Every season has something beautiful to offer. Yes, even winter. It is more about the art of noticing than having blooms readily available all the time. What is the energy each season provides? What catches your eye when you are walking through a landscape? What about the meadow coming into bloom every spring actually makes you feel connected to that moment in time? How can we find warmth even on the coldest winter day? These are all the aspects that we want to incorporate into a design honoring the seasons. If you find yourself drifting off in thought about imaginative, large, floral design concepts, but don’t quite know where to start, let’s build them together.
The floral artistry masterclass is intended for people who are either interested in starting their own floral business, or someone who is already practicing, but may be feeling stuck or limited in their design work. I will be offering four masterclasses, each one focusing on a different type of build using seasonal materials. Evergreens and bare branches in the winter. Fluffy grasses, mosses, and wildflowers in the spring. Statement blooms and color in the summer. Changing foliage and golden fern in the fall. The installations will all be built using sustainable floristry methods, and both wild harvested and cultivated materials. The blooms we use will - always - be grown locally, either at Fogwood or by other farms in the area. Classes will be small, so we can all get our hands involved in the creation and troubleshoot any questions you may have. From planning, to installing mechanisms, layering in greenery, placing blooms, staging a scene, and getting that perfect picture, we will cover everything.
Concepts: Please take a look at my sketches to wrap your heads around what we will be building!
Winter- Sunday, February 8th 11:00-3:00 // We will create a chicken wire sculpture that will climb over a billowing piece of fabric. The intention of this piece will be movement, and shape. As an ode to winter, this piece will be highlighting various types of evergreens. We will start by layering in cedar, white pine, balsam and more to fill our sculpture. Then, we will add winter treasures like cones, dried grasses, fern fronds, sumac and lichen. As a special treat, we will finish this piece with tulips and ranunculus blooms placed in water tubes. We all know that once the holidays pass, we crave that whisper of spring. She is calling, and we are listening. After, we will finish by staging a small table with candles, and a few bud vases to finish the warm cozy feeling. This type of build can be applied to arbors, doorways, or in natural settings like crawling up a tree.
Spring - Sunday, June 14th from 10:00-2:00 // We will create a meadowscape built in shallow trays, covered in chicken wire with water and moss used to hydrate. Nothing says spring like lush, green grasses, pastel blooms, and various textures. This build will be shallow, appearing as if it is blooming straight out of the ground. It is a concept becoming increasingly popular for weddings with a view. People want to be framed by beauty, but not have it obstructing the natural landscape. Instead of being the focus, it is a design that blends with the surroundings. A soft, but intriguing option for events. This design is also often able to moved from one location to another. Did I mention I am all about repurposing event flowers? During this time frame, we will be in the heart of Campanula bloom, which is one of my all time favorite spring flowers that we grow. She will be the star.
Summer - Sunday, August 23 from 10:00-2:00 // We will create the broken arch, my favorite. This piece is actually relatively simple to create. No arbor necessary. Using two rods mounted on a plywood base, we will attach multiple vessels layered with chicken wire to create two stand alone sculptures that compliment one another. No flower foam. No moss (well, maybe moss… we’ll see). Just well hidden mechanisms and a lot of knowing which flowers are finicky, and which are not. This will be the most time intensive and flower heavy build out of all our concepts. The end goal is two pieces that have an organic relationship with one another. Lots of sticky uppies, hangy downies, and movement. Technical terms. This concept is all about drama.
Fall - Sunday, October 18th from 11:00-3:00 // We saved the best for last, but I may be bias as a floral artist with a dried flower focus. The portal! Your eyes are not deceiving you. Using grapevines, wild vines, and fall foliage branches, we will weave a giant wreath. For support, we will revisit our old friends, dowel and plywood base from the summer build, but other than that this piece will require minimal mechanisms. Once the wreath portal is built, it will look beautiful all on its own with the various leaf shapes and colors from the foliage, but we will finish it off by layering in golden fern, dried hydrangeas, grasses, and other dried flowers from my collection. In true Fogwood form, this will be built as a partial wreath, because we worked so hard on weaving the wreath, why hide it? A piece like this can be left up all season, and will offer a unique alternative for fall weddings (which are becoming so popular).
Breakdown of Offerings: $275 for installation education and materials, $75 for personalized photography and portfolio development.
