07.14.08
Posted in Floral Happenings Around the World at 2:09 pm by tweeny
For AIFD final evening’s dinner extravaganza, “Luce Moderna”, designer Anthony Vigliotta and his team were sure to make even the bathroom unforgettable.
Willies on a plate and on urinals too!
This bathroom created quite a stir! After AIFD President Tom Simmons made a comment about it prior to his presidential address, men and women in their tuxedos and ball gowns were traipsing about the hotel peering into every men’s restroom. Finally it was there on a landing between the second and third floors!
Hubby complains a lot about how women’s restrooms are usually so much larger and more opulent than men’s restrooms with sitting areas, mirrors, and overstuffed couches. Well, on this night the men’s room took center stage! Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the designs were made by an Anthony vs. an Antonia!
Which sort of brings up another point. Why is it that in even women dominated and stereotypically feminine industries, men are still tapped with most of the honors and positions of power? We can do it too ladies!!! Set aside those fears and insecurities and let us too share our creativity, wit, and leadership!
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07.11.08
Posted in Floral Happenings Around the World at 11:51 am by tweeny
“Collaboration”, the 2008 AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) symposium just took place July 5-7 at the Chicago Hilton in beautiful downtown Chicago. It was my first time attending a flower meeting, and boy was it different from all the scientific meetings I attended as a graduate student! It felt like I had walked into one big happy family reunion, and despite me being a first-timer, I received a warm reception and everyone I met was friendly and lovely to talk to. The number one goal for these symposiums is education and I was floored by the creativity and incredible openess of how each world class designer presenter revealed how he or she made a particular arrangement or installation. There were demonstrations and after each program, attendees are able to photograph and visually inspect each work closely. There were no unplublished data to protect and no competitors to dispute. I could ask anyone any question about his or her business, designs, or methods, and he or she would answer truthfully granting me incredible advice. It was perfect for a newbie like me and I learned so much! Everyone was there to help each other out, to network, learn, and further advance the floral industry.
Here are some pictures from two of the fancy dinners - the inaugural dinner for the new AIFD inductees and the final night’s dinner:
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