|
Local floral designer earns top state honor
By SUSAN WORLEY/Star-Tribune Staff Writer
Monday, August 25, 2008 6:54 PM EDT
The Virginia Professional Florist Association has named Michael Rose of M & W. Flower Shop in Chatham as "Designer of the Year for 2008."
The award was presented Aug. 16 at the organization's annual convention in Richmond.
Participants selected the workshops and competitions they wished to attend.
Rose chose the designer competition and arrived with a fully stocked toolbox.
But, the event chairman makes the rules and they were only allowed to use a knife, stem sheers, ribbon sheers and wire snips.
Everyone received identical buckets of fresh flowers.
Their task for the competition was to create three designs-a wedding bouquet, a sympathy design, and a designer's choice arrangement-in two hours.
"Personally, I think most designers design in their head and separate flowers into colors, form and texture," said Rose. "I think you have to get in your own white zone (an area where you have total concentration on what you are doing)."
The wedding bouquet was done in wildflowers for the body of the bouquet. For the stem, Rose used sword fern which added an unusual and attractive dimention.
The sympathy design was all white. "I think that lends a calming effect," said Rose.
The designer's choice had to be created in a Lomey tray, which is clear, so the mechanics of the piece had to be concealed. Another requirement was to use two red antheriums.
He made the design in tropical colors of reds and yellows and sprinkled petals from two red daisy halves as accents.
Judges score each design and do not know the identity of the designer. Rose's creations proved to be the winning combination.
"I'm not a good competitor," he said. "God gave me the designing talent on loan, but I do it because it is what I enjoy doing."
He began working for M & W 20 years ago as a delivery man.
"One day they were behind and asked me to put three carnations in a vase and I did," he said. "That's how I got started."
|
Matt Christie wrote on Aug 26, 2008 10:42 AM: