March 20, 2024 • 41 mins
“Your foundation is the most critical part of anything you build,” says Canadian florist, Lea Romanowski CAFA, AIFD, CAFD. “If your foundation isn't good, if it isn't strong and true, it will affect the entire outcome of the design.” Lea has learned, through the years, the importance of excellent floral mechanics.
Lea - owner of Designing on the Edge, has made an art of pushing the boundaries of design. Lea built the business using her carpentry, painting, metal work and electrical skills earning her the nickname "MacGyver, a fixer of all things visual."
She offers tips and techniques for precision floral mechanics in everyday use, or evaluations and competitions, including AIFD’s PFDE. Lea represented Canada at the 2023 Interflora World Cup in Manchester, England and shares highlights of her global experience.
How we Bloom podcast is an oasis of flower ideas. Host Sharon McGukin of Smithers-Oasis North America interviews floral guests who dare to do things differently. We listen, learn, explore new opportunities and that's how we bloom!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lea Romanowski (00:05):
Your foundation is the most critical part of
anything you build.
And if your foundation isn'tgood, if your foundation isn't
strong and true, it will affectthe entire outcome of the
design.
Sharon McGukin (00:19):
Welcome to How We Bloom, an oasis of flower
Ideas.
I'm your host, Sharon McGukin,AIFD, AAF, PFCI and I believe
that every great success storystarts with one simple idea.
That's why we interview thosewho dare to do things
differently, inspiring peoplewho plant seeds, grow ideas, and
(00:43):
bloom to their full potential.
In this podcast, we listen,learn, explore new
opportunities, and that's How weBloom.
(01:04):
During her 40+ plus years inflowers, Lea Romanowski, CAFA,
AIFD, CAFD has made an art ofpushing the boundaries of
design.
In 2000, she founded Designingon the Edge, offering structural
floral art, event design anddecor.
(01:25):
Along with a gifted sense ofdesign, Lea has built a business
using her carpentry, painting,metal work and electrical skills
earning Lea, her nickname"MacGyver, a fixer of all things
visual." Lea recentlyrepresented Canada at the 2023
Interflora World Cup inManchester, England.
(01:46):
She showcased her talents withher floral interpretation of the
theme,"Our Natural World."Describing her experience of
competing against elite floralartists from 19 nations, Lea
says there is"no better placethan World Cup, a three day
global event, to learn andcompete at the same time." One
(02:08):
thing that Lea has learnedthrough the years the use of
excellent floral mechanics.
Today, we'll talk with Lea aboutthat ability and the importance
of precision mechanics andeveryday use for evaluations,
competitions, including Leathank you for having me, I'm
pretty excited to be here.
(02:28):
I was excited when I heard thatyou were representing Canada in
World Cup.
I really want to talk a lottoday about your expert floral
mechanics but I know you hadsome valuable experiences from
World Cup.
So we'll blend that in as we go.
One thing I'd like to do isshout out to Nicholas Peters for
being crowned into Floral WorldCup Champion in 2023.
(02:52):
That's quite an accomplishment.
Congratulations.
Amazing.
Amazing designer.
And you had the opportunity towork with him.
That's amazing too.
I did and we chatted a bit onInstagram before and I got to
meet him and I am so inspired byhim.
(03:12):
As a person and a designer.
Do you think that's one of thereally great benefits of being
in major competitions is thetalent that you have the
opportunity to work alongside?
Absolutely.
When I think of the designersthat are representing their
countries, I am so excited tosee what they come up with what
(03:37):
their creativity is going toshow us, learn from their
mechanics, learn from theirvision.
We compete, but we competereally against ourselves.
I learned more about the worldand I did about myself.
It was fantastic.
In a lot of ways, the othercompetitors are your peers and
(03:59):
you're really competing againstthe time clock and the design
table.
All in that same experience.
It's true.
You do beautifully designedwork.
I have written a blog about yourwork in the past and have,
worked with you at events I knowyou to be exceptionally
talented, but the thing that Ialways love most is your
(04:22):
precision in design mechanics.
Where did you learn theimportance of floral mechanics?
I fell into this by accident.
I wasn't going to be a floraldesigner.
I was going to be anarchitecture or paramedic, so I
loved design, I loved building,and I fell into the flower shop
and I never left.
Lea Romanowski (04:45):
Foundation is the most critical part of
anything you build.
And if your foundation isn'tgood, if your foundation isn't
strong and true, it will affectthe entire outcome of the
design.
Sharon McGukin (04:57):
And in fact, that grows, that potential for
failure grows with the size ofthe design.
Because if your foundation issecure, then as the design
expands, that security expands.
If it's faulty, those faultsexpand also.
So you are right, it starts atthe foundation and works its way
(05:19):
up.
Experience is the best teacher,even though sometimes it just
feels terrible.
I want to learn those lessons.
Lea Romanowski (05:29):
You should be able to learn from a hard lesson
the first time.
You shouldn't have to repeat it10 times to get the point that
you need to fix it.
Sharon McGukin (05:39):
One of the things that I feel a little sad
about today is we are not havingas many design opportunities of
basics for designers to learnfrom the base up how to achieve
those, mechanical aids.
Somehow it's a little harder togain watching videos than it is
(06:00):
to be in person when your handsand the hands of your teacher
are side by side, creating thatparticular mechanic.
I know you teach classes in yourarea and that's a blessing to
your students, but there areareas there's not that
opportunity, and it can beharder to learn online.
Do you have any suggestionsabout how incoming designers
(06:22):
might gain better mechanicalskills?
Michael Smith told me when hewas preparing for Sylvia Cup, he
spent 30 minutes every afternoonafter work trying a new design
application.
And then when some of thosethings were the requested
design, he was ready because hehad been practicing.
(06:43):
Let's talk incoming newdesigners.
If you are in an area wherethere is no opportunity for you
to attend classes, obviouslyonline is the way, No one's
going to do it for you.
I've had to self-educate becausethere are times when I didn't
have the opportunity.
(07:06):
So I would That was the besttime spent.
Crying.
Crying and doing.
As an instructor, I do my verybest to solidify in their minds
the importance of the mechanics.
Teaching mechanics from thebasics to intermediate to
advanced and making sure theyhave a hold on that.
(07:29):
And know the rules before theydecide to break them.
Things taught long ago, mostimportantly mechanics are
everything.
And learn from your mistakes.
I agree
E.
when you were at World Cup, you had an experience
that highlighted to you the veryimportance of excellent
(07:49):
mechanics.
You want to share that with us?
I would love to share that withyou.
Now, I personally didn't see it,but a few of my designer friends
were.
outside my booth while the wavedesign was being judged.
(08:10):
Tell us what the wave design is.
The wave design, you had tointerpret our ocean waves.
It was a dinner for two or atable for two, and it had to
incorporate some type of atabletop and it had to be within
(08:31):
certain parameters of size.
