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Episode 120: Francoise Weeks                                

Creative Designs from The Whidbey Flower Workshop

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop goodies image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography ribbon by Honeysilk graphics by Grey & Cake

Ribbon: Honey Silks & Co | Graphics: Grey & Cake

Tobey Nelson, owner of Tobey Nelson Events + Design, dreamed up a workshop opportunity for floral professionals wanting to expand their creative horizons and update their mechanics (while learning how to avoid floral foam in their practices). The result was a spectacular workshop held this spring at Comforts of Whidbey winery and event center just outside of the quaint seaside town of Langley, Washington. Teachers for the workshop included: Susan McLeary (Passionflower), Kaleb Norman James (Kaleb Norman James Design), and Debra Prinzing (Slow Flowers). Tobey offered to stop by the Brouhaha and share a little about the workshop today and we’re thrilled to bring some of the workshop attendees’ designs to you through the stunning photography of Sullivan & Sullivan!

Passionflower Sue Mcleary teaches at Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography

Teacher: Susan McLeary (Passionflower)

Kaleb Norman James teaches at Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography

Teacher: Kaleb Norman James (Kaleb Norman James Design)

Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Holly Price Unique & Chic Event Rentals and Design.jpg

Holly Price (Unique & Chic Event Rentals and Design)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Sylvia Lukach

Sylvia Lukach (Cape Lily)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography

 image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is (8)

Tobey:

The Whidbey Flower Workshop is a creative retreat for professional florists.  It is an opportunity to take time out to invest in oneself; to build skills while designing for your own heart instead of to specifications from a client.  Build trust in your creativity, learn new skills, improve your portfolio, and make new friends!  We accomplish all this in a relaxed, fun and pampered environment, around a central theme of “slow” and sustainable.  We employ a variety of foam-free mechanics and work primarily with locally grown flowers.  Our meals are cooked with love and attention with lots of local ingredients; the wine we serve is “slow” wine (grown and made on the host estate).  We have views of the Puget Sound, tall trees, grapevines and cows while we work.  All this combines for a pretty magical interlude.  Here’s a peek into this spring’s session.

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Mimulo and model is maker Chana Hecht Frankel.jpg

Design: Mimulo | Model: Chana Hecht Frankel

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Sweet Luck Farm.jpg

Elise Luck (Sweet Luck Farm)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Sylvia Lukach Cape Lily.jpg

Sylvia Lukach (Cape Lily)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Sarah Kistner Stone Meadow Flowers.jpg

Sarah Kistner (Stone Meadow Flowers)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Chana Hecht Frankel

Chana Hecht Frankel (Mimulo)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Stone Meadow Flowers.jpg

Sarah Kistner (Stone Meadow Flowers)

Tip from Teacher, Susan McLeary:

Listen to what you are craving as an artist, and put that work out there.  Stop focusing on the thing that you think people want to see, and make instead the thing that’s inside you that YOU really want to see.  Then people will start reacting to your work, because the passion is there.  If we all did this, think of the transformation that would happen in the floral industry!  And think of what clients might start asking for!

Tobey:

This is better than any tip about mechanics – which Susan has loads of (you should buy her courses or study with her!) – and it is the heart of what I am trying to create with the Whidbey Flower Workshop.  There are no clients there – only you, the student.  Come and make what you are inspired to, not what you think is expected!

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Fire and Blooms.jpg

Bergen Carey (Fire & Blooms)

 image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Nancy Nisbet Rhodesia Flower Elixer on the Willapa.jpg

Nancy Nisbet (Rhodesia Flower | Elixer on the Willapa)

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Mimulo Chana Hecht Frankel.jpg

Chana Hecht Frankel (Mimulo)

image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Laura Wiltse-Tibbets

Laura Wiltse-Tibbets (West Wind Florals)

Plans are already underway for The 2018 Whidbey Flower Workshop.

Whidbey Island Flower Workshop image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Darcy Mittelman Silver Thread Gardens.jpg

Darcy Macpherson (Silver Thread Gardens)

 image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Marje Cristol Linnaea Farm Design.jpg

Marje Cristol (Linnaea Farm Design)

image by Sullivan and Sullivan Photography designer is Tobey Nelson (1)

Tobey Nelson (Tobey Nelson Events + Design)

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All photography courtesy of Sullivan & Sullivan

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  1. Jay Archer says:

    This is all so beautiful! how wonderful. Jx

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