In this class, you will have four hours (honestly, it will likely run over, we can’t rush art, so plan for some wiggle room) to pick my brain about anything from growing, designing, pricing, starting a business, imposter syndrome, burn out, mothering and running a business, whatever your heart desires. I am an open book, and I want to help.
Together we will build planned and practiced installation concepts that you can then recreate and offer to your own clients.
Locally grown and wild harvested greenery and blooms to build large, full arrangements
Information and examples of foam free mechanics
And best of all, PHOTOS of your experience from the very talented Lisa Gallo. You will each get in process photos of the build, portraits with the piece, and finished product photos for your portfolio. I cannot stress enough how important this is for your clients. If you’re thinking, “Ugh, I hate getting my picture taken,” this is a great exercise for you. You’re beautiful, and you create beautiful things. Own it.
About the Teacher: I am sure a lot of you who are considering this class have met me, but just incase you haven’t, my name is Maria! I am a self taught florist aside from a few years of free lance floral design back in the earlier days. My focus is sustainability, local, and enjoying your flowers as long as possible. Flowers do not belong in the trash. Aside from designing, I am also an experienced grower. My husband, Keith, and I have been cultivating our own flowers since 2019. I love fresh flowers, but I will always have a special place in my heart for dried flowers and the endless possibilities of creation that waterless designs offer. My intention with my floral art is to evoke feeling. Flowers have their own language, and if we get to know them, they can really tell a story. I love to teach, and before I became an artist, I taught early childhood education in various disciplines. Returning to teaching has really filled my cup, and I enjoy helping people realize that they can accomplish anything they set their minds too.
Fun Fact: In May, I am flying out to Italy for a floral artistry retreat hosted by designers who I have been inspired by for years! It is a leap, and I can’t wait to share what I learn with all of you.
Each one of these classes has something unique to offer, and I strongly recommend taking all four, but I understand it is an investment. With that said, there is a discount offered for attending each season! If you want to come to them all, and save 15% on each class, select the “Masterclass Pack” in the options menu. Coming to each will also ensure that I have enough attendees to run the class, as I cannot provide the materials to build a piece of this scale for just one person (at this price). I need at least four to run the class, and if we do not reach that goal, you will be reimbursed!
Season:
Every season has something beautiful to offer. Yes, even winter. It is more about the art of noticing than having blooms readily available all the time. What is the energy each season provides? What catches your eye when you are walking through a landscape? What about the meadow coming into bloom every spring actually makes you feel connected to that moment in time? How can we find warmth even on the coldest winter day? These are all the aspects that we want to incorporate into a design honoring the seasons. If you find yourself drifting off in thought about imaginative, large, floral design concepts, but don’t quite know where to start, let’s build them together.
The floral artistry masterclass is intended for people who are either interested in starting their own floral business, or someone who is already practicing, but may be feeling stuck or limited in their design work. I will be offering four masterclasses, each one focusing on a different type of build using seasonal materials. Evergreens and bare branches in the winter. Fluffy grasses, mosses, and wildflowers in the spring. Statement blooms and color in the summer. Changing foliage and golden fern in the fall. The installations will all be built using sustainable floristry methods, and both wild harvested and cultivated materials. The blooms we use will - always - be grown locally, either at Fogwood or by other farms in the area. Classes will be small, so we can all get our hands involved in the creation and troubleshoot any questions you may have. From planning, to installing mechanisms, layering in greenery, placing blooms, staging a scene, and getting that perfect picture, we will cover everything.
Concepts: Please take a look at my sketches to wrap your heads around what we will be building!
Winter- Sunday, February 8th 11:00-3:00 // We will create a chicken wire sculpture that will climb over a billowing piece of fabric. The intention of this piece will be movement, and shape. As an ode to winter, this piece will be highlighting various types of evergreens. We will start by layering in cedar, white pine, balsam and more to fill our sculpture. Then, we will add winter treasures like cones, dried grasses, fern fronds, sumac and lichen. As a special treat, we will finish this piece with tulips and ranunculus blooms placed in water tubes. We all know that once the holidays pass, we crave that whisper of spring. She is calling, and we are listening. After, we will finish by staging a small table with candles, and a few bud vases to finish the warm cozy feeling. This type of build can be applied to arbors, doorways, or in natural settings like crawling up a tree.
