Meet Danielle Curry | Floral Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Curry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, what principle do you value most?
The principle of sustainability within the floral industry is what matters most to me. I am an advocate of following sustainable practices in my business and in my personal life. I believe if you have a passion for floral design, you need to understand that flowers and this earth are a gift from God and we need to take care of those things just like we need to take care of ourselves. We see what happens when we feed our body with toxic things, whether it be thoughts, words, food or even people. We don’t flourish. That is why I am so interested in sustainability. oli FLOR has incorporated sustainable practices but we have only really just begun. But as we are pursuing sustainability, we are doing our best to incorporate small practices that can make a big impact. First and foremost we never use floral foam. It is a single-use plastic and full of chemicals and toxins that can seep into our lungs, skin, water and earth. It takes years to biodegrade and even when it does, it biodegrades harsh chemicals and harms mother earth. Flowers grow and flourish from the ground and they need fresh water and love to grow. *All sleeves or flower wrappings are washed and dried and are taken to our local grocery store (Publix) to be recycled with their plastic bags. *We decline plastic bags from wholesalers and bring our own re-usable bags. *We would love to eliminate as much waste as possible, recyclable or not. Which means that we avoid consuming things that require the purchase of disposable and single-use containers. We try not to have all of our flowers wrapped with paper or put into boxes when those options are available. When we buy flowers from the market we often decline any kind of wrap and just stack the individual flower bunches on a cart to be placed directly into our vehicle. It creates more physical work when transporting flowers from one place to another, but eliminates the wasteful aftermath of boxes, plastic and paper wrap. *We recycle all of our cardboard. *We do not use harsh chemicals like floral food, quick dip, and leaf shine. *Whenever possible, we compost cuttings, leaves, flowers that have lost their life. We do try and dry any of the flowers that will dry well so we can repurpose them for our FLORever line. *We donate flowers whenever possible. We are working on a program that would use perfectly loveable flowers (that have passed their peek) to send to people or organizations that need a little extra happy in their life. Flowers brighten a room and bring a sparkle to the eyes of many and we want to share this love. We are totally open to suggestions if you know someone whose day would be brightened by a room of flowers or an organization that would benefit from a beautiful arrangement, please reach out to us! And more recently, I have incorporated this into my personal life. I have become more aware of the way to sustain my life on this earth. I must take care of myself like I care for the flowers and use the practices in all aspects of my life. It’s fairly easy to do when you aren’t interested in consuming packaged foods and products, in general. It seems that if you value living a sustainable life, you are most likely leading a fairly waste-free existence. I have long made use of avoiding single-serving packaged products. I am more aware of the chemicals and ingredients in food. I will continue to learn and spread the message so the future generations to come will have a standard to follow. This, most importantly, starts in my family with my daughter, Olivia Flor, who is always watching and learning from me. I am not pretending to have all of the answers. The only legitimate way to start making a difference is to be the change that we wish to see. This requires action. Oli FLOR aims to take action aligned with the best possible practices and replicate what it means to be living in harmony with the surrounding environment. Please feel free to ask questions, challenge the ideas presented here, or share any other tips that you think would make the floral industry more sustainable!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I always look and move towards things that remind me of spring that bring me the most joy. And flowers have always been one of them. It wasn’t until 2008 that I finally decided to use my savings and take a floral design course that would truly change my direction. I was hooked. After the course, I sent my resume to many flower shops in the city, and landed my first job, sweeping the floors and doing a lot of prep work for events. (Read: washing and cleaning vases.) I would work for this shop after my full time day job usually on Thursday and Friday evenings and almost every weekend! Luckily, the florist I was working for really encouraged me to start learning the proper fundamentals of floral design and guided me so much when I was just starting out. I watched and tried to learn as much as possible. I have always had a strong attention to detail and a disciplined work ethic; I have an unwavering commitment to mastering this craft. There is so much to learn about the fundamentals and principles of floral designs. Trends are always changing but still keep in mind the basic principles in order to flourish. I have always been inspired by nature. The dandelion was my first favorite flower and little did I know until much later, that it’s actually a weed! Ironically, I love to use weeds and other end of life, foraged pieces in my arrangements. There is something beautiful about how something dies. Sometimes you can read the story of the flower just by looking at its after life; still life. If I really want to get my creative juices flowing, all I need to do is go outside for a walk and really take in my surroundings. I find inspiration in colors. I am amazed how the colors of a leaf can change depending on the season of their life. A leaf can go from flat and bright green to curled and all shades of tan and brown. I find beauty in both seasons. This is the same with flowers too. Most flowers fade as they die but I find as much beauty in a supple pink rose that fades to a crisp mocha bloom. What sets us apart from others is that we design with intention. We don’t just throw flowers into a vase, but each bloom is thoughtfully placed and each design tells a story that is unique to a client, brand or recipient. If you notice in our logo, the “R” in oli FLOR is outside of the box. We always create out the box designs with intention and meaning behind each arrangement.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are so many hidden gems in Miami. Being in the wedding industry, I have been fortunate enough to have visited many different venues- hotels, restaurants, gardens and beaches. I would definitely bring my best friend to Joia Beach, the new outside dining beach club and private beach. It’s like being in Tulum right here in Miami! I live and work in Wynwood, and when everything is open, there are numerous spots like 1-800-Lucky that I love to hit up for good asian food and upbeat -chill ambiance. Next, we would head over to el Patio for some dancing. I love reggaeton music! After a night out, the nexy day I would drive us down to Homestead for some nature exploring to visit the Historic Walton House, Isaac Farms and then lastly over to Schnebly’s winery for relaxing afternoon of sipping on their sweet wines. Lastly, on the way back, we would stop over at Virginia Key beach to watch the sunset!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d say all the past florist and designers I have worked for, with or alongside deserve recognition in my story and to the success of my career. All along the way, over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to work with florist and designers all across the United States. I have taken bits and pieces of knowledge from each and have applied them to my own business. Every one of the designers I have worked with have pushed me to really hone in on my craft and apply different principles and techniques and to never stop learning and trying new things.

Website: www.oliflor.com
Instagram: @oli.flor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oli.flor1
Other: tik tok: @oli..flor

Image Credits
@endlesssummerphoto