Pressed for Time
“The creamy Mille-feuille roses had arrived from Holland yesterday and been left in the warm kitchen, where they were opening like tulle ballerina skirts. The pale pink peonies were in the coolest corner of the shop downstairs so they wouldn’t go over…Every flower in the bouquet had a special meaning for the bride. She had known exactly what she wanted…”
~Ella Griffin
“She had known exactly what she wanted”—this intensional bride connected with my style. She adores flowers & knew what she wanted but had been at a crossroads with how to proceed with her dream wedding florals. Texts back and forth, conversations about what inspired her, what connections she had with flowers & a desire to go for her dreams. Within our chats she asked about flower preservation. As a gardener, florist & artist I was delighted to take their floral story full circle. She had wanted to capture her wedding flowers—a moment in time for a lifetime.
From curating the blooms with local growers & vendors, designing her bridal bouquet and their complete Wedding Floral Story—to dismantling the bouquets & deconstructing many of the single blooms, following their reception. The Calla Lilies took the longest. Pressed for time—patience was needed while I allowed them to take on a new form. The days came & went. Meanwhile, I ordered a lovely piece of linen mat board and sent a selection from 3 sustainable Walnut frames for approval by the couple.
One lovely evening I set up all the needed supplies in my art room. I began removing the pressed flowers from their dark compression pages—Dogwood leaves, Boxwood, Astilbe, Dusty Miller, roses, Snap Dragons, Love-In-A-Mist, Sweet Peas, Bachelor Buttons, Ammi (which is not only her name but the petals are the shape of a heart), and finally the Calla Lilies.
All a nod to telling their story. Their Love Story.
The low sun streamed in through the slats of the blinds. Dancing as the Rose of Sharon bush outside caught the breeze. What a beautiful time I had creating this art piece for a charming couple who took this journey with me. Composition developed with balance, texture, verticality & reassembling blooms I had dried in pieces. With the addition of a visual border I was pleased with my design. Tweezers in hand, I removed each flower & leaves and painted the back with archival glue and replaced one by one, not pressed for time. I am grateful for the experience—and I ended up knowing exactly what I wanted.
“In Victorian flower language, Calla Lilies symbolize magnificent beauty, and can also be used to express the sentiment of ‘I am yours.”
~Unknown
Our Belle Flower Farm commissioned Pressed Floral Art is an offering created by Pam Richey Curtis.
Great care is taken to use the highest quality supplies including archival glue, linen lined mat board, protective glass & environmentally thoughtful wood frames. Additionally, BFF offers Pressed Art Workshops in our studio.
Flowers were grown locally from Daisy Hill Flower Farm, Peterkort Roses, J. Foss Flowers.
Frame & mat from Aurora Gallery, Vancouver, WA.