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An Asymmetrical Existence

2014 June 11
by WWGD

WhatWouldGwynethDo-Flowers

Last Saturday I went to my first floral design workshop, hosted by Bri Emery of Design Love Fest and Kristen Caissie of Moon Canyon.

It was a lovely morning. Bri’s studio in downtown Los Angeles is really pretty, filled with ethereal design elements, flooded with natural light and dotted with cute personal touches. Kristen was great, very friendly and approachable and hands on. And I was so happy that I finally found the time and resource to take a workshop in flower arranging. It was something I have wanted to do forever but I could never justify the expense to myself…until now.

But beyond the beautiful flowers and great company and creative inspiration, I took away something far more important.

When Kristen was describing her personal style as a florist, she called it wild and romantic. It is her natural tendency, her preferred aesthetic is to create arrangements that spill over here and there, that don’t fit inside a perfect little vase, that aren’t symmetrical in any way.

Symmetry is boring, she said.

I had to chuckle.

Symmetry is my life, I thought quietly.

And for most of my 36 years, that has been true. I have thrived on symmetry. I like lines and boxes and clean and modern. Not just in design and aesthetics, but in life. I like order and schedules and the semblance of perfection. I like black and white and rarely see shades of grey (though my wardrobe may beg to differ). I like neat and tidy and balanced. I like things to add up.

Kristen’s words, as much as her beautiful work and thoughtful eye, stayed with me beyond that morning in downtown Los Angeles.

They inspired me to look at like through an asymmetrical lens. To embrace the wild a little more. To appreciate the romantic.

To create a more asymmetrical existence.

I need to have a less structured approach to the every day. Let things fall where they may – in style, beauty, home, parenting, love, career, friendships. To live outside the lines that have (happily, for the most part) held me in for so long.

The floral arrangement was an important first step. I wanted to make it look so orderly and neat. Kristen pushed me to add more, to let things fall where they wanted to, to embrace (gasp!) color and greenery. To see perfection where I wouldn’t have before.

And it turned out beautifully. It was really beautiful.

And I have a feeling that this new outlook on life will be the same…

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6 Responses
  1. michelle permalink
    June 11, 2014

    What a lovely post (and reminder). You and your flowers are just GORGEOUS=)

    • WWGD permalink*
      June 14, 2014

      Thanks, Michelle. So kind of you to say. xx

  2. June 12, 2014

    Beautiful! I just sat down for my morning coffee and toast and read your post. A great way to start the day. Thank you.

    • WWGD permalink*
      June 14, 2014

      Thank you so much. xx

  3. June 12, 2014

    oh, i identify with this so much! may your upcoming weekend be delightfully disorderly…now that i think of it, the way you describe your “perfect” weekends most times *is* asymmetrical, without schedules, without appointments, and without lists. i think you do it already!

    • WWGD permalink*
      June 14, 2014

      Aw, that’s such a nice observation. Not sure it is always like that in actuality, but perhaps there are more ruffled feathers around here than I realize 😉

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