Now, when it was being judged,of course I wasn't in the booth.
But other people were watchingas it was being judged.
And the six judges, as they'restanding around, two of them
take hold of part of that waveand they shake it.
(08:54):
Evil judges.
a really good example of whenyour mechanics are going to be
tested and your mechanics willbe tested in competition work by
the judges.
And when you send a design outto a home, well, it's going to
be tested by the people who moveit around, put it from here to
(09:14):
their delivery driver.
It moves and shakes.
That is testing your mechanics.
If something falls apart, itmeans your foundation, your base
were not good.
Especially bridal bouquets.
Think how much abuse a bridalbouquet gets.
The mechanics are exceptionallyimportant there because it is
handled so much.
(09:37):
I have a story about a bridalbouquet for a competition.
Would you like me to share that,Sharon?
Sure, I'd love to hear it.
Okay.
Recently, the Gateway to theAmerica Cup, when I was in, one
of the components that we had todo was a bridal bouquet, and we
were allowed to redo thecomponents of the structure for
(09:59):
the bridal bouquet ahead oftime.
Now, I made a mistake anddecided to put the pieces
together before I got to thecompetition that morning, and
then realized my error.
Now here's where it getsinteresting, because I took the
pieces apart, I was unclear onexactly where the pieces went
(10:21):
back together.
So when I did put it backtogether, one of the components
was not attached properly.
It was a little bit loose.
And so after completing thedesign, then leaving for the
judging time, when I came backafter I saw a piece of the
(10:43):
structure was beside the design.
Oh, no.
So it had fallen out and I wasalmost completely undone
emotionally that something hadfallen out of my piece.
Oh, bless you.
Oh.
It was okay.
Thankfully, I only had threetotal marks removed and it was
(11:04):
good.
People think of competitions asvery glamorous, but they also
can be very humbling And they'restressful.
And what it does is acompetition.
We really test your abilities,your ability to think fast.
(11:24):
How do you solve a problem?
How do you come up with an idea?
So it is really growing you as aperson and as a designer.
And you have to know more thanwhat is known in your area, and
that includes your country, forexample.
I saw a comment where you saidhow important it is to be up to
(11:46):
date on European design trendsfor international competition
because color and competitiondesign is judged differently in
Europe than in North America.
Explain that to us because wethink it is the same globally
and apparently that's not true.
It's not true.
(12:06):
You're correct, Sharon.
now.
That's how I decided to designone, however.
When I looked at the colors andthe color harmonies that were
used for World Cup, there wassuch a difference with the
European designers and much moreinteresting color combinations
(12:28):
were used, and those had highermarks.
In the end, they had much highermarks.
So how can a future competitorprepare for that?
Interesting, you should askthat.
So I've already thought aboutthat.
I have all the marks from allthe competitors with respect to
every category, and I think,okay, I'm missing something with
(12:53):
respect to how color is judged.
So I did a little bit moreresearch on how the Europeans
use color.
And it is definitely muchdifferent than we do here in
North America.
So I'm educating myself, withPer Benjamin's book one and a
couple other resources on adifferent way to look at color
(13:18):
and how to creatively use colorin unexpected ways.
Well, you'll have to get back tous once you figure out that
plan.
You've said something that Ihear from everyone who does love
to do higher competition, andthat is"I educated myself before
(13:39):
on what was to be expected.
I did the very best that Icould.
I studied the score sheets toeducate myself in new ways to
prepare for the next time." Youjust said the same thing
basically.
Yeah.
However, with World Cup, I letthe themes dominate my thoughts,
(14:02):
and there's a few things Ireally wasn't paying attention
to.
The markings in othercategories, and those are where
I lost some points, I did verywell.
I did better than any Canadianhas ever done, but I could have
done better, and that was alesson that I needed to learn
about really focusing on thatjudging sheet.
(14:22):
The judging sheet is the magicin the mix.
It truly is.
It's the holy grail.
Let's talk about creativeproblem solving on the spur of
the moment.
You are in a traditional shopand you're racing against the
clock to get a design out.
You are in a competition andyour time is running out and
(14:43):
you've got to go more quickly.
How can you best preventyourself from taking shortcuts
on mechanics because that's whattends to happen.
People get really nervous andget a little behind the clock,
whether it's in the shop or onthe stage, and take shortcuts.
But shortcuts sometimes cancause designs not to be as
(15:07):
sturdy.
Let's say, for example, takingthe time to wire in place things
that need to be wired in place,taking the time to remove
foliage, so there's nothing butthe stem in the floral foam.
Any suggestions of doublechecking your work, preparing in
advance how you would do aparticular design?
(15:29):
Well, preparing for World Cup, Ihad the best advice from a
designer in Europe, NeilWhitaker.
He said, break every design downinto three parts of time.
The first, third is foundation,the second third is doing
(15:51):
flowers and anything you add toit.
And the last third is finishingchecking your work.
It helped.
That is fabulous advice thathelps you create a plan to
follow.
And when you're stressed in themoment, having a plan you can
(16:13):
fall back on is like having asafety net.
Excellent advice.
Thank you.
Neil Whitaker, shout out to you.
In one quote that I saw, youmentioned adaptability, creative
problem solving skills andpositive attitudes are your
greatest tools.
Very often people think we carryour tools in a toolbox, but
(16:36):
realistically, our tools are ourapproach to whatever situation
we're in.
Not just flowers, but inanything that we strive to do.
What were you thinking when youmentioned those particular
things?
Adaptability, problem solving,and positive attitude.
(16:58):
Positive attitude will alwayskeep you moving forward.
So if you have a negativeattitude, it's not to help in a
a situation where you need tosolve a problem.
So I have this statement that Iuse all the time.
There are no problems.
There are only solutions." Nowin my toolbox, what I have is
(17:22):
actually 41 years of experience.
Every time I fail at something,every time I learn a new
technique, every time my time istested and I have to work
faster.
That toolbox is a combination ofyour experience.
The more experience you have,the more successful you will be
(17:45):
in time of a crisis.
Though I believe personally thatexperience trumps talent in a
competition when there's acrisis, I do agree with that.
I think that is a very truestatement I think that's why
(18:06):
sometimes in a competition someone will come from out of the
blue and take the competition,and there are designers who are
expected to do well becausetheir experiences.
But if that outside designer hashad greater experience in that
(18:26):
particular area, not a flowercompetition, but a competition
in life, how to manage competingfor yourself.
Sometimes that's why the newbiesteps up and just takes it away
Probably.
Yes, and I think the newbie ismore willing to take a chance at
(18:50):
something they haven't donebefore and that can work out
very, very well for them or not.
It can go either way.
That is very true as well,because they don't have the
reputation that they'reguarding, they're expanding into
a new area.
And so it's fun.
And when something's fun, we'remore relaxed and more, willing
(19:14):
for the challenges.
