Light and Lens

 

Summer is on it's way and the only thing I like about that are the bright rays of light it brings along.  The light streaming in from my studio windows or the light shimmering through the tree tops offer so many chances for one's imagination to run free, especially with a friendly camera in hand. Obsessed with refractions and shadows and focus right now so I hope you enjoy these plays with light and lens because you may be seeing a lot more here and on Instagram (thedesignerscoop) if you wish to follow the black hole of time which is swallowing every free second I have. Would I rather be a photographer? hmm... nah! I like to choose the subject matter. Having to photograph some predefined subject matter would kill the joy I get from photography, plus I wouldn't have a fridge full of gorgeous flowers to make living sculpture with. I'm quite happy being who I am, doing what I do and having the chance to play every day.

Bruised and Fleshy

This is an unusual palette I keep coming back to and I think it's because it both passionate and vulnerable at the same time.
A fun vintage styled wedding is on the horizon and I'm looking forward to sharing every last detail with you!
in the meantime get yourself outdoors! This Spring is quickly moving into Summer so don't miss it!

Looking Through A Rose Tinted Holiday

I was raised a good catholic child by my Cuban parents and the Irish nun at my primary school made sure that we all observed every facet of the Ascension. Easter Holiday and all the commercial trappings and American traditions never really made much sense to me and what I was being taught in school and at church which was the brutally horrific story of how Jesus Christ had died for our sins in such a barbaric way. So how did this correlate to pastel dyed boiled eggs and marshmallow peeps? Apparently the rabbit was as symbol of fertility because they conceive second litters while still pregnant. That along with the myth that rabbits were hermaphrodites therefore being able to bear offspring without copulating and therefore connected in some equally misinformed way to the Virgin Mary brings the bunny directly in line with the day Christ becomes a ghost and "passes over". Ok, I am taking liberties here but not that far off. In the Jewish tradition Passover marks the exodus of the ancient Israelites who were freed from slavery in Egypt but not before God inflicted ten plagues on them- one being the death of their first born. The Israelites marked their doors and the Lord knew to "Pass over" the first born in these homes.
Ok, so what about the colored eggs coming from a rabbit? The Greeks colored eggs pink as a reference to the blood of Christ and green eggs symbolized the rebirth of Spring. The Protestants were the ones to bring the eggs into the picture as a rebellious act rejecting the Catholic fasting of Lent.
Somehow all these things got thrown together and we ended up looking for eggs in the grass and wearing bonnets.
Now considering all the violence connected with this holiday I always feel a little strange saying "Happy" Easter. I guess it's the one day of the year we're allowed the look through rose tinted glasses. And there you are. Spring flowers to celebrate a rebirth.
Happy Spring folks and enjoy your respective holidays!

Flowers as Art

While I was perusing fashion blogs today I stumbled upon Raf Simon's last fashion show with Jil Sander in Milan last February. What struck me was the way Mr Simon's had conceptualized the runway with "floral kiosks" as it were. I was struck by the way the flowers, designed by Marc Colle, were displayed and the play between their richness in colors and complexity of composition against the minimal elegance of the clothes. The plexi boxes which encased these elaborate arrangements confined them in another world. The effect was that of seeing the flowers as precious objets d'art and the models walking around them, wearing the beautiful minimalist and elegant Fall line, in a hypnotic march (a little Stepford Wife-like) as if the "living sculpture" didn't exist. It worked in a strange juxtaposed way, almost surreal or hyper modern. I know I'm reading a lot into it and Raf Simmon's simply wanted to create an environment that would compliment his fashions, but I think it did more than that. Seeing these Flemish inspired arrangements in as antiseptic museum like display case spoke to the lost art of Flower arranging- although it's not lost at all, it's simply not revered in the same manner as it was in those great Golden Dutch age masterpieces. Hopefully that is the direction floral design is heading again!

It has always been a fantasy of mine to have a gallery show with floral arrangements as the artwork. Mr Simons was able to capture some of this idea in his last show with Jil Sander which is probably what resonated so much with me. After all I DO believe that a finished arrangement should be a work of art. The question is really posed to those experiencing the flowers of whether a particular arrangement has succeeded in this regard. If I didn't regard every arrangement this way then it wouldn't be worth being a florist. Flowers are not the only medium I like to express myself with but they are a very important one and one which continually inspires me over and over again.

Anais Ninn

"One can only hope to capture the living moment, to capture it alive and fresh ... " Anais Ninn

All Buttoned Up

A few weeks back we had the honor to spruce up the setting for Conde Nast Achievement Awards, an event we have helped produce for the past three years. In years past the event was held at the St Regis, but this year we worked at MOMA which I have always loved working in. MOMA is an ideal platform for corporate events. The space is designed to feature artwork in a clean unfettered environment so that the work speaks for itself. I feel it accomplishes the same effect with event design. The tastemakers at Conde Nast appreciate simplicity and an austere approach to decorating events. As you know by now, my true passion lies in the chaos and imperfection of nature but I also truly enjoy delivering a restrained feel for the appropriate occasion. I guess you could say this is the Dr Jekle to our Mr Hyde- with the exception that I hope they are both loved equally. :)

The Old and The New

It's that time again when the remnants of last year's seedling garden are twisted around their stakes with no promise of renewal, unless of course they are torn out and used as props in a flower arrangement. My park visit earlier this week inspired me in many ways but an obvious one was the intermingling of dried vegetation with new growth. I was particular drawn to the beauty of dried vines and branches against blooms of the early spring. Yesterday I decided to harvest the dried annual vines I planted lasted year in my border garden along with their natural plant trellises made from long rose branches. Here they have been added to an elevated weeping composition and the contrast between the dead and the living materials add an earthiness which is quite naturalistic, combining accents of neutral browns and tans creating depth and complexity to the color palette as well as textural contrasts whose lines create accidental plays of movement defining the various parts of the arrangement. Nature is chaotic but not without an intrinsic geometry.

Stroll Through the Park III

This time of year one sees an intermingling of the old with the new in nature. The sky was gray when I ventured to the Conservancy Gardens in Central Park this week and provided me with diffuse light adding contrast to the dried branches spied against smoky clouds. I was drawn to the skeletons of last year's brambles and branches which had no yet caught up with their budding neighbors.

Stroll Through the Park II

As promised, more photos from my indulgent photo day in Central Park. Part III from this series to come. Stay posted for the darker moodier shots.

Stroll Through the Park I

Yesterday was one of those beautifully overcast days made for photography and nature! I spent, what was meant to be a brief interlude, a full day being completely absorbed with this strange early Spring in Central Park. I went a little nuts- always a good thing in my opinion. The next few posts will be dedicated to what I saw there along with abstractions of light and nature. If you don't really fancy this type of thing, please forgive me for digressing into a self satisfied visual masturbation of the joy of photography but it's what I brought home for eye-tapas for the next few days. Hope you enjoy :)