Renee and the team at Winston Flowers have created gorgeous floral mannequins at each of our Boston shows. Ahead of return to Prudential Center for Fleurs de VIlles Downton Abbey, we catch up with Renee to chat floral and artistic inspirations, and how she is preparing for her upcoming installation.
WHAT FIRST SPARKED YOUR PASSION FOR FLORAL DESIGN?
I have been blessed to be born with the creative gift of illustrator/painter – using my hands to create paired with a love of all colours and texture most of my life. It was a natural progression for me to use nature’s palette as my medium and “paint with flowers” .
LAST AUTUMN, YOU RECREATED A PAINTING BY MONET – CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF BRINGING THAT PAINTING TO LIFE EN FLEURS?
Last Autumn I chose Camille Monet and a Child by Claude Monet as the inspiration. It is a painting dear to me as it is reminiscent of my children and I planting our gardens when they were young. The young Camile sitting in the garden amongst the riot of colour and texture was a perfect choice for us. I really wanted to represent the tranquility and lushness that a garden can provide.
HOW ARE YOU PREPARING FOR THE UPCOMING SHOW IN BOSTON - FLEURS DE VILLES DOWNTON ABBEY?
Immersing myself in the physical world inspires me to create as if I lived during these times. I draw my inspiration from various experiences, like visiting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum or watching the show Downton Abbey. I’m studying the clothing, the fabrics used, and the character’s dynamic personality. All the while asking myself how I can recreate this with florals. What in the natural world represents the colour or texture needed? I’m really trying to think outside the box a little more to evoke an impactful representation of the character chosen.
WHO INSPIRES YOU FROM THE WORLDS OF ART, FASHION, ENTERTAINMENT OR DESIGN?
The eclectic works in different mediums such as Dale Chihuly in glass and still life from the likes of Rembrandt van Rijn, Harmen Steenwyck and Rachel Ruysch. The unique floral artistry of the Ikibana style. Creating texture and depth with inanimate objects, manipulating chosen mediums in their work creates motion and a unique sense of space and time.
DO YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR TIME PERIOD OR AESTHETIC THAT YOU’RE FEELING INSPIRED BY RECENTLY?
The Renaissance period is my favourite. The explosion of amazing artists during this time is unparalleled and has never been duplicated. They combined not only technical skill but wonderful use of colour and creativity.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE LATE-SUMMER / AUTUMN BLOOMS – IN EITHER THE GARDEN OR CUT ARRANGEMENTS?
Dahlias, hanging amaranthus, leucothoe, various hellebore…while they have unique colours, their textural and appearance of motion captivate me most.
WHAT IS THE MOST UNDERRATED FLOWER IN YOUR OPINION?
The common carnation has been hybridized into very unique textures and colour combinations that have elevate it from common bloom to high-end floral design like never before. For example, The Sand Dollar (a champagne-toned colour) has a unique texture and colouring that can replace a rose in many arrangements that call for a muted neutral palette. The bright red ones our mothers loved are a thing of the past.
WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL ARRANGEMENT YOU HAVE CREATED?
Whenever I've created a piece for a loved one’s memorial, I feel honoured. My own Father, my Grandmother, close friends. To create that last gift, that last vision that will always be associated with the departed. That's what flowers can do for the living.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MOVIE, TV SERIES OR BOOK THAT INCORPORATES FLOWERS IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY?
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh solidified my opinion that flowers evoke emotion and transmute a person’s energy. The main character uses the Victorian Era’s floral definitions to give more meaning to the bouquets she creates. I use this same technique to create “bouquets of meaning” for occasions that it is called for.
WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE FLOWER-RELATED QUOTE OR SAYING THAT RESONATES WITH YOU?
“Flowers keep you present". Like life, they are perishable. Their limited time with us makes them more valuable.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE FLORAL SYMBOL?
The Lotus Flower. It grows from muddy waters to bloom clean and beautiful above the surface. Its unfolding petals represent the journey of the soul from attachment to clarity, and its daily cycle of closing at night and opening at dawn symbolizes renewal and the cycle of life.
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