Major exhibition time for Myerscough floristry students

A week-long event saw exhibitions, installations and displays at a number of venues, including Blackburn Mall, Marriott Hotel Preston, The Chapel Ormskirk and Blackburne House Group in Liverpool.

Students were on hand to talk to the public about the meaning of their floral art pieces, and the inspirations behind them.

Among the themes incorporated into some of the designs were colour and emotions on how they make you feel; highlighting men’s mental health the #itsokaynottobeokay message, showcasing that men feel the pressure too; a Banksy inspired light and dark theme; and a design that highlighted gender equality and pay gaps for women.

Here are a selection of the designs:

Zetia Dennis was one student exhibiting her work, entitled ‘Let Equality Bloom’.

She said: ‘’My design is inspired by equality for women in the workplace. I wanted to create more awareness of the issue, and based my design on research. This is a subject I am passionate about, and I was shocked by some of the statistics I found.

‘’I was also inspired by June Henfrey, who was the first woman to win a scholarship to Oxford. She was an advocate of women’s rights and the venue seemed a perfect choice in which to display my design.’’

Heidi Forster’s installation was called ‘Save All Men’.

She said: ‘’As a young women, I feel it is my duty to raise awareness and to remind men who are suffering (with their mental health), that there is always an ear to listen.

‘’I have created my art to tackle these taboos head on and highlight this undiscussed crisis, after I lost my own father to suicide when I was ten-years-old.

‘’My main source of inspiration is the men in my life. My step-dad, my partner and my male friends. While for artistic inspiration, from artists such as Maurice Harris, Zita Elze and Rebecca Louise Law.’’

Student, Sarah Bowker, said: ‘’My art aimed to be an experience, rather than just something pretty to look at.

‘’It’s important for me to push boundaries and try new skills and techniques that you wouldn’t usually associate with typical floristry.

‘’I wanted to highlight new chapters. The artwork was also created using sustainable methods, with fresh materials added to a copper structure to create a clash of a natural and polished affect.’’

To browse the full range of floral design study programmes available at Myerscough College and University Centre, click here