Live with Stacey Bal

Integration of Art and Floristry. Fusion.

Workshop at the EMC Go Live Event

Stacey Bal AIFD EMC is a guest at the upcoming EMC Go Live event, featuring her as the host of an amazing floral workshop. As an artist, she celebrates the value in the vast diversity of the floral industry by wearing many hats including educator, author, consultant, event designer, magazine contributor, and product developer.

As the owner of The Flora Culturist, she energetically expresses her ever-evolving point of view with unexpected materials and unique combinations of botanicals. A lover of adventure, she travels as a freelance artist and speaker. Stacey's continued lifelong educational journey through various arts and horticulture are met with her experience as a second-generation floral designer. She is recognized for bringing a fresh perspective and strong voice to the visual arts community most recently as a feature artist at Art Basel Miami 2019. Internationally circulated, her latest work is published in IMPERMANENT in which she co-authored with Arthur Williams. 

Stacey is recognised for her ability to create organic structures that support and artistically display flowers and foliages.  She demonstrates that possibilities are endless in the way that she blends expressive art and clean, crisp modern design with a wide range of techniques, including creating beautiful armatures with simple, natural materials. She is also well-known for her bold use of colour and the cutting-edge of styles that are helping to drive the floral industry in new and exciting directions.  She can teach others to hone their colour and design skills, extend their knowledge and understanding of colour theory and to find the colour palette with which to produce their own designs.

Name 3 must-do things that you consider most important before creating a workshop concept.

The W’s! Mostly the ‘who’ and the ‘why’.

What is your thought process focussed on when working on a workshop?

My thought process centres around the need for the content at hand, how it can be adaptable to a variety of artists, and how it can be efficiently and effectively communicated.

How do you plan your workshops to ensure inclusivity for all that are taking part – including differences in ability, availability of botanical and non-botanical materials etc?

To ensure inclusivity it is paramount to consistently communicate alternatives, substitutions and flexible pathways of a design.

What trends do you consider when planning for a workshop?

Trends are an important part of the conversation always, but they should not determine the subject matter. It is valuable to offer tools to allow attendees to develop and master what is next to come, essentially to empower and lead others to create trends in their region, demographic, and for their brand.

How will your signature style be integrated into the designs that are completed within the workshop?

My signature style is ever present! That is the beauty and success of finding your voice. I lead others to incorporate their own point of view to the design at hand and by the end of the workshop this is evident when there are many different conclusions both visually and in process.

How do you relate and communicate with the participants?

Relating to participants from various backgrounds and regions is achieved first by instructing each individual to note two very important things in their ‘why’ and a takeaway they intend to gain.  It is the responsibility of each participant to determine their needs, state them, focus on them, and leave feeling these are satisfied. When the responsibility of success is equally shared by the instructor and participant that is when success is achieved. Success is personal and when the participant arrives with an open mind and specific goals that is how everyone can be reached.

How does floral design, floral art, mix with technology in your line of work?

Technology currently plays a large part in all creative fields. It is a powerful tool that can separate you from other artists and businesses. The use of online visual communication has helped to bring our perishable product to the public in new and exciting ways most notably via visually driven social media channels. 

Do you think the use of online communication possibly becomes too important?

Whether we like it or not it’s in our best interest to embrace new technology and educate ourselves on evolving along with it. I, myself, love new tech both in the “back of the house” like POS systems, event design programs, and client communication tools and in the limelight most notably with social media.

What are the biggest challenges when it comes to establishing a relationship with the public?

Expressing your point of view in a polite and professional way and finding work, associates, and opportunities that align with your values especially in today’s polarized and extremely vocal social climate.

Do you still go to workshops yourself?  How do you keep your mindset focussed on learning to continuously develop new ideas and new trends for your workshops?

Yes, absolutely. For me personally the desire to learn is innate and requires no forced effort. I am always eager to expand my mind and get to work.

What is your vision when it comes to inspiring others? What do you hope to be the message you convey to your audience through your designs?

Creating a safe space where anyone can stretch, challenge themselves, and grow is always the goal. The message consistently is to say grounded both in theory and attitude but to fly with experimentation and exploration. Roots and wings.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you, yet you consider important and it helped define your style?

Although it’s no secret that I’m a mom, motherhood has greatly influenced my teaching and design style to what it is today.

^{blog & interview by Sara Marie Andrews}

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