My latest painting…  A Special Kind of Light…  For a special person who has been by far the most patient patron I have ever had!

A Special Kind of Light 30"x30" Oil on Canvas 2012

Much more light to come!

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sure is busy

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Aria Restaurant
25 York Street
Toronto, ON
view map
416 363 2742 

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Ephemeral No. 1 Oil on Canvas 40"x40" 2011

Ephemeral No. 2 Oil on Canvas 40"x40" 2011

Ephemeral No. 3 Oil on Canvas 40"x40" 2011

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Soft whimsy and elegance mixed with tradition and warmth – the flower inspiration for this wedding.  The interior space and the Sofre Aghd were kept white and fresh with hints of green and the exterior was rich with colour and fruit filled arrangements.  When we returned that evening to remove the flowers the glow from the patio lanterns against the fruit arrangements caught my breath.  It was so peaceful that despite knowing that we would need to be there most of the night, we had to take a moment to sit and take it all in.  Or maybe that was just my very swollen 7 month pregnant ankles speaking…

I hope you have enjoyed this floral adventure as much as I have.
I have many more inspirations to come, as life seems to be filled with them.
Until next time xxx
Laura

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Aria 198"x120" Oil on Canvas, 2011

Half way through this commission I had my favourite photographer, Rebecca Wood come into my studio to help document my two art pieces – belly and painting both very much in progress.

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That’s all I can say – I just received these pictures and am completely blown away!  The photography by Tara McMullen is stunning!  I couldn’t choose, so I’ve posted lots!  You can see more at The Wedding Co. who featured this wedding on their blog yesterday.

The floral direction I had from this beautiful couple was one of simplicity, all white with a touch of green.  I never tire of the classic, as it always looks great, as you can see in these pictures.  For the bride’s hair piece I used magnolia blossoms, which have the most incredible smell that lasts and lasts all day.  The groom received a peony bud boutonniere with variegated greens and some bear grass.  The bride’s bouquet was a simple grouping of all white peonies at their peak, so soft and romantic.  I created simple boutonnieres using salal leaves and green hypernicum berries for the groomsmen.  The bridesmaids had similar bouquets with peonies, but I also introduced some greens into theirs as well as some Astilbe ‘Bridal Veil’ (one of my favourites) in the maid of honour’s bouquet.  Despite the incredible heat that day in June, the peony floral trees I made for the ceremony held up, framing the couple perfectly during their nuptials on the outside patio at King Valley Golf Club.  The centrepieces turned out beautifully with garden roses, peonies, mini green hydrangea and green hypernicum berries.  The subtle use of green tied in with the green origami cranes that the bride’s mother made for each of the guests!  Also, the amazingly perfect wedding cake and the groom’s cake was made by my very own talented mother, Jane Wood of Sweet Jane Desserts, although she’d say that my dad did most of the work.

A beautiful day, marking the start of a life together for these two, Kimiko & Kyle – an amazing couple!
Enjoy,
LJF

What some might not know about this day, was that we did two setups!  The venue was debating moving the ceremony inside due to the weather and at one point made that decision.  I’m glad we moved things outside in the end, but here are a few images from the inside setup, which I think look very striking silhouetted against the window.

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There are two areas that I am working on.  The first is a horizontal piece that is made up of three different panels, each depicting a different angle of the same chandelier, all framed as one.  The second is a 17′x10′ chandelier that fills the double volume space at the front of the restaurant.  I’ve finished the three panels that make up the horizontal piece!  Yeah!!!  Now to begin the 17 footer…
This will be interesting…

(ps if you ever want to come visit, you know where to find me… here!)
xx LJW

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♥ to all the loves in my life I hope to see you soon!
click here to listen to a great song:  SMILE by Rebecca Zapen

xx L

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Last weekend I had a double wedding extravaganza!  It was a challenge to say the least, but with the help of a few great friends and family members we somehow managed to pull it off.  The second wedding of the two was at Graydon Hall Manor, my favorite venue, of course, since I was married there a year ago!
The rain didn’t stop this magical day.  The couple had the good fortune of having the custom tent up on the patio which sheltered them during the thundershowers throughout their dinner.
I previously posted about these living centrepieces, where I’ve used potted orchids, curly willow and reindeer moss to create a simple and  striking arrangement.  For the head table I chose to incorporate the same elements in a different way, placing curly willow branches with white orchids attached to them down the table.  At night this floral installation glowed with the interspersed tea light candles – very romantic!

