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Bouquets for Johnny Depp and Harrison Ford

Interview with Dominique Houle

Describe what you do.

I think flowers and I have the same DNA! Floral designer for nearly 20 years, I am in constant motion. I have just obtained my EMC (European Master Certification) diploma in Belgium, awarded at the end of a European program for floristry professionals based on the EMC elements and principles of design.

I have owned a flower store in Knowlton for eleven wonderful years during which time serving my customers has been a real joy, an honor. Not a single morning, rain or shine, that I would have stayed home. Then, life took me elsewhere and I left to develop my creativity. I did an internship in France, worked in Los Angeles, Toronto and Montreal…

What a joy for me to see my creations presented on several websites or published in floral art and wedding magazines, in Italy, France, England, Singapore as well as in Montreal and Toronto! One of my works is reproduced in the October issue of the prestigious magazine Nacre, the trendy magazine of floral art. Several projects are lined up for next spring, including workshops, including one in New York, and prints.

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What do you like most about your job?

My favorite part of my job is the challenge, the complexity of some of the mandates. All the mandates that are entrusted to me – premieres, weddings, private parties or other – are treated with great respect. Nothing is neglected, every detail is important. During large events, the degree of complexity is very high. For example at the 2016 Ghent Floralies in Belgium, my mentor, Tomas De Bruyne, had to enlist the services of engineers to find the safest solution to hang a floral construction that weighed more than a ton and was more than 15 meters in diameter.
I love to create something for my own pleasure with what I find in the garden or in the woods. Doing something with almost nothing. I love all the historical, geographical, climatic, architectural and artistic aspects of research when it comes to creating a living sculpture for an event.

What is your proudest achievement?

In 2015, I was asked by the Museum Ball Committee of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts to create the floral ambiance for their fundraising event. Under the artistic direction of Lysanne Pepin, a dozen rooms were decorated not only with flowers but also with accessories, antiques, lights, plants, orchids… There was a different theme in each room; several works of art by great masters were projected on the walls and huge sculptures and artworks by Quebec artists were hung above the tables. Between modernity and fable, we have succeeded in creating a visual impact out of the ordinary. The experience was incredible!


A memorable event?

The 2015 Museum Ball. The challenge was enormous but very satisfying! The weddings of actors Chantal Fontaine, at Hovey Manorand Frédérick De Grandpré, atWest Brome Inn and Spaby Charles Ohayon, former president of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, in Montreal, as well as the creation of several bouquets for Céline Dion, Forest Whitecker, Johnny Depp, Harrison Ford during my stay in Los Angeles are all joyful and memorable events.

A person who has greatly influenced or helped you?

An influence in my life? My mother, who was a milliner, worked hard every day because she loved her job. She taught me to be rigorous in my work and to respect the client. She made the most beautiful hats for our great actresses, for example Andrée Lachapelle and many others.

What is your current hobby or project?

I have another passion. Writing. I have a screenplay in progress and a novel that is almost finished. I have to say that the CME course and the events, the weddings took all my time this last year. Now that winter is just around the corner, I plan to get back into it as soon as possible.

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The services you offer?
I offer all florist services, i.e. special orders, birthday bouquets, centerpieces, floral arrangements for funeral services, banquets, fundraisers, photo shoots, commercials, film shoots, prints, etc. My creations for events, weddings and special orders can be delivered in Montreal and anywhere in the Eastern Townships.

I also enjoy giving classes, whether private or group, where students develop their creative potential. The workshops are held twice a year. They are aimed at both beginners and professionals. Hours of pure happiness during which participants discover new techniques in an atmosphere of fun and laughter!

Dominique Houle, EMC floral creations
Phone. : 450 295-2887 / 514 233-6886
Website: www.dominiquehoule.com
Email: info.dhoule@gmail.com
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