Now, one of the things at WorldCup that was a problem for you
was that the fresh order wasonly 80% confirmed due to supply
issues.
And I think that's our newnormal.
We've always known you werenever going to get everything on
your list.
So be careful with yourprocurement.
Even more so now, you're nevergoing to get everything on your
(19:36):
list.
As we fight the the new supplyissues, how important it is to
be able to think on your feetand change to a new concept.
If you can't get the flowers youwant, use the flowers you get
with experience.
Okay.
Well, with, with regards toWorld Cup, when that happened, I
(20:01):
arrived early, I went to thewholesalers that were providing
the majority of the materialsfor the competition and had a
look just to make sureeverything was fine and I was
more than happy.
their product was, was amazing,fantastic.
However, for the one piece, wecould not guarantee the
(20:23):
materials I needed.
And so I had to think, whatcould I do instead?
Okay.
First, the Tillandsia came inand it was fine, but the pieces
that were supposed to be withit, nothing came in.
And there were almost no otherthings that I could replace it
(20:46):
with.
An interesting quote that I readfrom you with World Cup was that
your fresh order was only 80%confirmed due to supply issues.
Well, today we have lots ofsupply issues.
So one of the things that wehave to do as designers is learn
to think on our feet and make anew plan, and sometimes that's
(21:08):
really difficult.
How did you manage that?
What would you like to encourageother designers to do?
What I would encourage designersto do is have a backup plan and
a list of substitutions, ifnecessary.
Now, sometimes when you'redealing across the world with
(21:31):
product, you have to deal withtime differences, which is
difficult, and sometimes alsolanguage barriers.
Now, how to manage this is whenyou get to where you have to go.
Visit the wholesaler, see whatyour order looks like, add
(21:53):
anything, or subtract anythingthat isn't good while you're
there and make sure you have areally good handle of the
product coming in.
If the product comes in andyou're missing things, this is
where that toolbox comes out ofyour ingenuity and your ability
to solve a problem.
You need to be able to takematerial from other projects.
(22:17):
And use them in the projectthat's missing product.
You have to be able tocreatively juggle your
materials.
That's excellent advice andsomething that I think might not
come to mind on someone who islesser experienced in
competitions.
(22:38):
Another quote that you offeredwas,"when you think you are
prepared, think again.
Not everything is in yourcontrol." Care to expand on
that?
Absolutely.
You might think that the productthat you have ordered looks like
this and the characteristics forthis and what you're going to
(23:01):
use it for will work.
Then when it comes, it's totallydifferent than what you expected
and not suitable for the, thetechnique or the task that you
need it for.
So how do I change it?
How do I fix it?
That's again, where you have tobring from years of experience
(23:22):
and figure out a solution.
What are some of your favoritego-to tips or tricks for
competition?
There are some people that likefloral wire.
Some people like lots of glueand then you get to a
competition and there's no glue.
What do you do in that spot?
(23:42):
What are your favorite go-tomechanics?
Personally, I love naturalmechanics.
If I can do something withoutspecialty wire, without glue,
and I can use the technique ofcompression.
So using compression in acontainer with the branch, I
know that the compression ofthat will hold it in place.
(24:05):
I know that it's very secure.
That is going to judge betterbecause you're using a natural
mechanic.
You're not using an extrasomething.
Explain your concept ofcompression because people may
not understand exactly what youmean about utilizing the
compression of materials, howwould you anchor that?
(24:27):
For example.
Okay, think of Kubari or aJapanese technique where I have
a vase.
I don't want to tape it, I don'twant to add any glue to it, but
I need to partition spaces.
(24:47):
So I would use a branch cutthat's a little bit bigger and I
would force it gently into thecontainer.
So it would give me naturalcompartments to design in.
And that is a great look.
Not only is it stable, but it'sa great look.
(25:08):
Clean.
Very clean, and as you said,very natural.
Any other favorite tips likethat?
Favorite tips?
Oh, I've got a million.
Natural.
I like weaving materialtogether, braiding things
together and designing through.
(25:31):
I like manipulating leaves.
A lot of leaf manipulation.
I also like looking at acontainer or looking at a
material.
that makes a statement.
I think that's a really big keyin competition.
If you watch cooking shows ontelevision where they compete,
(25:52):
the one who wins is the one whoused that particular item in a
different unexpected way.
And I think that's true forflower competitions as well.
That's one thing I hope youwould allude to.
Your foliage manipulation.
I've seen you do a lot of thatexpertly through the years and
that is something you do verywell.
(26:12):
Any tips for how you make thatwork?
What do you do to hold yourfoliage in place, in
manipulation?
I look at the manipulation thatis happening, I look at what the
best tool would be to fasten orsecure.
(26:32):
It could be anything from Oasiswire, bullion, UGlu regular
wire.
Every one of those little typeof tools I will use it in
everything, but not five toolsin one.
I'll pick the most appropriatefor that application.
(26:56):
Don't you think you do that incompetition?
You pick the most appropriatemechanic instead of trying to
show you know how to useeverything in competition
design, the biggest mistake adesigner can make is to show
every tool you have in your boxin a design.
Or every trick you have in yourmind.
(27:19):
Absolutely.
You need to have control and youneed to have clear thought and
purpose with the design.
Show two or three amazingtechniques, and don't expand on
that.
Don't do too much extra becausethe more you do, the more points
you have the opportunity oflosing.
(27:42):
Creative flair.
The goal in competition is thatthe design is well made and then
you used some mechanics orelements in a different way.
It's not that the whole thing isdrastically different.
Correct.
You want to showcase one or twoor three things, but not a
(28:05):
hundred mm-Hmm.
I agree.
Have you ever had a floraldisaster averted by the quick
thinking of a alternatemechanic?
Like, I was going to use this.
It's not working.
Give me that.
Absolutely.
And I must say thatSmithers-Oasis UGlu strips have
(28:30):
saved my life.
I agree.
I agree.
It's amazing the different waysthey have saved us.
World Cup.
I used two and a half full boxesof UGlu strips.
Wow.
Wow.
For securing the mechanics.
And they held, and it workedwonderfully.
(28:51):
Right.
Fantastic.
I couldn't pull it apart if Iwanted to.
This is true.
This is very true.
have you ever had a mechanicfail you in a situation that all
you could do is just learn fromthe experience?
Yes, sadly, about 10 years ago.
(29:15):
And we won't talk about it.
Well, that's okay.
Our viewers just wanted to knowit happened to you too.
I learned and that was adramatic one, but there have
been small failures and if yousay you've never failed in
anything, you're lying.
You haven't experimented much.
(29:36):
That's right.
When it comes to mechanics, doyou have a favorite resource of
information?
A favorite book or a favorite, agreat place to go to get new
information, videos online.
Well, Oasis has a great blogthat shows wonderful designs and
(30:00):
step by step information, andyou actually do that blog, don't
you?
Yes.
