Ariella Chezar: The woman who liberated flowers

Could you tell us a bit about how you started in the world of floral design? 

I started working for two different family friends who were garden designers. I was completely entranced by the work they were doing, mostly that their medium was flowers. They were of modest means, but ample creativity and talent, so their houses were beautiful, they were full of flowers and nature, which I think is truly the greatest luxury. It was this surrounding of beauty that really was the draw for me, and then the fact that you could actually earn a living because of the wedding industry. So working for them was my first flower job. They were looking for help, it was a paid apprenticeship, they were friends but totally different in their approach, so that was useful to have that. That was the beginning. 

What would you say is your signature as a floral designer? 

I think my signature is the incorporation of weeds. It always comes back to incorporating things from the place that I am. That gives the flowers context and place. It’s also trickier when you’re in a city. It’s the incorporation of what is actually growing outside, at that time, in that place. I’ve also had abstract experiences where I’ve been teaching in China for example, and I’ve thought of seasonality … but what season? Whose season? Where am I? Then I lean into the produce, the fruit, to get context. I’m less interested in perfect flowers that you can get from the wholesaler, I’m always much more interested in what is in the wild, the imperfect pieces, which I think can give life to cultivated flowers. 

Do you feel that floral design has changed over time?  

There always has been and always will be designers for whom the goal is different. My friend Max refers to the trend of the moment as ‘The Cool Kids’, it’s more sculptural, it’s about shape and color, and not necessarily about seasonality and sustainability, I have no judgement there, I think it’s fascinating. There are so many things that can be done, it’s not endless. There’s the more sculptural approach, there’s the more wild approach, more trim, more contemporary … the bunch of Calla Lillies, or an ode to Jeff Leatham. There aren't that many things that can be done with flowers, there are always people who are going to step into those various modes, no matter what generation or decade we’re in. So there is always going to be an English Garden somebody … so is it changing? Yes, and no. I’ve been doing this for 30 years, so I’ve seen these cycles come through and go round, there’s just not that many ways you can put flowers in a vase … although maybe there is. These trends cycle. I’m always interested to see how and what people are doing. There are some extremely creative people, Emily Thompson is an example for me, she is so thoughtful and sculptural, there’s a lot going on there. 

Who or what are your main sources of inspiration? 

Emily Thompson for sure. My friend Max Gill, who was a student of mine years ago, I find what he does way more interesting than what I do. Jenya too. My friend Rachael Lunghi from Siren, I love her eye. I love what Sarah Winward does. I’m less familiar with the current hot shots of the moment, like Ruby Mary Lenox. On the whole I feel like I am drawn to designers who are not just making ‘pretty’, they’re really extending the form in a way that is really interesting. As a human, I adore Shane Conolly, for how he speaks, how he advocates for sustainability, I really admire him for that. 

“I think my signature is the incorporation of weeds and things from the place that I am. That gives the flowers context and place.”

As a floral designer, what have been your biggest learning experiences? 

I think one of the most important qualities of a successful florist is their capacity to be resourceful, essentially to make something from nothing. Anyone can get two dozen David Austin roses, and it’ll be pretty. But what is necessary in this work, because it’s a perishable product, that doesn't always come as you want it to, is being resourceful and being quick on your toes, and still producing something even though you’re not getting what you wanted. That resourcefulness is really connected to one’s creativity. Anyone can make something pretty. But if you’re in a less than ideal situation with a less than ideal product, you still turn something out, that to me is the true measure of a successful florist. 

Are there any new emerging trends or products that you find exciting? 

I think Florésie’s products are awesome. I’ve used one, it’s great. I’ve also created my own which I’ve used for years, it’s a larger version of what Laetitia created. My go to in the sustainable realm is to rely heavily on potted things, more than on cuts. Especially with all these meadowy installations, I find that for it to look much more natural and be more cost effective, using potted plants is better than cuts. That’s also coming from being in the sticks for me, not having the access I used to have. I used to go to the San Francisco Flower Market, which is a freaking dream. Plants I rely on heavily, and you can plant them after you’ve used them. 

What sustainable techniques do you use? 

I think I have always been most drawn to the flowers growing in their time. I don’t need a peony in December, they don’t interest me. I’ll step on a tulip in August, no thank you. It doesn’t feel right. So, just innately I’ve had a more seasonal approach. From an aesthetic  standpoint, things look best in their time, things look out of place out of their time. That’s been a perpetual argument with clients, many brides are like, “I want an oompa loompa daddy and I want it now”, and it’s like, “I’m not giving you a peony in August, when you can have dhalias”. There have been exceptions of course. I’m responsible for a hotel in Charleston, and there’s really not a lot of floriculture in South Carolina, so I am choosing the most sustainable flowers I can from Holland … so I am not perfect. All the branch materials are foraged. The other thing is I was never attracted to floral foam, it didn’t make sense to me because at the time I didn’t like that you could put your stem at any angle and they would just stay like that. I liked the way stems moved in a gentler way, so I never got into the foam habit. I didn’t like the end result. I feel like my aesthetic opinion just happens to align itself with a more sustainable approach, from an aesthetic standpoint. 

How do you want people to feel when they see your work? 

I want them to feel. I want them to be touched, to be drawn in, it’s amazing if they’re actually moved. Flowers connect people to that sort of tender part of themselves. Whether that’s an association with a loved one, or someone who has passed, or it’s a memory … the combination of scent and color is very evocative. The scent almost always brings you to a memory. So it makes me happy when people are touched, when they are affected, when they feel. Whether it’s from the color, the fragrance or the texture, I don’t really know for sure. But it makes me really happy that we can remind people of the natural world and its preciousness, its fragility. It’s mostly this reminder of nature. This passing moment, fleeting moment that is precious and in jeopardy.