One can say that Sarah Willemart fell into the magic potion of flowers when she was young… As the daughter of a florist, her career has always been directly linked to the floral profession, but her inspirations come from elsewhere: from the world of tattoos. She is guided by each individual to create a composition of preserved plants to be placed directly on one’s body. An art that she shares with us in this interview.
SecondNatur : Hi Sarah, would you describe your professionnal background ?
Sarah Willemart : I am the daughter of a florist : I was already curious about the profession, and I learned it before I even became one. First i went through a STAE high school diploma based on agronomy in order to be able to make a change of orientation or job later. It turned out it was directly related to the flower industry. Then I went on with a CAP with 2 years of vocational certification. I was then recruited and trained in vegetal walls and flower art, and that’s how I became a trainer. After that, I was selected for Le Meilleur Ouvrier de France (France’s Best Worker) where I reached the quarter-finals.
I’ve been a trainer at Piverdie France for 3 years, but I work alongside in my workshop (closed to the public) in Paris.
I didn’t want to be in charge of a store because it implies constraints such as opening hours… But I regularly give a hand at the family shop during peak periods.
I will also work on the musical comedy on ice Naturya: Le Spectacle Musical Floral.
S.N. : Why did you choose to marry flowers and tattoos in your new book?
Sarah Willemart : Tattoo works like the style of a room. It is a logic of accord : if the room has a baroque style, the theme will be baroque.
Each theme is composed of 7 to 12 photos: Inked & Blossom an art book. There is few written material but there are some technical tricks, quotes, and inspirations matching with each theme.
I’m a flower lover, I started out only out of passion. I had the idea to fuse flowers and tattoos two years ago. Likewise, I discovered the tattoos and I had one done, then two… and made one of them evolve. Designers and trainers are looking out for all trends in order to use them. I wanted to merge floral art and tattoos because it is precisely an often misused trend, nevertheless they are fashion’s precursor.
In one year, it took about 23 photoshoots for 16 themes. We had a setback with make-up on one theme, but thanks to word of mouth, students in a make-up school took care of it.
S.N. : What are your inspirations? Your motivations?
Sarah Willemart : I don’t do any particular research, the tattoo is already on the person’s body. Either I have a crush on a specific tattoo of a model that inspires me, which I will keep on a corner of my mind. Either I meet tattoo artists to find very precise styles of tattoos, and in this case, the tattoo artist will do the research for me among his clients.
I want to create different things, something that no one has done yet. I want to share my passion and know-how through unique creations.
S.N. : When was your meeting with stabilized flowers ?
Sarah Willemart : I discovered stabilized plants two years ago. If I hadn’t discovered SecondFlor I would never have worked stabilized flowers and plants. I didn’t realize there was such a wide choice of stabilized plants, I thought there were only a few flowers. It allows not to mix stabilized and fresh flowers.
The only concern was the heat released by the spotlights during the shootings. The preserved vegetal perspires, and you cannot use it directly on the skin, it is necessary to put a framework not to dye the models…
Stabilized plants are useful, but for singers or dancers it will be necessary to find an alternative.*
S.N. : Why using preserved flowers instead of fresh ones ?
Sarah Willemart : I tried working with preserved plants out of professional curiosity. There is also a serious issue with maintaining fresh plants. I couldn’t use the Adiantum, for example, it doesn’t even last 1 hour. Then I found it in preserved, and I was able to integrate it into my creations. With preserved plants and flowers there is a wide choice in colours and varieties, it allows me to be freer in the design of my creations, and to be in accord with my theme.
A floral jewel is temporary, a stabilized jewel allows it to be kept and used for other occasions. Like haute couture outfits, there is a huge potential around the “jewel dress”.
S.N. : What advice would you give to those who want to work with preserved plants ?
Sarah Willemart : It all depends on the work to be done. For a jewel or an outfit, it is necessary to think of putting an intermediate fabric to avoid oxidation of the plant on the body.
For a florist with a shop, it is important to be watchful of ambient hygrometry : with chrysanthemum, for example, which gives off a lot of humidity. It is better to have a luxury showcase isolated from light. A luxury showcase because it is a decoration object, it is not a commercial object.
The problem today is that florists just want to do business. But if they sell at low prices, their customers will be customers who buy at low prices. But if they sell luxury products, they will have customers who are looking for quality. This may be difficult at first, but a loyal client base builds up very quickly.
Website // www.flowers-in-art.com/inked-blossom.ws
Facebook // Inked & Blossom
Instagram // @sarahfleurfrance
Read also : WORKS / Tattoos meet flowers by Sarah Willemart
SOME CREATIONS
Crédits
Designer florale : Sarah Willemart Bauer
Photographe : Fabrice Fouque – Nikoniste dans l’âme