What we do is the podcast andthe blog of the same, inspired
designer because some of ourpeople like to listen and some
of our followers like to read,so we do the same information in
(30:22):
both ways, and that way you canchoose the way you want to get
that.
We've done the blog for aboutfive years and we've done the
podcast for about two and wefind it works.
The very best response is bygiving both readers and
listeners the opportunity to getthe same information because we
(30:42):
have like yourself, inspireddesigners who are doing things
very differently.
And when it comes to floralmechanics, for example, you can
think of a lot of designers thatyou've worked with.
Donald ym for example.
That's what I think our viewersand followers need to hear
because there's not always aclass nearby that they can
(31:06):
attend.
I love your suggestion that theytravel to events and to
symposium, I don't know if youever participated in this, but
many years ago there was inCharlotte, North Carolina, a
huge design show that had threelevels of designers on stage.
(31:30):
They would fill the gymnasiumfloor with designs.
Four commentators.
it was Southern Retail and itwas that's wonderful.
It was just heaven for a youngdesigner like myself going
through and learning, There justwas so many people going through
those designs.
And I'm very sad that designersdon't have that opportunity
(31:51):
today.
Sharon, I have to tell you thatthe first AIFD symposium I
attended was the same symposiumthat I did my PFDE.
Mm-Hmm.
I had never been to anythingthat large.
I came out of there and my bodywas vibrating.
(32:13):
My mind would not shut off.
I was so excited.
I couldn't even talk.
I, I just didn't even know whatto do with myself.
I couldn't wait to get home.
And I got off the plane and Iwas taken to the Stampede here.
We had a competition I wassupposed to be in, and I won
that competition.
You were so inspired.
(32:34):
Yeah.
I, and I will tell everybody,you have to attend this once in
your life.
If you only do it once, you doit once, but you should go to
more.
Absolutely.
You are speaking of AIFDsymposium and yes.
A good idea is to go the yearbefore and see how it all runs
(32:55):
but you did it blindly and cameout successful.
So good for you.
Thankfully.
because it was an expensivelittle gold pen, but it was
worth every penny.
I say I would pay my dues justto get book, the directory with
everybody's names and numbersand emails in there, because I
may not know the answer toeverything, but I know somebody
(33:18):
who knows the answer toeverything, in that book or in
my phone.
If you just had the opportunityto tell the audience what you
want them to hear.
What would you like to share?
I, I want to say something onwhat Michael Smith said, because
I listened to his podcast and Ithink I listened to Jenny's, I
(33:39):
listened to a few.
I would like to say beingprepared, always trying new
things.
So if you're preparing for acompetition or you just want to
be a better designer, you wantto be faster, have more of a
skill level, definitely trysomething new every week.
(34:00):
Try a new technique.
learn that technique.
Practice that technique.
Get it proficient at it.
If you can't find something in abook.
Attend a class online.
Let's say Gregor Lersch.
Let's say it's Hitomi.
Let's say it's the Floosnetwork, F-L-O-O-S.
(34:25):
They have amazing designers andinteresting new techniques that
you can learn that are European.
Take the time to educateyourself, invest in yourself,
invest in your future, invest inyour design abilities.
Lea Romanowski (34:46):
And if you don't try, you never learn.
You never get better.
You never grow, and you're goingto make mistakes, and that's
okay because mistakes make usbetter at what we do and they
keep us humble.
And then we can keep sharing thelove of flowers and design with
the world while making a profit.
(35:10):
And, that's very helpful to makethe profit.
It is.
Yeah.
It's not just a hobby.
It's our, it's our life choiceof a career.
It's our passion.
I think we do our design work,pay our bills.
We compete for our soul for thelove.
Sharon McGukin (35:32):
I agree.
And I found it very interestingthat your career paths that you
explored were architect, EMT andflorist.
But in some ways, in each one ofthose areas, you're building
relationships.
You're reaching out to anotherperson, whether it's through
(35:53):
care for them directly orcomfort for them through flowers
or some structural aspect of it.
So I thought that was veryinteresting that you thought
those were three great choicesand, chose between them.
I think flowers chose me and I'mtruly thankful because they've
(36:16):
given me a wonderful life.
And I teach because I want morepeople to have this life.
Well, it's always, a beauty todesign for yourself, but it's
even more beautiful to share theability to design with others.
(36:36):
Yes.
We have the opportunity to helpmold and help the designers who
are coming up new and young.
And they're gonna take our placeat some point.
So whether it be listening to ablog or reading the blog or
taking a class, we have theability to help those people be
(36:59):
inspired and educate them.
That's our mission, I think.
There's a time that you are thedesigner, then you teach,
encourage the designers and thenyou inspire the designers.
And there's a different positionfor you in each one of those
(37:19):
stages.
In the beginning it's about yourlearning.
And in the end it's about yousharing that learning with
someone else.
Actually a lot of designers usetheir design as their
philosophy.
The way a person structurestheir design says a lot about
(37:40):
their personality.
Ooh, how so?
Think about it.
If you think about the countryand who you know from different
cities, you'll see.
For example, I'm a southerndesigner.
I tend to be very gardeny.
That's what surrounds me.
But I have friends who arearchitectural designers with
their structures because they'refrom New York or Boston or
(38:02):
Chicago.
And that's what surrounds them.
I have friends, in the Southwestthat do such wonderful things
with potteries and sunflowersand vivid colors because that's
what surrounds them.
Our environment trains ourdesign eye, I think.
when I tell people where I'moriginally from, they go, ah,
(38:25):
that makes sense.
I come from a little tiny islandoff the coast of British
Columbia called Salt Spring.
And it has the highestconcentration of artists in all
of Canada.
I think that explains it becauseyou learned at a early age,
being surrounded by art, thatart is a way of speaking with
(38:45):
the soul.
It is, I agree.
We are truly fortunate, Sharon,that we are in this business.
Yes.
To do what we love and call itwork.
Very blessed gift.
It really is.
I thank you so much for beingwith me, Lea.
I can't wait to share thepodcast with our audience
because you've given us somereally good ideas and
(39:09):
inspiration.
Thank you for sharing Well, canI thank you.
I thank, Smithers-Oasis forbeing a sponsor that actually
helped take me to World Cup.
I'm truly thankful for theopportunity.
It was the honor ofSmithers-Oasis to get to do
that.
In closing today, Lea, I justthank you for sharing your tips
with our audience.
(39:30):
Mechanics are everything.
We found that out through theyears and we strive to learn
more ways to use materials tocreate our foundations that
support our structures.
So thank you for yourprofessional tips to help our
audience grow their ability tothink on the spot and use floral
(39:52):
mechanics to secure theirdesigns.
I thank you very much for beingwith me.
Thank you, Sharon.
I appreciate it.
Thank you for doing this.
To our audience, Smithers-OasisNorth America, Lea, and I want
to thank you for joining ustoday.
If you've enjoyed this episode,pLease share it with a friend
(40:14):
and be sure to hit subscribe.
