MEET SARAH BRYSK COHEN OF BLOSSOM AND BRANCH
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Happy Friday and say hello to the oh-so-beautiful and talented Sarah, of Blossom and Branch……Sarah’s florals are simply beautiful and I’m so excited to have her stop by the cafe today…Blossom and Branch services the five boroughs of New York and Sarah tells me that she would love to travel out to Southern CA to design. Now, let’s check out our interview with Sarah as she shares a little of her world with us…Enjoy!! |
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| TBC: What’s a typical day for you?
SBC: I leave for the flower market at 5 AM. Lately, I have been taking my baby daughter with me, so I wear her in a wrap while I shop for flowers. Back to the studio by 7:30 AM to clean, prep and design. Afternoons are spent answering emails and doing other administrative tasks for the business. I am trying to get better about keeping up with uploading images to Facebook and Twitter, writing a monthly newsletter email, etc. It is hard to juggle it all! |
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| TBC: Describe your client?
SBC: My typical client is a bride with a lot of confidence and flexibility. She is someone who recognizes interesting design and is either herself a creative-type or has a deep appreciation. I tend to attract brides who might have a lot ideas of their own, but who are willing to let me take a concept and run with it. TBC: What wedding trend would you like to see disappear? SBC: The trend of incorporating something “vintage” in your wedding that has no real significance to you or your life. I see a lot of brides make the mistake of trying to include vintage suitcases, typewriters, medicine bottles, whatever the “cute” decorative element of the moment happens to be. But it seems forced or unrelated to the couple. If it is not part of what you do for a living, a hobby or yours or somehow reflective of your personal style/family history, don’t include it in the design! |
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| TBC: Where do you find inspiration?
SBC: Obviously with flowers it is so much about the seasons. I also find inspiration just being around the raw materials – shopping at the flower market to see what’s new in stock and/or traipsing around the city to see what is going on in the planter boxes or at the park! TBC: Name one of your favorite “vendor” sources that you just can’t do without. SBC: I love the folks at Jamali Floral and Garden Supplies. Although they are not the most “insider” locale – they are also open to the general public, for example –I find they carry a wide range of high quality products. There are times when I am planning an event and unsure of what decorative elements of vessels to use so I go to Jamali and just peruse the inventory. I can always find something there that will set off an entire look. |
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| TBC: Describe your design style.
SBC: I would say chic, modern and textural. I love using bold colors and an abundant, flower-on-flower design. Although at times I feel like creating wild, unstructured arrangements, with lots of greens and filler, I most often gravitate toward something more architectural and overflowing with face flowers. TBC: To date, what has been the highlight of your career? SBC: My name was mentioned in the New York Times last year among other up-and-coming Brooklyn florists. They said I was part of a movement of “thoughtful and expressive design.” That’s the paper of record! |
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| TBC: What advice would you give to upcoming floral designers?
SBC: Keep trying to cultivate a distinctive style. You want people to view your designs and be able to identify them as yours by just seeing an image. This is so hard to achieve! We all start by learning the basics – here is a wildflower look, here is a sleek look, etc. – but to really distinguish yourself is the ideal. TBC: Who is one (or two) of your favorite designers? SBC: I am a California native and I used to work with an amazing designer out there, Carlos Franco. Carlos and his Head Designer, Travis Rogers, create exquisite arrangements at Green Fresh Florals. Their work is highly European-influenced and very joyous. |
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| TBC: When I’m designing, I love to light my candles and play “old school” music.
SBC: Do you have a ritual that you like to do when designing? Oh, well, music is absolutely critical. I definitely listen to the ipod and sing along when I get in the zone. I have also have this bizarre obsessive need to clean as I work. I have this compulsion to fold the towels a certain way, wipe the counter tops after each arrangement is done, sweep under people’s feet…I get weird about it. TBC: If you had to make a career change, what would you do? SBC: I used to be a social worker and psychotherapist, so I think I would perhaps go back to doing that. That work is very different, clearly! |
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| TBC: Describe your personal style…what are your favorite stores to shop at?
SBC: My personal style is totally cobbled together randomly. I like some of the standard places for basics, like J. Crew. I love that Michelle Obama has made J. Crew even more hot! I have a soft spot for what my husband calls “street jewelry” – earrings from the card tables that are set up by tiny vendors on the streets of New York. I like Lucite bangles paired with a costume necklace from my grandmother. Sometimes I go a little Southwestern (my father is really into Native American art and accessory design) and will pile on the turquoise and silver. I tend to put together a fairly nondescript outfit and then add one statement piece like a chunky necklace, an arm full of bangles or a bold shoe. I also have a strange fixation on The Container Store. I like to wander in there and contemplate how organized and harmonious I could potentially make my home and studio. |
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Sarah, thank you so much for stopping by today…your florals are so AMAZING…guys, head over to Blossom and Branch and check out so much more of Sarah’s beautiful work!! |