Michael Gaffney was in attendance at this years Art Basel Miami and it received rave reviews as being one of the strongest editions ever!

Art Basel’s 13th edition in Miami Beach closed Sunday, December 7, 2014, amidst strong praise from gallerists, private collectors, museum groups and the media. Highlights of the show included the introduction of the new Survey sector, which brought 13 art-historical projects to the fair, including many rare works never before exhibited in an art fair context; and Art Basel’s staging with Performa of Ryan McNamara’s ‘MEƎM 4 Miami: A Story Ballet About the Internet’ at the Miami Grand Theater. Solid sales were reported across all levels of the market and throughout the run of the show. Featuring 267 leading international galleries from 31 countries, the show – whose Lead Partner is UBS – attracted an attendance of 73,000 over five days. Attendees included representatives of over 160 museum and institution groups from across the world – and a surging number of new private collectors from the Americas, Europe and Asia.

In the floral ‘world’ there are strong ties to what is trending in art, as floral design is considered a form of art as well. Mr. Gaffney believes that to be a successful designer, it is important to stay informed on the trends and ‘whats hot’ when it comes to the newest art craze. As a designer, staying up-to-date on the different looks will help you tailor your floral designs to incorporate the different textures and colors in accordance to compliment what is hot, etc.

A tip to remember when working in the Art of Floral Design: An out-of-date florist, or one who becomes stagnant in the designs that they offer, will quickly lose the public’s attention as someone who will be able to suit their needs on any type of event, etc. that they are wanting to plan.

During the holidays is when I like to ‘wow’ my guests with beautiful centerpieces during parties and for hostess gifts as well. This can be a bit tricky, especially when working on a budget. The following are my tips and tricks for what I call ‘designing on a dime’:

1. During this time of year everyone loves their evergreen foliage, so this is my greenery of choice when starting my arrangements. Don’t spend tons of money buying greenery when you can either trim some from your yard or (with permission) from the yard of a neighbor. Some people do not know that Home Depot also gives away their Christmas tree trimmings for free. (There is usually a big bin in the tree lot area that the staff throws the clippings in)…So why buy when you can get it for free!

2. Evergreens last a long time especially when it is cool, so you will want to pick items that will last as long as your greenery when thinking about the color/theme of your arrangement. I would suggest going to your local Dollar Tree, Family Dollar or 99 Cent Store. Use ornaments, glittery sticks, berry picks, candles and the like to incorporate into your design. You can also re-use these items year after year. Don’t forget that you can use seasonal fruit & pine cones too, it doesn’t always have to be flowers as the ‘point of interest’ or ‘focal point’!

3. Container Choices….if you would like to use a nice decorative container for your arrangement, you can also find a variety at the stores listed above as well, but don’t forget your local Goodwill or Salvation Army. You can buy a container and help a local charity all at the same time! Also, keep in mind that you can use a plastic dish or plate to place your floral foam on and ‘build’ your arrangement so that you cannot see the container at all. This is another affordable option.

Sometimes it just takes a little bit of ‘thinking outside the box’ to get those creative juices flowing…you get the picture. It doesn’t have to break the bank to decorate your home for the holidays! (and there’s no harm in letting your friends think that you did…what they don’t know won’t hurt them) ;0)

The American Schools of Flower Design offer classes at 9 locations across the country to help educate people in the art of floral design….you too can become a ‘Design Star’! For additional information click on the ‘About Our Schools’ tab on our website. www.flowerschool101.com.