You don't want to miss theinspired solutions our upcoming
guests will share with you foryour personal or business
growth.
If you have topics or guests youwant to hear, please message me.
We'd love to hear from you.
Until next time, I'm SharonMcGukin reminding you that like
the unfurling petals of aflower, we grow by changing
(40:36):
form, soaking inspiration inlike raindrops, absorbing energy
from others, like warmth fromthe sun.
This growth opens us up to newideas, and that's How we Bloom.
Your foundation is the most critical part of
anything you build.
And if your foundation isn'tgood, if your foundation isn't
strong and true, it will affectthe entire outcome of the
design.
Sharon McGukin (00:19):
Welcome to How We Bloom, an oasis of flower
Ideas.
I'm your host, Sharon McGukin,AIFD, AAF, PFCI and I believe
that every great success storystarts with one simple idea.
That's why we interview thosewho dare to do things
differently, inspiring peoplewho plant seeds, grow ideas, and
(00:43):
bloom to their full potential.
In this podcast, we listen,learn, explore new
opportunities, and that's How weBloom.
(01:04):
During her 40+ plus years inflowers, Lea Romanowski, CAFA,
AIFD, CAFD has made an art ofpushing the boundaries of
design.
In 2000, she founded Designingon the Edge, offering structural
floral art, event design anddecor.
(01:25):
Along with a gifted sense ofdesign, Lea has built a business
using her carpentry, painting,metal work and electrical skills
earning Lea, her nickname"MacGyver, a fixer of all things
visual." Lea recentlyrepresented Canada at the 2023
Interflora World Cup inManchester, England.
(01:46):
She showcased her talents withher floral interpretation of the
theme,"Our Natural World."Describing her experience of
competing against elite floralartists from 19 nations, Lea
says there is"no better placethan World Cup, a three day
global event, to learn andcompete at the same time." One
(02:08):
thing that Lea has learnedthrough the years the use of
excellent floral mechanics.
Today, we'll talk with Lea aboutthat ability and the importance
of precision mechanics andeveryday use for evaluations,
competitions, including Leathank you for having me, I'm
pretty excited to be here.
(02:28):
I was excited when I heard thatyou were representing Canada in
World Cup.
I really want to talk a lottoday about your expert floral
mechanics but I know you hadsome valuable experiences from
World Cup.
So we'll blend that in as we go.
One thing I'd like to do isshout out to Nicholas Peters for
being crowned into Floral WorldCup Champion in 2023.
(02:52):
That's quite an accomplishment.
Congratulations.
Amazing.
Amazing designer.
And you had the opportunity towork with him.
That's amazing too.
I did and we chatted a bit onInstagram before and I got to
meet him and I am so inspired byhim.
(03:12):
As a person and a designer.
Do you think that's one of thereally great benefits of being
in major competitions is thetalent that you have the
opportunity to work alongside?
Absolutely.
When I think of the designersthat are representing their
countries, I am so excited tosee what they come up with what
(03:37):
their creativity is going toshow us, learn from their
mechanics, learn from theirvision.
We compete, but we competereally against ourselves.
I learned more about the worldand I did about myself.
It was fantastic.
In a lot of ways, the othercompetitors are your peers and
(03:59):
you're really competing againstthe time clock and the design
table.
All in that same experience.
It's true.
You do beautifully designedwork.
I have written a blog about yourwork in the past and have,
worked with you at events I knowyou to be exceptionally
talented, but the thing that Ialways love most is your
(04:22):
precision in design mechanics.
Where did you learn theimportance of floral mechanics?
I fell into this by accident.
I wasn't going to be a floraldesigner.
I was going to be anarchitecture or paramedic, so I
loved design, I loved building,and I fell into the flower shop
and I never left.
Lea Romanowski (04:45):
Foundation is the most critical part of
anything you build.
And if your foundation isn'tgood, if your foundation isn't
strong and true, it will affectthe entire outcome of the
design.
Sharon McGukin (04:57):
And in fact, that grows, that potential for
failure grows with the size ofthe design.
Because if your foundation issecure, then as the design
expands, that security expands.
If it's faulty, those faultsexpand also.
So you are right, it starts atthe foundation and works its way
(05:19):
up.
Experience is the best teacher,even though sometimes it just
feels terrible.
I want to learn those lessons.
Lea Romanowski (05:29):
You should be able to learn from a hard lesson
the first time.
You shouldn't have to repeat it10 times to get the point that
you need to fix it.
Sharon McGukin (05:39):
One of the things that I feel a little sad
about today is we are not havingas many design opportunities of
basics for designers to learnfrom the base up how to achieve
those, mechanical aids.
Somehow it's a little harder togain watching videos than it is
(06:00):
to be in person when your handsand the hands of your teacher
are side by side, creating thatparticular mechanic.
I know you teach classes in yourarea and that's a blessing to
your students, but there areareas there's not that
opportunity, and it can beharder to learn online.
Do you have any suggestionsabout how incoming designers
(06:22):
might gain better mechanicalskills?
Michael Smith told me when hewas preparing for Sylvia Cup, he
spent 30 minutes every afternoonafter work trying a new design
application.
And then when some of thosethings were the requested
design, he was ready because hehad been practicing.
(06:43):
Let's talk incoming newdesigners.
If you are in an area wherethere is no opportunity for you
to attend classes, obviouslyonline is the way, No one's
going to do it for you.
I've had to self-educate becausethere are times when I didn't
have the opportunity.
(07:06):
So I would That was the besttime spent.
Crying.
Crying and doing.
As an instructor, I do my verybest to solidify in their minds
the importance of the mechanics.
Teaching mechanics from thebasics to intermediate to
advanced and making sure theyhave a hold on that.
(07:29):
And know the rules before theydecide to break them.
Things taught long ago, mostimportantly mechanics are
everything.
And learn from your mistakes.
I agree
E.
when you were at World Cup, you had an experience
that highlighted to you the veryimportance of excellent
(07:49):
mechanics.
You want to share that with us?
I would love to share that withyou.
Now, I personally didn't see it,but a few of my designer friends
were.
outside my booth while the wavedesign was being judged.
(08:10):
Tell us what the wave design is.
The wave design, you had tointerpret our ocean waves.
It was a dinner for two or atable for two, and it had to
incorporate some type of atabletop and it had to be within
(08:31):
certain parameters of size.
Now, when it was being judged,of course I wasn't in the booth.
But other people were watchingas it was being judged.
And the six judges, as they'restanding around, two of them
take hold of part of that waveand they shake it.
(08:54):
Evil judges.
a really good example of whenyour mechanics are going to be
tested and your mechanics willbe tested in competition work by
the judges.
And when you send a design outto a home, well, it's going to
be tested by the people who moveit around, put it from here to
(09:14):
their delivery driver.
It moves and shakes.
That is testing your mechanics.
