Floral inspirations & origins of crosspollination

I’ve been noticing some pretty amazing specimens around lately- this agave spike is so sensuous and lusciously colored.

I get magnolia branches in bud from one of my growers, and one of the branches busted out with 3 stunning dark magenta blooms as big as my hand with fingers outspread.

By the Buddhist Temple, a very quaint stall was selling these heavily perfumed narcissus. $1.50 a bunch, what a deal. I put my coins in the slot and loaded up my car boot.

Crosspollination, as a concept, actually started many years ago around the kitchen tables of myself, and my bestest friends Lauren and Nicole in Austin, Texas. We were in the core of our twenties, working as architects and designers, but I think we all wished to be our own bosses. We sensed that if we investigated all the possibilities, we’d come up with creative businesses that would support us financially and give us the creative satisfaction we all craved. This investigation grew into a monthly meeting of more than 15 or so artsy ladies with the same goal. I asked a few already-successful business owners to share how they started their ventures- you can check out what they do at Mixer, BlackMail and Punch Press.

The goal was to learn from and support each other, and I count some of the crosspollination members as my closest friends. We have all blossomed in one way or another. I ended up finding floral design and started Pollen Floral Art (the bouquet above is from my wedding). Nicole runs a very busy architecture firm called Studio 512 (openhouseinvite.pdf) out of a house that was one of the studio’s early renovations. Lauren is now a graphic designer/art director for Body+Soul magazine, but is the most prolific generator of ideas and ready-made items that I know. Sewing, photography, product design, she does it all. I’ll post images of her work soon.

Shannon, another member, has also created a successful company- Round Robin Press. You can see her awesome blog here. Shannon is truly an inspiration; she’s the mum to two beautiful boys, and still finds time to create ‘cakes’ of wood, paper and wax (‘Flight’ shown above), as well as a line of cards and custom paper goods. I am soooo sad that we don’t live in the same city- she was just finishing her backyard studio as I was moving to Auckland. I was lucky enough to attend a few Church of Craft Art Nights organized by Shannon and her friends, which I’d love to do here…

I’ve met a handful of crafty ladies here, and hope to invite them all ’round for a cuppa very soon. Crosspollination could be on it’s way to a new chapter.