https://youtu.be/jxXGyIChS6c
(c) Theresa Bear photography

Photography, courtesy of Francoise Weeks (c) Theresa Bear

Today, I'm delighted to welcome artist, educator, friend, and Slow Flowers member, Françoise Weeks back to the Slow Flowers Podcast.

Françoise was born in Belgium, and she has infused her work with a quintessential European reverence for flowers and nature. Combined with creativity and mechanical ingenuity, she has crystalized her singular style of Textural Woodlands and Botanical Haute Couture pieces, garnering a global following of students.

Françoise’s studio is located in Portland, Oregon. Her innovation and love of teaching have brought her to classrooms around the globe and here at home. Her dynamic work has been published in Fusion Flowers, Modern Wedding Flowers, Huffington Post, Flutter and many other publications.

Françoise's generosity of knowledge and perspective in use of floral materials, structure and mechanics, in addition to the business of being a florist, unite to create rigorous and exciting learning opportunities for her students to explore all that nature has to offer.

I invited Françoise to join me in the virtual studio to talk about her newest online course, Foraged Design, which recently launched. The curriculum covers decor for the home, events, and everything in between. The inventive project includes eggplant, pear and artichoke arrangements, a vase arrangement, four botanical napkin rings, a wine bottle with a floral ribbon, and a framed woodland-inspired wallscape.

Eggplant, Pear, and Artichoke Arrangements: Showcasing the natural beauty of produce from the market, Françoise has created three designs to turn the edible into the incredible. You'll find an eggplant blossoming with pieris, poppies, and tillandsia; an artichoke utilizing cornflowers, oregano, and acorns; and a pear harvesting blackberries, nicandra, and love-in-a-puff.

Vase Arrangement with a Twist: Learn the mechanics to cover an ordinary container by attaching paperbark maple to create an eye-catching arrangement that uses a variety of botanicals and textures such as hellebore, evergreen, and trumpet vine. You’ll also gain insight into flower deconstruction to find new ways of using materials.

Framed Woodland-Scape: Create a stunning foam-free woodland landscape within a frame of your choosing. Use a variety of textures and botanicals to create visual interest in a piece that you can display on your dinner table or even hang in your living room.

Foraged Design Free Lesson

There will be an end-of-year sale for Françoise's Foraged Design course but you need to be subscribed to gain access, so SUBSCRIBE today -- If you're following Françoise on IG, you'll also catch more details @francoiseweeks - find the links in her profile menu.

And an update about Françoise's forthcoming book, The Wonder of Woodlands, out in Spring 2024. She shares: "it will show people how they can gather nature's treasures to create their own artful arrangements. The book is divided into chapters, each showcasing a common building block in her arrangements and suggesting a simple project. Since bark, logs and branches form the background of her designs, she begins there. That's followed by chapters on moss, mushrooms, acorns, seedpods, lichens and ferns. My primary goal is to teach readers to see the artistry contained in any natural landscape. Like me, I want them to see with a new pair of eyes."

Last Chance for $100-Off Slow Flowers Summit Registration (Expires 12/31/22)

Top row, from left: Julio Freitas, Amy Balsters and Lennie LarkinMiddle row, from left: Gina Lett-Shrewsberry, Dee Hall, Tracy Yang and Valerie ChrisostomoBottom row, from left: Becky Feasby, Amber Tamm, Sarah Reyes and Debra Prinzing

There's still one week left to take advantage of the Early Bird Ticket pricing for our 2023 Slow Flowers Summit -- the $100 off promotion expires at midnight Pacific Time on December 31st.