If something falls apart, itmeans your foundation, your base
were not good.
Especially bridal bouquets.
Think how much abuse a bridalbouquet gets.
The mechanics are exceptionallyimportant there because it is
handled so much.
(09:37):
I have a story about a bridalbouquet for a competition.
Would you like me to share that,Sharon?
Sure, I'd love to hear it.
Okay.
Recently, the Gateway to theAmerica Cup, when I was in, one
of the components that we had todo was a bridal bouquet, and we
were allowed to redo thecomponents of the structure for
(09:59):
the bridal bouquet ahead oftime.
Now, I made a mistake anddecided to put the pieces
together before I got to thecompetition that morning, and
then realized my error.
Now here's where it getsinteresting, because I took the
pieces apart, I was unclear onexactly where the pieces went
(10:21):
back together.
So when I did put it backtogether, one of the components
was not attached properly.
It was a little bit loose.
And so after completing thedesign, then leaving for the
judging time, when I came backafter I saw a piece of the
(10:43):
structure was beside the design.
Oh, no.
So it had fallen out and I wasalmost completely undone
emotionally that something hadfallen out of my piece.
Oh, bless you.
Oh.
It was okay.
Thankfully, I only had threetotal marks removed and it was
(11:04):
good.
People think of competitions asvery glamorous, but they also
can be very humbling And they'restressful.
And what it does is acompetition.
We really test your abilities,your ability to think fast.
(11:24):
How do you solve a problem?
How do you come up with an idea?
So it is really growing you as aperson and as a designer.
And you have to know more thanwhat is known in your area, and
that includes your country, forexample.
I saw a comment where you saidhow important it is to be up to
(11:46):
date on European design trendsfor international competition
because color and competitiondesign is judged differently in
Europe than in North America.
Explain that to us because wethink it is the same globally
and apparently that's not true.
It's not true.
(12:06):
You're correct, Sharon.
now.
That's how I decided to designone, however.
When I looked at the colors andthe color harmonies that were
used for World Cup, there wassuch a difference with the
European designers and much moreinteresting color combinations
(12:28):
were used, and those had highermarks.
In the end, they had much highermarks.
So how can a future competitorprepare for that?
Interesting, you should askthat.
So I've already thought aboutthat.
I have all the marks from allthe competitors with respect to
every category, and I think,okay, I'm missing something with
(12:53):
respect to how color is judged.
So I did a little bit moreresearch on how the Europeans
use color.
And it is definitely muchdifferent than we do here in
North America.
So I'm educating myself, withPer Benjamin's book one and a
couple other resources on adifferent way to look at color
(13:18):
and how to creatively use colorin unexpected ways.
Well, you'll have to get back tous once you figure out that
plan.
You've said something that Ihear from everyone who does love
to do higher competition, andthat is"I educated myself before
(13:39):
on what was to be expected.
I did the very best that Icould.
I studied the score sheets toeducate myself in new ways to
prepare for the next time." Youjust said the same thing
basically.
Yeah.
However, with World Cup, I letthe themes dominate my thoughts,
(14:02):
and there's a few things Ireally wasn't paying attention
to.
The markings in othercategories, and those are where
I lost some points, I did verywell.
I did better than any Canadianhas ever done, but I could have
done better, and that was alesson that I needed to learn
about really focusing on thatjudging sheet.
(14:22):
The judging sheet is the magicin the mix.
It truly is.
It's the holy grail.
Let's talk about creativeproblem solving on the spur of
the moment.
You are in a traditional shopand you're racing against the
clock to get a design out.
You are in a competition andyour time is running out and
(14:43):
you've got to go more quickly.
How can you best preventyourself from taking shortcuts
on mechanics because that's whattends to happen.
People get really nervous andget a little behind the clock,
whether it's in the shop or onthe stage, and take shortcuts.
But shortcuts sometimes cancause designs not to be as
(15:07):
sturdy.
Let's say, for example, takingthe time to wire in place things
that need to be wired in place,taking the time to remove
foliage, so there's nothing butthe stem in the floral foam.
Any suggestions of doublechecking your work, preparing in
advance how you would do aparticular design?
(15:29):
Well, preparing for World Cup, Ihad the best advice from a
designer in Europe, NeilWhitaker.
He said, break every design downinto three parts of time.
The first, third is foundation,the second third is doing
(15:51):
flowers and anything you add toit.
And the last third is finishingchecking your work.
It helped.
That is fabulous advice thathelps you create a plan to
follow.
And when you're stressed in themoment, having a plan you can
(16:13):
fall back on is like having asafety net.
Excellent advice.
Thank you.
Neil Whitaker, shout out to you.
In one quote that I saw, youmentioned adaptability, creative
problem solving skills andpositive attitudes are your
greatest tools.
Very often people think we carryour tools in a toolbox, but
(16:36):
realistically, our tools are ourapproach to whatever situation
we're in.
Not just flowers, but inanything that we strive to do.
What were you thinking when youmentioned those particular
things?
Adaptability, problem solving,and positive attitude.
(16:58):
Positive attitude will alwayskeep you moving forward.
So if you have a negativeattitude, it's not to help in a
a situation where you need tosolve a problem.
So I have this statement that Iuse all the time.
There are no problems.
There are only solutions." Nowin my toolbox, what I have is
(17:22):
actually 41 years of experience.
Every time I fail at something,every time I learn a new
technique, every time my time istested and I have to work
faster.
That toolbox is a combination ofyour experience.
The more experience you have,the more successful you will be
(17:45):
in time of a crisis.
Though I believe personally thatexperience trumps talent in a
competition when there's acrisis, I do agree with that.
I think that is a very truestatement I think that's why
(18:06):
sometimes in a competition someone will come from out of the
blue and take the competition,and there are designers who are
expected to do well becausetheir experiences.
But if that outside designer hashad greater experience in that
(18:26):
particular area, not a flowercompetition, but a competition
in life, how to manage competingfor yourself.
Sometimes that's why the newbiesteps up and just takes it away
Probably.
Yes, and I think the newbie ismore willing to take a chance at
(18:50):
something they haven't donebefore and that can work out
very, very well for them or not.
It can go either way.
That is very true as well,because they don't have the
reputation that they'reguarding, they're expanding into
a new area.
And so it's fun.
And when something's fun, we'remore relaxed and more, willing
(19:14):
for the challenges.
Now, one of the things at WorldCup that was a problem for you
was that the fresh order wasonly 80% confirmed due to supply
issues.
And I think that's our newnormal.
We've always known you werenever going to get everything on
your list.
So be careful with yourprocurement.
Even more so now, you're nevergoing to get everything on your
(19:36):
list.
As we fight the the new supplyissues, how important it is to
be able to think on your feetand change to a new concept.
If you can't get the flowers youwant, use the flowers you get
with experience.
Okay.
