Hello, Howdy, how are you?
I am Lucinda Florence a ceramicist and florist living and working in Melbourne. My practice explores textured surfaces and vessel structures that aid floral design. My practice is deeply influenced by the history of vessels throughout different time periods and design movements.
When I'm not in the Bisque studio teaching the 6-week term in Handbuilding, Throw and Form, and specialised workshop Flora and Form, I am spreading floral dreams, making bouquets, and flowering weddings with my floristry business Florence Jean.
Let me share a few tips of the trade that I learned over the years working with flowers, extending their lives so you can enjoy them for longer.
Fresh Cut on an angle
Once you have purchased your flowers from the local florist, get them home quickly. Flowers should be placed back in water within half an hour, if this is not possible ask for your flowers to be wet wrapped for transport. When home un-wrap your flowers and cut the stems at an angle and remove any leaves that will sit under the waterline. Cutting on the angle allows for a greater surface area for your stem to absorb water. Every time you change the water of your vase, give your flowers another fresh cut. Think of the stems like a paper straw, the longer the end sits in water they get mushy and hard to drink from.
Collage by Lucinda Florence
Keep flowers away from the fruit bowl
Ethylene is a gas fruits produce that tells them to ripen. The unfortunate thing is that Ethylene also tells flowers to ripen, meaning they will die quicker. So keep your fruit bowl away from your flowers. I usually put my fruit bowl in a cupboard or in another room away from my flowers.
Choose your vase wisely
Choose a vase that suits your flowers. If you have a few stems, bud vessels, recycled jars, and cans are great options. For a bunch or two flowers, a vase with a tapered opening allow bunches of flowers to be supported at the junction point. A mixed bunch that you arranged or had gifted to you should be tied off and therefore a vase with a wider opening will suffice as the junction point has already been created and will hold. Also be careful to put flowers that have heavy heads in vases that are heavy, they can counterweight that weight and keep your vase from falling over.
Want to learn more? Join me in the classroom to create your own set of unique vessels to use for flower arranging at home. After your vessels are completed in the studio, you will return to the studio for a lesson in flower arranging. This two-part workshop includes your completed vessels, clipper & Kenzan set.
Whether you’re creating with clay for the first time, or you have a love for floristry, this class is for you. Open to all skill levels, you will create pinched and slab-built forms that creatively and thoughtfully interact with flowers.
Workshop dates
Day 1: Sunday 28th August, 10.00am-1.30pm
Day 2: Sunday 25th September, 10.00am-12.00pm
$210/head
Bookings Essential
You can view my work at lucindaflorence.com or Instagram: @lucindaflorence