Hello friends! The past month has been a whirlwind of school activities, fall travels, baseball games and various other commitments. My busy schedule left me completely exhausted and drained of creative energy. When my friend and talented designer, Ashley Woodson Bailey, offered a floral workshop in her new studio off the Marietta Square, I took the opportunity to recharge my batteries and my creativity.
I've been following Ashely's work via social media for a couple years now, even before her move from Texas to Atlanta. Ironically, her move landed her just minutes from my own home and shortly after, our paths began to cross. A few years ago, Ashley survived a horrific car accident that left her with a broken back and lengthy recovery. Her path was changed and while she always knew she would work with flowers, she wasn't sure where her journey would take her. Fast forward to now and Ashley is a budding entrepreneur, artist, floral designer and photographer.
She recently opened her new shop called 200 Mill where she displays her artwork, collaborates with other artists and hosts workshops. Ashley shared her skills and years of experience with us during the workshop, allowing us to create our own gorgeous floral creations. She gave us just the right amount of guidance without hindering our own creative process, which was just what I needed. I could have spent hours playing with the gorgeous stems!
Never in a million years did I think I could create a flower arrangement so beautiful! Yes, I MADE this!
Ashley let us make a mess of her studio, assuring us that most creative processes result in some mess. It's all part of the beauty. Even the clippings are stunning, don't you think? While we worked, Ashley shared her personal story, her love for flowers, how the accident changed her work and how she blossomed in the end. She says, "every stem has a story" and her story is certainly inspiring and hopeful.
After the design process, Ashley led us outside for a lesson on how she shoots and edits her photos. She can spend hours in this process, capturing the perfect shot or detail of a flower. I am continuously amazed that she uses her iphone to create such masterpieces. After she's finished editing, the final images are sent off to a top notch printer and shipped to customers around the world.
If you haven't discovered Ashley's work yet, be sure to visit her website, http://www.ashleywoodsonbailey.com/ I also LOVE this recent feature on her via One King's Lane, where you can also shop her prints until Sunday, November 2.
*photos by Amy Mikkelsen
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