Pressed Flower Gallery

Press Release

The rains of April will make for beautiful gardens in the coming months. But May will see more than just a profusion of blooms, soon to wither away. Instead, she will see possibilities --- ripe for painting --- and the raw material for her creations.

May Chen, owner of the Pressed Flower Gallery in San Marino, will gather the flowers, both the common and the rare, press and dry them, and then transform whole flowers into unusual, three-dimensional 'paintings'.

May learned the art of pressed flower painting in Japan, and through her gallery and classes is bringing the technique to the San Gabriel Valley.

Gathering the material is the first and simplest part of a multistep, painstaking process. Whether picking flowers (with permission, of course) during walks in the Pasadena area, searching the flower stalls at the downtown Flower Mart, or getting the seeds from the local San Gabriel Nursery and growing the flowers herself, May looks for color, texture and shape in her specimens. Back at her studio/gallery she sorts through her collection of blossoms choosing which to keep whole and which to strip for petals. Using special flower presses May dries her flowers, a process that can take anywhere from two days to two weeks, depending on the waxiness or moisture content of the specimen.

With the flowers dried, May can begin the process of creating a 'painting'. Her inspiration for the artwork, she says, can come from almost anywhere --- an interesting vista, a photograph, or someone's garden. Whatever the source, whether a commissioned piece or an original idea, she starts with a diagram of the composition, plotting out the various colors and shapes. From there she begins the artistic and delicate process of gluing the flowers into a completed artwork.

The technique has another, more sentimental use as well. May preserves wedding bouquets, transforming the ephemeral into the permanent. Using the same process as for the original artworks, May photographs the bouquet, disassembles it, dries the flowers, and recreates the bouquet as a framed memento of a special day.

Since opening The Gallery, May has shared her expertise through classes for both beginning enthusiasts and professional floral artists alike.

Learn to Prepare Your Own Pressed Floral Artworks!

The Gallery offers an introductory class to anyone who is interested in this fascinating art technique. Full courses, from introductory to advanced, are also offered.

The courses are comprised of a series of classes in which you will develop the special skills and techniques of pressed floral art, starting from preserving the flowers to creating the final artworks. With practice and dedication you will master the techniques of pressed floral art ,and with your new skills delight yourself with your own creativity. Who knows, you may become the next professional floral artist!

Many people have had experiences pressing flowers, but our lectures go beyond 'flat smash pressed methods' to teach the techniques used to fast-dry flowers (to keep the color pigments as they were when fresh), to design an artwork, and to retain the flowers freshness while assembling the flower petals into three-dimensional works of art. We also have lessons on how to press fruits (strawberries, kiwis, cantaloupes and melons), vegetables, seaweed and more!

Whether for beginning enthusiasts or professional floral artists, the process of pressed floral art is an extraordinary skill that can be enjoyed by all. You will be specially guided by our instructor, May Chen, as she unveils the mysteries of pressed floral art by sharing her expertise in floral arrangement, special techniques, color schema and much more.

Class Schedule in San Marino Gallery:

Beginning Classes run monthly from 1 to 3:30 pm on Friday or Saturday
Intermediate Classes run monthly from 3:30 to 6:30 pm on Saturday
Advanced Classes run monthly from 6:30 to 9:30 pm on Wednesday
Intensive Courses or Private Lessons are available by appointment only

The three-month Professional Classes in Wedding Bouquet Preservation are held Saturdays between 1 and 6 pm.

COURSE OUTLINES
Beginner Course (Classes 1 - 12, Total 30 Hrs.)
This introductory course focuses on the basic pressed flower design process, and construction of floral objects including Greeting Cards, Bookmarks, Floral Candles, the Crescent Line Design using an Oval Frame, and design of Seasonal Flowers using a Rectangular Frame.

Intermediate Course (Classes 1 - 16, Total 40 Hrs.)
This course covers three different designs using 16x20 Rectangular Frames:
1) Children at Play
2) Flower Field
3) Flower Arrangement

Advanced Course (Classes 1 - 16, Total 40 Hrs.)
This advanced course provides a hands-on experience in finalizing three different artistic products:
1) Mother's Rose Garden
2) Birds of Paradise
3) Fire Works

Bridal Bouquet Preservation Course (Classes 1 - 12, Total 60 Hrs.)
This in-depth course concentrates on the skills, techniques and artistry required to preserve a Bridal Bouquet so that its beauty and accompanying memories can be enjoyed for many years. The course includes instruction in flower pressing, flower tinting, three dimensional flower design, color and accessory selection, sealing the frame, project organization and construction of small floral mementos. Click Here for a Sample Bouquet.

Testimonies:

I recently took a class from Pressed Flower and created this special design that I thought very interesting. Thanks Pressed Flower! The instructor was very friendly and she really taught me the tips and tricks to create my design. 7/2002 - Patricia W.

Bring Your Garden Indoors

Pressed flowers can be arranged into an endless variety of artistic portraits. Some of the most popular scenes include flower still life, children at play, country landscapes, and countless others. There is no limit in turning your creativity into artistic designs and illustrations. The vast uses of our flowers are innumerable, and the outcome of this is that it will bring happiness, joy and long lasting memories to others or yourself. Pressed flowers can add beauty and elegance to many things, such as stationery, business cards, greeting cards, bookmarks, stained glass, jewelry, photo albums, candles, lampshades, picture frames, wedding invitations, and so on….. Ideas are endless, so bring in your imagination and creativity and join in a class seminar or have May personally attend to your ideas.


Black Light	Wild Roses

Walking in the Rain	Flower Fireworks

Secret Garden	Flower Island

Please Join Our Pressing & Designing Classes
Or ask about our Pressed Flower Art Rental (LA Area Only)

Pressed Floral Art Rental

For those of you who wish to add a unique accent to your business office, The Gallery also offers rentals of its pressed floral arts. The floral arts are available in a variety of shapes, colors, sizes and themes. A larger floral art can be displayed in an office lobby or hallway, while the smaller pieces are ideal for offices and meeting rooms. A note is attached with all leased floral arts explaining the meaning of the particular artwork.

Pressed floral art rentals have many advantages. These creative and artistic artworks can create a more relaxed and friendly environment, not only for your co-workers but clients as well. The Gallery offers pressed floral art rentals at an affordable price; the cost is usually lower than purchasing picture arts. An office depicts the personality of the people who occupy it, and you can express and distinguish your unique characteristics through the artworks that you exhibit. To unleash your artistic imagination through floral art rentals, call the Pressed Flower Gallery!

For further details regarding pressed floral arts, please contact: Pressed Flower Gallery
1405 San Marino Avenue, #100A
San Marino, CA 91108
Tel: 626-666-0378
Fax: 626-795-6662
Email: info@pressedflower.com