Floral artist Julia Rose, from Australia, aims to inspire at Portland Spring Home and Garden Show
The headliner at this year’s Portland Spring Home and Garden Show isn’t a builder, a remodeler, or a designer. At least not a home designer.
But she will turn heads.
Julia Rose is a floral artist and is bringing her petal-driven style all the way from Tweed Shire, Australia.
Rose’s passion was born out of a dire circumstance. She was diagnosed with chemical hypersensitivity a few years ago and had to live an isolating life. “I was the bubble girl, in a tiny house with sterile floor,” she said. When she was finally well enough to leave the house, she went with an Epipen.
Rose had been a florist, and did theater, art and live performances. But after her illness, she started creating for her own joy and began making floral couture. She started doing runway and fashion shows and large-scale installations and was able to work and her health improved.
She decided that she needed a more natural life and so she moved to a farm in Tweed Shire. “That’s when things took off,” she said.
Her images went viral all over the world and she ended up on TV shows and magazine covers. She opened big events. “It all evolved from creating for myself and creating what brought me joy,” she said. “People see my work and they feel the emotion.”
Rose will be bringing that creative passion and emotion to the Portland Spring Home and Garden Show with interactive displays as well as hands-on learning opportunities.
Flower Crowns and Beards: Materials will be provided to create your own floral crown and beard. Rose will provide a demonstration and coaching for participants in this one-hour session. Space is limited and cost is $45. Times: 11 a.m. Thursday, February 22; Saturday, February 24; and Sunday, February 25. To purchase tickets
Large Floral Headpiece: Unleash creativity and push boundaries and dive into larger-than-life couture and create a wearable floral headpiece with vibrant foliage and flowers. This workshop runs about two hours and participants will be provided with fresh flowers and foliage, ribbons, scissors, wires, accessories and all the tools needed to bring a masterpiece to life. Space is limited and cost is $95. Time: 11 a.m. Friday, February 23. To purchase tickets
In addition to the workshops, a floral army will create three interactive spaces for guests of the show to experience: a floral maze will allow guests to wander through a visual and olfactory experience; a floral tunnel will allow guests to be completely surrounded be sights and smells; and a garden space will be provided for participants of the three floral classes to take selfies.
The Portland Spring Home and Garden Show is the official show of the Home Building Association of Greater Portland and runs February 22 through 25. Tickets are $15 for single day and $25 for two days. The event is at the Portland Expo Center, 2060 Marine Dr. W. in Portland, Oregon.
Make sure to stop by the Oregon Association of Nurseries booth to pick up your copy of the new Plant Something Oregon Road Map, which lists retail garden centers, specialty nurseries, public gardens and landscape service providers throughout the state.