Well, with, with regards toWorld Cup, when that happened, I
(20:01):
arrived early, I went to thewholesalers that were providing
the majority of the materialsfor the competition and had a
look just to make sureeverything was fine and I was
more than happy.
their product was, was amazing,fantastic.
However, for the one piece, wecould not guarantee the
(20:23):
materials I needed.
And so I had to think, whatcould I do instead?
Okay.
First, the Tillandsia came inand it was fine, but the pieces
that were supposed to be withit, nothing came in.
And there were almost no otherthings that I could replace it
(20:46):
with.
An interesting quote that I readfrom you with World Cup was that
your fresh order was only 80%confirmed due to supply issues.
Well, today we have lots ofsupply issues.
So one of the things that wehave to do as designers is learn
to think on our feet and make anew plan, and sometimes that's
(21:08):
really difficult.
How did you manage that?
What would you like to encourageother designers to do?
What I would encourage designersto do is have a backup plan and
a list of substitutions, ifnecessary.
Now, sometimes when you'redealing across the world with
(21:31):
product, you have to deal withtime differences, which is
difficult, and sometimes alsolanguage barriers.
Now, how to manage this is whenyou get to where you have to go.
Visit the wholesaler, see whatyour order looks like, add
(21:53):
anything, or subtract anythingthat isn't good while you're
there and make sure you have areally good handle of the
product coming in.
If the product comes in andyou're missing things, this is
where that toolbox comes out ofyour ingenuity and your ability
to solve a problem.
You need to be able to takematerial from other projects.
(22:17):
And use them in the projectthat's missing product.
You have to be able tocreatively juggle your
materials.
That's excellent advice andsomething that I think might not
come to mind on someone who islesser experienced in
competitions.
(22:38):
Another quote that you offeredwas,"when you think you are
prepared, think again.
Not everything is in yourcontrol." Care to expand on
that?
Absolutely.
You might think that the productthat you have ordered looks like
this and the characteristics forthis and what you're going to
(23:01):
use it for will work.
Then when it comes, it's totallydifferent than what you expected
and not suitable for the, thetechnique or the task that you
need it for.
So how do I change it?
How do I fix it?
That's again, where you have tobring from years of experience
(23:22):
and figure out a solution.
What are some of your favoritego-to tips or tricks for
competition?
There are some people that likefloral wire.
Some people like lots of glueand then you get to a
competition and there's no glue.
What do you do in that spot?
(23:42):
What are your favorite go-tomechanics?
Personally, I love naturalmechanics.
If I can do something withoutspecialty wire, without glue,
and I can use the technique ofcompression.
So using compression in acontainer with the branch, I
know that the compression ofthat will hold it in place.
(24:05):
I know that it's very secure.
That is going to judge betterbecause you're using a natural
mechanic.
You're not using an extrasomething.
Explain your concept ofcompression because people may
not understand exactly what youmean about utilizing the
compression of materials, howwould you anchor that?
(24:27):
For example.
Okay, think of Kubari or aJapanese technique where I have
a vase.
I don't want to tape it, I don'twant to add any glue to it, but
I need to partition spaces.
(24:47):
So I would use a branch cutthat's a little bit bigger and I
would force it gently into thecontainer.
So it would give me naturalcompartments to design in.
And that is a great look.
Not only is it stable, but it'sa great look.
(25:08):
Clean.
Very clean, and as you said,very natural.
Any other favorite tips likethat?
Favorite tips?
Oh, I've got a million.
Natural.
I like weaving materialtogether, braiding things
together and designing through.
(25:31):
I like manipulating leaves.
A lot of leaf manipulation.
I also like looking at acontainer or looking at a
material.
that makes a statement.
I think that's a really big keyin competition.
If you watch cooking shows ontelevision where they compete,
(25:52):
the one who wins is the one whoused that particular item in a
different unexpected way.
And I think that's true forflower competitions as well.
That's one thing I hope youwould allude to.
Your foliage manipulation.
I've seen you do a lot of thatexpertly through the years and
that is something you do verywell.
(26:12):
Any tips for how you make thatwork?
What do you do to hold yourfoliage in place, in
manipulation?
I look at the manipulation thatis happening, I look at what the
best tool would be to fasten orsecure.
(26:32):
It could be anything from Oasiswire, bullion, UGlu regular
wire.
Every one of those little typeof tools I will use it in
everything, but not five toolsin one.
I'll pick the most appropriatefor that application.
(26:56):
Don't you think you do that incompetition?
You pick the most appropriatemechanic instead of trying to
show you know how to useeverything in competition
design, the biggest mistake adesigner can make is to show
every tool you have in your boxin a design.
Or every trick you have in yourmind.
(27:19):
Absolutely.
You need to have control and youneed to have clear thought and
purpose with the design.
Show two or three amazingtechniques, and don't expand on
that.
Don't do too much extra becausethe more you do, the more points
you have the opportunity oflosing.
(27:42):
Creative flair.
The goal in competition is thatthe design is well made and then
you used some mechanics orelements in a different way.
It's not that the whole thing isdrastically different.
Correct.
You want to showcase one or twoor three things, but not a
(28:05):
hundred mm-Hmm.
I agree.
Have you ever had a floraldisaster averted by the quick
thinking of a alternatemechanic?
Like, I was going to use this.
It's not working.
Give me that.
Absolutely.
And I must say thatSmithers-Oasis UGlu strips have
(28:30):
saved my life.
I agree.
I agree.
It's amazing the different waysthey have saved us.
World Cup.
I used two and a half full boxesof UGlu strips.
Wow.
Wow.
For securing the mechanics.
And they held, and it workedwonderfully.
(28:51):
Right.
Fantastic.
I couldn't pull it apart if Iwanted to.
This is true.
This is very true.
have you ever had a mechanicfail you in a situation that all
you could do is just learn fromthe experience?
Yes, sadly, about 10 years ago.
(29:15):
And we won't talk about it.
Well, that's okay.
Our viewers just wanted to knowit happened to you too.
I learned and that was adramatic one, but there have
been small failures and if yousay you've never failed in
anything, you're lying.
You haven't experimented much.
(29:36):
That's right.
When it comes to mechanics, doyou have a favorite resource of
information?
A favorite book or a favorite, agreat place to go to get new
information, videos online.
Well, Oasis has a great blogthat shows wonderful designs and
(30:00):
step by step information, andyou actually do that blog, don't
you?
Yes.
What we do is the podcast andthe blog of the same, inspired
designer because some of ourpeople like to listen and some
of our followers like to read,so we do the same information in
(30:22):
both ways, and that way you canchoose the way you want to get
that.
We've done the blog for aboutfive years and we've done the
podcast for about two and wefind it works.
The very best response is bygiving both readers and
listeners the opportunity to getthe same information because we
(30:42):
have like yourself, inspireddesigners who are doing things
very differently.
And when it comes to floralmechanics, for example, you can
think of a lot of designers thatyou've worked with.
Donald ym for example.
