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AIFD's 2008 national symposium a success |
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Written by American Institute of Floral Designers
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 Over 1,100 floral design artists from around the world gathered together in Chicago in early July to celebrate “Collaboration”, the 2008 National Symposium of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD).
With representatives from nearly 20 countries including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, Columbia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, England, Scotland, Greece, Holland, Belgium, Singapore and Taiwan, the AIFD Symposium was an action-packed educational extravaganza that featured 13 design education stage presentations, six grand special event meals with abundant floral decor and a multitude of other spectacular events.
“This year’s Symposium was absolutely outstanding,” exclaimed AIFD’s new President Walter Fedyshyn AIFD of Chicago. “Every creative presentation opened the mind to new ideas and stimulated the creatively of those sat in awe in the audience.”
AIFD’s Chicago event kicked-off with the Institute’s annual Accreditation Evaluation Session in which 145 florists attempted to demonstrate their design capabilities in an effort to achieve the coveted status as an Accredited Member of AIFD. The candidates were each required to make five designs in four hours. Their work was then evaluated by a panel of seven AIFD members who consider such critical criteria as creativity, mechanics, elements of design, use of floral product and more. Results of the evaluations will be announced in mid-August.
Then it was on to the future of AIFD and the floral industry as student designers from nearly a dozen universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada competed in the annual AIFD Student Design Competition. Their creative works became the focus of the Symposium’s opening welcome reception as they were placed on display for all Symposium attendees to see and vote for their favorite designs.
Exciting as the initial events were, they were only the preliminaries to the spectacular final four days that would include the fabulous stage presentations and meal events of Symposium.
Launching the celebration was AIFD’s annual Partners Reception in which industry representatives from nearly 50 companies displayed their latest products and services. AIFD Industry Partners support the work of AIFD in advancing the art of professional floral design through their membership and contributions to Symposium. AIFD displays a list of these businesses on its Web site.
Then the curtains opened and the educational presentations began with such dynamic presentations as “Chinese Design – Past, Present and Future” featuring Pete Samek AIFD of Naperville, Ill.; “From the Farm to Floral Art” featuring Laurie Lemek AIFD of Franklin Park, Ill. and Bobbi Ecker Blatchford AIFD of Chicago in a program underwritten by Everflora; “For Your Eyes Only” featuring Sarah Horne AIFD of the United Kingdom in a program underwritten by Accent Decor; “Corroboree - Beyond Dreaming” featuring Richard Go AIFD and Gail Anderson of Australia in a program underwritten by the AIFD Education Foundation; and “Traditional Culture Contemporary Beauty” featuring Yutaka Jimbo AIFD of Japan.
On the evening of the first full day of education, AIFD presented its annual Awards and Membership Induction Dinner in which 43 floral design artists were inducted into membership and four distinguished awards were presented. With floral product provided by Mayesh Wholesale and linens provided by BBJ Linen, the night’s decor was coordinate and designed by John Hosek AIFD of East Lansing, MI.
The luncheon program of the first day of Symposium was presented by the Society of American Florists and Professional Floral Commentators International. “Professional Lifesaving Lession” featured the creative designs of Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD of Phoenix, Ariz., Deborah De La Flor AIFD of Cooper City, Fla., Jerome Raska AIFD of Detroit, Mich., and Tina Stoecker AIFD of Melbourne, Fla.
Day two of the AIFD Symposium education presentations featured five stunning programs as well as the “Are You Indispensable?” luncheon presented by Kate Penn, editor of SAF’s Floral Management magazine and a salute to the scholarship work of the AIFD Education Foundation.
Programs presented included “Celebrating the Wonderful World of European Cut Flowers” featuring Pascal Koeleman and Miranda ter Voorde of Holland as underwritten by the Flower Council of Holland and the European Union; “River Run” featuring Ann Jordan of Naples, Maine in a program underwritten by FTD; “Man-Made Marvels – the Evolution of Form” featuring David Marstellar AIFD of Des Moines, Iowa; “Interwoven...Art Naturally” featuring James Lutke and Alice Waterous AIFD of Grand Haven, Mich.; and “Found in Flanders: Form, Flowers, Fashion” featuring Ivan Poelman of Belgium as underwritten by Flowers & magazine and Editor Floris Bookshop.
On the final day of it’s 2008 Symposium, AIFD offered three more dynamic education presentations as well as a business-oriented workshop presented by SAF and a look at the process it takes to achieve AIFD Accredited Membership. The programs that were offered included “With this Ring – Inspired Ceremony Decor” featuring Howard Silver AIFD of Chicago; “Encore - Inspiration for the Senses” featuring Tim Farrell AIFD of Drexel Hill, Pa. in a program underwritten by Teleflora; and the grand finale “Boy Meets Girl: A Wedding Collaboration” in which seven magnificent male designers presented their views and styled designed to make any wedding a wow. Featured designers included Scott Acevedo AIFD of Tustin, Calif.; Steven Brickner AIFD of Chestertown, Ind.; BJ Dyer AIFD of Denver, Colo.; Robert Koene of Greece; Bill Murphy AIFD of York, Pa.; Eddie Payne AIFD of Dade City, Fla.; and Jon Robert Throne AIFD of Bellevue, Wash.
To wrap up its grand symposium, AIFD celebrated in glorious style as Anthony Vigiotta AIFD of Los Angeles masterfully incorporated product supplied by Acolyte to decorate Chicago Hilton’s International Ballroom “to the nines” for the “luce moderna” dinner.
For those who missed the AIFD National Symposium, DVDs of the various program are available to order at www.aifd.org.
AIFD also has announced plans for its 2009 Symposium, “The Sky’s the Limit”, which will take place in Kansas City, Mo., July 11-16.
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