KatsushikaHokusai (1760–1849), Hydrangea and Swallow from the Large Flower Series, 1832. Color woodblock print (nishiki-e). 17 1/2 x 21 11/16 in. Courtesy Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Bequest of Richard P. Gale 74.1.215.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), Kirifuri Falls Near Mount Kurokami in Shimotsuke Province from the series A Journey to Waterfalls in Various Provinces, 1833. Color woodblock print (nishiki-e). 17 1/2 x 21 11/16 in. Courtesy Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Bequest of Richard P. Gale 74.1.240.

Kabukidō Enkyō (active ca. 1796), Nakamura Nakazō II as Matsuōmaru, 1796. Color woodblock print (nishiki-e). 17 ½ x 21 11/16 in. Courtesy Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Bequest of Richard P. Gale 74.1.191.

All images from the exhibition catalog, Wordly Pleasures, Earthly Delights, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2011

The married couple have a lush arrangement of two-toned VERY luxurious “tigre” anemones and clown parrots… Tigers and clowns in the marital bed?

And for good measure, Valentine’s Day with your canine date.  I loved this tiny dog collar of bouvardia.

And with your darling daughter, some tiny blooms of muscari and more.  Here, the cookies are clearly most important.  Thanks to Rebecca Stadlen, we had so much fun playing with (and eating) all the props!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!  We’re up to our necks in petals.

And our elves are ready to deliver.

]]> http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/valentines-day-is-coming-fast/feed/ 0 http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/vogue-9-12/ http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/vogue-9-12/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:29:02 +0000 Emily http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/?p=1505 This afternoon, Michelle Obama unveiled the incredible annual holiday installation at the White House—a breathtaking sight that was created by Emily Thompson, an elegant, 37-year-old florist from Brooklyn who was first suggested for the job by Laura Dowling, the White House florist. Thompson, who grew up in a remote part of Vermont called the Northeast Kingdom, eventually moved to New York and set up her stunning shop, Emily Thompson Flowers, on Jay Street in Brooklyn’s DUMBO, her work catching the eye of many a neighborhood local before it caught that of the First Lady. Now that the decor has been finally revealed—and Thompson is sure to be the name on everyone’s lips when it comes to perfect party planning—we got her tips for making your own house a seasonal success.

How did you get started in the flower business?

I had a brief sojourn at a beautiful flower shop in college, and it was a great fit, though I don’t think I dreamed I’d pursue this as a medium. Later, my work as a sculptor took on ideas of display and entertaining, and I started designing events out of my sculpture studio. For one of the first events I put together, I cooked a twelve-course Easter dinner of sculptural foods for 20 guests, including a whole ham I hollowed out to approximate a cave, which I then stuffed the thing with a leg of lamb.

What was your approach when it came to decorating the White House for the holidays?

For starters, being chosen was such an honor—it’s an enormous undertaking. The White House is huge, and needs so much thought as far as how to embrace the entire country with what we design. My boss is the United States, helmed by the First Lady. I have never before been so encouraged or challenged to attempt beautiful gestures and new ideas. Overall, I wanted the rooms to become their most alive and majestic selves.

For those of us who don’t live in the White House, what are your three tips for home decoration this year?

I would resist opening up a fireman’s hose of Yuletide. I like to make singular choices, never accumulating everything into a wintry mix of multicolored and metallic mayhem. Avoid slush. Your home need not resemble a department store.

1. Use wild material: I always prefer to pull branches and weeds from the backyard before seeking out commercially grown flowers. In fact, I would suggest finding an interesting dead branch for your holiday centerpiece. You can dress it sparingly or elaborately, but defintely let the wood dry out first so you can eradicate any creatures that might come with it. Unless, of course, your prefer them to emerge during your dinner toasts!

2. Decorate with savory vegetables or fruits: Leeks, onions, long-stemmed garlic, black radishes, and weirdly shaped squashes can be unexpected and supremely elegant. Try nestling them in kale rosettes or other strong lettuce-aisle choices. Keep in mind these elements can have strong aromas, so consider your own instincts for pleasing smells, and consider the menu. Edible foliage makes an incredible canvas for cheeses or finger foods as well. If you prefer fruit, why not copy your favorite Dutch or Spanish still-life painting? Peel an orange in a spiral, just halfway, and let it scent the room.
3. Don’t confine your decor: Allow your flowers, vegetables, and tchotchkes to trail onto your tables and other surfaces. Let them drool down, twine upwards, splay across your walls and floors, and intertwine with the surrounding objects and architecture. This technique can make for a marvelous buffet table—you want to let everything erupt into the party.

Do you have any top tips or tricks for keeping garlands or wreaths alive longer?

Keep them outside! Cold weather is the best medicine. For interiors, supplement your garlands with fresh natural material as needed rather than replacing them altogether. I love adding my own touches to basic commercial wreaths. That way, you can change them based on the occasion. For a party, try adding real fruit to them with wire.

What is the most unusual and bizarre holiday floral request you ever received?

I once designed wreaths in the shape of anarchy and yin-and-yang symbols for a skateboard shop.

What is “out” and what is “in” when it comes to holiday floral decor?

I have no idea how to address the trends of today. I love decor that is ridiculous and so personal as to be irrefutable. I love sweeping lush garlands and generous, sculptural swags. I love these to contrast with spare austere wreaths. I can’t bear stiff, glaringly strategic statements. Themes can flop.

With all this excitement, will you have any time to decorate your own house this year?

I’ll blow the dust off my personal artifacts, add twine, and let them splay off the mantel in a fat cedar garland. If I have any energy left, I’ll get out the ladder and I’ll cedar my wrought-iron chandelier. I’ll drag the mini-glass ornaments out from under the sofa and hang them off the potted plants. Done.

Garlands on trees,

Wreaths upon wreaths, garlands upon garlands,

Gloriously overstuffed arrangements,

Towering topiaries…

 an endless floral garland and a Christmas bedstead,

a candycane sometimes takes the form of a rose:

A Wreath Elf:

(Wreath comes with Elf…)

Many, many runs to the market…

Gifts of smoked Mackerel…

Which we devour in a flash…

Happy happy 2013 from all of us!

]]> http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/happy-new-year-from-all-of-us/feed/ 0 http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/the-new-york-times-august-2012/ http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/the-new-york-times-august-2012/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2013 02:37:15 +0000 Emily http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/?p=1506 http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/the-new-york-times-august-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/elle-winter-2011/ http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/elle-winter-2011/#comments Tue, 01 Jan 2013 01:29:47 +0000 Emily http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/?p=1507 http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/elle-winter-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/vogue-with-jean-georges/ http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/vogue-with-jean-georges/#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2012 23:19:41 +0000 Emily http://www.emilythompsonflowers.com/?p=1490

This belated Thanksgiving post can now double as a Christmas dinner… The story was shot in early fall, and the flowers and okra and things in this “eco” arrangement are exclusively from local farms.  It’s thrilling to find such interesting local material.  I hope my beloved growers will keep it coming and experiment.  The unusual golden passionvine is from our own cutting garden, and the persimmons grew in the wild.

This shoot was a delight.  Whilst I finagled our pieces, Jean Georges Vongerichten himself appeared just in time to place the souffle.  They shot 1000′s of frames of the thing sinking.  JG pointed out my buckets of castor pods etc. to his chefs, and I shouted, “watch out, they’re poisonous!”  like a hoarder.