AMERICAN FLOWERS WEEK 2023
APRIL LEMLY
The 2023 American Flowers Week artwork was created exclusively for Slow Flowers Society by April Lemly, an artist, illustrator, and former flower farmer based in Los Angeles, California.
APRIL IS A LONG-TIME FRIEND OF THE SLOW Flowers Movement who previously owned and operated Kamama Flowers in Sequim, Washington. AFW: April, can you describe yourself as an artist? AL: At my core, I'm a creative and I've had the luck to fall in love with many different mediums. And when I fell in love with working with flowers, I was able to say, "Oh, flowers are just another medium for my art." AFW: Describe your path to becoming an artist. AL: I had been making art since I was a child. I wanted to be a teacher, so my bachelor's degree had an emphasis on teaching art to elementary-aged children. But I knew I wanted to pursue a master's degree and earned an MFA in graphic design in 2008 at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. AFW: We love your style! What inspires you? AL: I've always been a 'nature child' at heart. I love animals. I love wilderness. Flora and fauna are my muses. They all show up in my work. As long as I keep creating work that I am really passionate about, the joy shows up. I love bold color, yes, and I'm pretty free with it in personal projects. Of course, when I'm working with a client's branded palette, the project scope always drives the design.
40 SUMMER 2023