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The Moment 60"x60" Oil on Canvas, 2010

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Torontoscape 24"x48" Oil on Canvas, 2010

The latest from my studio craziness…  much more to come!

I was recently commissioned to work on two extremely large scale chandelier paintings, which are going to take me right up to the end of October…
I’m madly trying to wrap up all my current commissions to make way!

This is a Toronto scene from a series I worked on a few years back.  I was recently commissioned to do a continuation of this series as a gift for a friend.
Great gift I think!!

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A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of designing the flowers for the wedding of a very lovely couple.  Their only request was that the space be transformed into a romantic candlelit dream.  I think we captured that using tons of floating candles, tea-lights and fuchsia flowers.  I chose to use orchids, chrysanthemums, anemones, freesia, calla lilies and green hypernicum berries for the bouquets.  On the floral trees I used fuchsia orchids and chrysanthemums.

Enjoy and have a great long weekend!
✮ LJF ✮

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More and more couples are taking a green approach to their wedding day, trying to incorporate elements that will last and not go to waste at the end of the night.  A great way to achieve this is to have a living centrepiece.

I have a wedding in August where we are doing planted orchid centrepieces with green moss and curly willow.  A little trick with curly willow, when you get it, give the stems a fresh cut and put them in a bucket of water for a day or so.  Chances are they will sprout tiny light green leaves.  So pretty!

Enjoy,
♥ LJF

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A few weeks ago we celebrated our niece’s first birthday!
I created several colourful floral arrangements for her in pink, orange and green, using baby food jars as vases.  It was a first for me as well, as it was a traditional Korean Tol Ceremony.  We used the flowers as a backdrop to the ceremony with all the various symbolic elements included.  The taking of the perfect picture seemed to be a very important part of the event.  It was a lot of fun and we were able to get several great shots of precious little Enid in her adorable (Tol-bok) outfit, although she tired of her cute little hat early on.

Later that day we set up another table with various items:  like a book,
a stethescope, a mouse for the computer, a bundle of string, paint brushes, etc. and let Enid loose to choose which item she prefered.  She chose the stethescope first, so Doctor Enid it is!

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Well it wasn’t so long ago was it?  Ah prom night…
I remember.  I wore a vintage dress I found in Gastown, Vancouver.
Such a special night!

I think things are a bit different now though.  Girls post pictures of their dresses so that no one else can get the same one, they get their hair and nails professionally done and rent limos for the night.  Hmmm, maybe not so different….

Well I had the privilege of making a floral hair fascinator for the daughter of a friend of mine who was off to her prom the other night.  I find it refreshing and often encourage women to wear flowers in their hair instead of around their wrists or pinned to their dresses.  I have always been a fan and in fact, I did the same for my special night!

Enjoy!
LJW

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Hello my blog friends!  If I still have any…
I know I know, it’s been ages since I last posted.  So so sorry!  Well I do have a few good ones lined up for you, so hopefully that makes up for my disappearance??

Lately I’ve been pretty swamped in my studio balancing both wedding season and the painting.  I wanted to give you a glimpse at life in my studio this last weekend as I prepared the flowers for my niece’s first birthday party!  The palette was pink, more pink, spring green and orange.  It turned out really pretty and perfect for a little girl’s first birthday!

Absolutely love love love my new studio setup! I even have a cot underneath my table to help keep me there longer.

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The ability to bring floral design into the art world is difficult.  Azuma  Makoto, a Japanese artist, has been able to do this with great success.  Makoto stopped playing guitar for his Fukuoka-based band and moved to Tokyo to explore the possibilities of artistic self-expression in flower arrangement.  Azuma is forging an innovative new bond between botany and art.  In 2001 he opened his own boutique, Jardins des Fleurs, to serve a more exclusive clientele in Tokyo’s Ginza district.

“I don’t make ‘things,’ but works of art. Each one is different. I can’t make the same thing twice.” – Azuma Makoto

Enjoy
LJF

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