Spring - Sunday, June 14th from 10:00-2:00 // We will create a meadowscape built in shallow trays, covered in chicken wire with water and moss used to hydrate. Nothing says spring like lush, green grasses, pastel blooms, and various textures. This build will be shallow, appearing as if it is blooming straight out of the ground. It is a concept becoming increasingly popular for weddings with a view. People want to be framed by beauty, but not have it obstructing the natural landscape. Instead of being the focus, it is a design that blends with the surroundings. A soft, but intriguing option for events. This design is also often able to moved from one location to another. Did I mention I am all about repurposing event flowers? During this time frame, we will be in the heart of Campanula bloom, which is one of my all time favorite spring flowers that we grow. She will be the star.
Summer - Sunday, August 23 from 10:00-2:00 // We will create the broken arch, my favorite. This piece is actually relatively simple to create. No arbor necessary. Using two rods mounted on a plywood base, we will attach multiple vessels layered with chicken wire to create two stand alone sculptures that compliment one another. No flower foam. No moss (well, maybe moss… we’ll see). Just well hidden mechanisms and a lot of knowing which flowers are finicky, and which are not. This will be the most time intensive and flower heavy build out of all our concepts. The end goal is two pieces that have an organic relationship with one another. Lots of sticky uppies, hangy downies, and movement. Technical terms. This concept is all about drama.
Fall - Sunday, October 18th from 11:00-3:00 // We saved the best for last, but I may be bias as a floral artist with a dried flower focus. The portal! Your eyes are not deceiving you. Using grapevines, wild vines, and fall foliage branches, we will weave a giant wreath. For support, we will revisit our old friends, dowel and plywood base from the summer build, but other than that this piece will require minimal mechanisms. Once the wreath portal is built, it will look beautiful all on its own with the various leaf shapes and colors from the foliage, but we will finish it off by layering in golden fern, dried hydrangeas, grasses, and other dried flowers from my collection. In true Fogwood form, this will be built as a partial wreath, because we worked so hard on weaving the wreath, why hide it? A piece like this can be left up all season, and will offer a unique alternative for fall weddings (which are becoming so popular).
Breakdown of Offerings: $275 for installation education and materials, $75 for personalized photography and portfolio development.
In this class, you will have four hours (honestly, it will likely run over, we can’t rush art, so plan for some wiggle room) to pick my brain about anything from growing, designing, pricing, starting a business, imposter syndrome, burn out, mothering and running a business, whatever your heart desires. I am an open book, and I want to help.
Together we will build planned and practiced installation concepts that you can then recreate and offer to your own clients.
Locally grown and wild harvested greenery and blooms to build large, full arrangements
Information and examples of foam free mechanics
And best of all, PHOTOS of your experience from the very talented Lisa Gallo. You will each get in process photos of the build, portraits with the piece, and finished product photos for your portfolio. I cannot stress enough how important this is for your clients. If you’re thinking, “Ugh, I hate getting my picture taken,” this is a great exercise for you. You’re beautiful, and you create beautiful things. Own it.
About the Teacher: I am sure a lot of you who are considering this class have met me, but just incase you haven’t, my name is Maria! I am a self taught florist aside from a few years of free lance floral design back in the earlier days. My focus is sustainability, local, and enjoying your flowers as long as possible. Flowers do not belong in the trash. Aside from designing, I am also an experienced grower. My husband, Keith, and I have been cultivating our own flowers since 2019. I love fresh flowers, but I will always have a special place in my heart for dried flowers and the endless possibilities of creation that waterless designs offer. My intention with my floral art is to evoke feeling. Flowers have their own language, and if we get to know them, they can really tell a story. I love to teach, and before I became an artist, I taught early childhood education in various disciplines. Returning to teaching has really filled my cup, and I enjoy helping people realize that they can accomplish anything they set their minds too.
Fun Fact: In May, I am flying out to Italy for a floral artistry retreat hosted by designers who I have been inspired by for years! It is a leap, and I can’t wait to share what I learn with all of you.
Each one of these classes has something unique to offer, and I strongly recommend taking all four, but I understand it is an investment. With that said, there is a discount offered for attending each season! If you want to come to them all, and save 15% on each class, select the “Masterclass Pack” in the options menu. Coming to each will also ensure that I have enough attendees to run the class, as I cannot provide the materials to build a piece of this scale for just one person (at this price). I need at least four to run the class, and if we do not reach that goal, you will be reimbursed!
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