Makers Making | Emmy Gran floral design at Island Bounty, Fri. Sept 30

||| FROM MARCY MONTGOMERY for SAN JUAN MAKERS GUILD |||

Floral design and sculpture are an art form on display at the upcoming Island Bounty event at the Orcas Center. One of the featured exhibitors is Emmy Gran, a Farmer-Florist growing flowers beside the Salish Sea and her art form combines the shapes, colors and textures of island cottage gardens with wild nature. “The insects, the birds, the small mammals all find refuge in my garden. I don’t use chemicals, I don’t till the soil deeply and I only use natural amendments found nearby like leaves and seaweed.” Emmy’s approach to farming and her floral arrangements often have a hand-picked, personal feel as if just brought in from the garden for a special guest. 

For the Island Bounty exhibit, Emmy is working with dried flowers to create a hanging sculptural piece with billowing forms, much like the clouds moving up the sounds on the island. She will also be demonstrating floral arranging with hands-on materials, 5-6 p.m.  

Fabled Flora is Emmy’s floral design company and seasonal flower arranging classes are offered, most recently at the Orcas Island Winery. Her arrangements and wreaths can be found at Lum Farm and Rising Oak Farm Stands and during special pop-ups. Visit FabledFlora.com to learn more. 

Island Bounty opens with a pop-up dinner and party on Friday, September 30, at the Orcas Center, 4-7 p.m. This free event is a launch for the annual Farm Tours on Orcas, Oct 1-2. The Island Bounty exhibit runs through November 15 and features over 40 artists and artisans of art, crafts and food that use island ingredients or are inspired by our agricultural landscapes. 

Island Bounty information is online at https://sanjuanmakersguild.com/island-bounty-exhibit-and-dinner/ and the optional pop-up dinner can be ordered at https://islandbounty.eventbrite.com .