LISSA ALEXANDER
reporter@pqbnews.com
Creating arrangements and art with flowers grounds people and keeps them in tune with nature, according to Laura Cusson, senior designer at Petal and Kettle in Parksville.
And sometimes there’s no better way to show love and support, she said.
“It’s like escorting people through their life changes, their cycles in their life,” she said, explaining that all major milestones are often accompanied by flowers. “That crazy old cliche, ‘say it with flowers,’ well sometimes that’s the only appropriate way."
Cusson will be demonstrating waterfall designs and combined styles for the Mid Island Floral Art Club April 11 at 2 p.m. at St. Stephens Church Hall in Qualicum Beach.
Cusson has been working in the floral industry for about 30 years, taking a break while living in Vancouver to work in decorative painting and arts. She moved to Nanaimo with her husband and ran an art gallery for a couple years, with her mixed media and portraits, before working as a florist in Parksville. Four years ago she began working at Petal and Kettle and said she loves the design freedom and diverse array of materials they get to use at the shop.
Cusson enjoys working with texture, natural materials like wood and local greenery, and she likes to make use of positive and negative space.
In her waterfall design demonstration, Cusson will explain how to use flowers and materials to mimic a waterfall, creating layers and using wire to imitate the suns reflection.
She said she hopes people take home from her demo some knowledge for themselves and the ability to think “outside the vase”. But in the end it’s about enjoying the simpler things in life, she said.
“To be able to sit down and have a cup of tea and enjoy your floral creation, what a nice feeling."
Everyone is welcome to attend the demonstration, which is $5 for guests. For more information call Catherine at 250-937-1350.