjoy your journey of learning about flowers. For more about Susan on The Flower Podcast click here

I’ve included The Flower Podcast episode with Holly Carlisle discussing the Golden Ratio and how it relates to floral design.

Blog Context by Susan McLeary.