That's what I think our viewersand followers need to hear
because there's not always aclass nearby that they can
(31:06):
attend.
I love your suggestion that theytravel to events and to
symposium, I don't know if youever participated in this, but
many years ago there was inCharlotte, North Carolina, a
huge design show that had threelevels of designers on stage.
(31:30):
They would fill the gymnasiumfloor with designs.
Four commentators.
it was Southern Retail and itwas that's wonderful.
It was just heaven for a youngdesigner like myself going
through and learning, There justwas so many people going through
those designs.
And I'm very sad that designersdon't have that opportunity
(31:51):
today.
Sharon, I have to tell you thatthe first AIFD symposium I
attended was the same symposiumthat I did my PFDE.
Mm-Hmm.
I had never been to anythingthat large.
I came out of there and my bodywas vibrating.
(32:13):
My mind would not shut off.
I was so excited.
I couldn't even talk.
I, I just didn't even know whatto do with myself.
I couldn't wait to get home.
And I got off the plane and Iwas taken to the Stampede here.
We had a competition I wassupposed to be in, and I won
that competition.
You were so inspired.
(32:34):
Yeah.
I, and I will tell everybody,you have to attend this once in
your life.
If you only do it once, you doit once, but you should go to
more.
Absolutely.
You are speaking of AIFDsymposium and yes.
A good idea is to go the yearbefore and see how it all runs
(32:55):
but you did it blindly and cameout successful.
So good for you.
Thankfully.
because it was an expensivelittle gold pen, but it was
worth every penny.
I say I would pay my dues justto get book, the directory with
everybody's names and numbersand emails in there, because I
may not know the answer toeverything, but I know somebody
(33:18):
who knows the answer toeverything, in that book or in
my phone.
If you just had the opportunityto tell the audience what you
want them to hear.
What would you like to share?
I, I want to say something onwhat Michael Smith said, because
I listened to his podcast and Ithink I listened to Jenny's, I
(33:39):
listened to a few.
I would like to say beingprepared, always trying new
things.
So if you're preparing for acompetition or you just want to
be a better designer, you wantto be faster, have more of a
skill level, definitely trysomething new every week.
(34:00):
Try a new technique.
learn that technique.
Practice that technique.
Get it proficient at it.
If you can't find something in abook.
Attend a class online.
Let's say Gregor Lersch.
Let's say it's Hitomi.
Let's say it's the Floosnetwork, F-L-O-O-S.
(34:25):
They have amazing designers andinteresting new techniques that
you can learn that are European.
Take the time to educateyourself, invest in yourself,
invest in your future, invest inyour design abilities.
Lea Romanowski (34:46):
And if you don't try, you never learn.
You never get better.
You never grow, and you're goingto make mistakes, and that's
okay because mistakes make usbetter at what we do and they
keep us humble.
And then we can keep sharing thelove of flowers and design with
the world while making a profit.
(35:10):
And, that's very helpful to makethe profit.
It is.
Yeah.
It's not just a hobby.
It's our, it's our life choiceof a career.
It's our passion.
I think we do our design work,pay our bills.
We compete for our soul for thelove.
Sharon McGukin (35:32):
I agree.
And I found it very interestingthat your career paths that you
explored were architect, EMT andflorist.
But in some ways, in each one ofthose areas, you're building
relationships.
You're reaching out to anotherperson, whether it's through
(35:53):
care for them directly orcomfort for them through flowers
or some structural aspect of it.
So I thought that was veryinteresting that you thought
those were three great choicesand, chose between them.
I think flowers chose me and I'mtruly thankful because they've
(36:16):
given me a wonderful life.
And I teach because I want morepeople to have this life.
Well, it's always, a beauty todesign for yourself, but it's
even more beautiful to share theability to design with others.
(36:36):
Yes.
We have the opportunity to helpmold and help the designers who
are coming up new and young.
And they're gonna take our placeat some point.
So whether it be listening to ablog or reading the blog or
taking a class, we have theability to help those people be
(36:59):
inspired and educate them.
That's our mission, I think.
There's a time that you are thedesigner, then you teach,
encourage the designers and thenyou inspire the designers.
And there's a different positionfor you in each one of those
(37:19):
stages.
In the beginning it's about yourlearning.
And in the end it's about yousharing that learning with
someone else.
Actually a lot of designers usetheir design as their
philosophy.
The way a person structurestheir design says a lot about
(37:40):
their personality.
Ooh, how so?
Think about it.
If you think about the countryand who you know from different
cities, you'll see.
For example, I'm a southerndesigner.
I tend to be very gardeny.
That's what surrounds me.
But I have friends who arearchitectural designers with
their structures because they'refrom New York or Boston or
(38:02):
Chicago.
And that's what surrounds them.
I have friends, in the Southwestthat do such wonderful things
with potteries and sunflowersand vivid colors because that's
what surrounds them.
Our environment trains ourdesign eye, I think.
when I tell people where I'moriginally from, they go, ah,
(38:25):
that makes sense.
I come from a little tiny islandoff the coast of British
Columbia called Salt Spring.
And it has the highestconcentration of artists in all
of Canada.
I think that explains it becauseyou learned at a early age,
being surrounded by art, thatart is a way of speaking with
(38:45):
the soul.
It is, I agree.
We are truly fortunate, Sharon,that we are in this business.
Yes.
To do what we love and call itwork.
Very blessed gift.
It really is.
I thank you so much for beingwith me, Lea.
I can't wait to share thepodcast with our audience
because you've given us somereally good ideas and
(39:09):
inspiration.
Thank you for sharing Well, canI thank you.
I thank, Smithers-Oasis forbeing a sponsor that actually
helped take me to World Cup.
I'm truly thankful for theopportunity.
It was the honor ofSmithers-Oasis to get to do
that.
In closing today, Lea, I justthank you for sharing your tips
with our audience.
(39:30):
Mechanics are everything.
We found that out through theyears and we strive to learn
more ways to use materials tocreate our foundations that
support our structures.
So thank you for yourprofessional tips to help our
audience grow their ability tothink on the spot and use floral
(39:52):
mechanics to secure theirdesigns.
I thank you very much for beingwith me.
Thank you, Sharon.
I appreciate it.
Thank you for doing this.
To our audience, Smithers-OasisNorth America, Lea, and I want
to thank you for joining ustoday.
If you've enjoyed this episode,pLease share it with a friend
(40:14):
and be sure to hit subscribe.
You don't want to miss theinspired solutions our upcoming
guests will share with you foryour personal or business
growth.
If you have topics or guests youwant to hear, please message me.
We'd love to hear from you.
Until next time, I'm SharonMcGukin reminding you that like
the unfurling petals of aflower, we grow by changing
(40:36):
form, soaking inspiration inlike raindrops, absorbing energy
from others, like warmth fromthe sun.
This growth opens us up to newideas, and that's How we Bloom.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.