Saturday, March 27. 2010
ok - so, the set is coming together, sourcing of products is almost complete and now Kris Kratt AIFD and I (Bill Schaffer AIFD) are going to put the whole thing together all by ourselves...NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE CALL GOES OUT!!! E-mails, Facebook Messages, Phone Calls...so many people disappointed that they couldn't make it - BUT - We hit the Jackpot!!! I can't believe we had such an amazing group of local designers and others trek cross-country to get to play in Philadelphia. I have loved everyone who has ever come to help us and experience the Philadelphia Flower Show...but...something about this year - clicked, jelled, just plain ole' came together. What an amazing group of people! The first part of our journey took place on January 31, 2010 in the studio of Beautiful Blooms where I am the Design and Studio Director. An entire team formed to put together almost 500 bunches of white birch branch - ranging in sizes from 3'-4' and 10'-15'. From 8am to almost 7pm this group kicked A**!!! I thought it was going to take 2 full days but they worked non-stop to get it all finished. Day II was a MAJOR SUCCESS!!! Completion of the Stalagtite and Stalagmite structures and the Hand-tying of over 500 painted-white, lightweight natural fiber sticks designed into a floor armature that will hold hundreds of White Calla lilies woven through it and accented with icy, crystalline forms made from plumosa.
POLAR FANTASY is HOT!!!! Time to pack it and wait for move-in day.
DAY I & II - (Top Row L-R) Andrew Schaffer, Anthony Antrilli, Amanda Wynne, Kristie Lynn Borchick, Alfred Price, Amanda Schaffer, Shannon Toal, Mary Hamilton, Adelaide Linn, David Hamilton, (Bottom Row L-R) Amanda Wynne, Kristine Kratt AIFD, Marjorie Elzey, Renee Lombardo Tucci
...live, love, laugh as life goes on and the clock to the Philadelphia International Flower Show continues to countdown. So, Kris Kratt AIFD and myself (Bill Schaffer AIFD) have designed it all out and are ready to go. We can't wait to see the art piece being dead hung from the roof of the PA Convention Center. This piece is going to have REAL flowers frozen in REAL ice blocks brought in every morning as they spend the day melting and "WOW-ing" the crowds. STOP!!! A Hiccup, a glitch, an uh-oh!!! (well, that never happens). I find out that the company scheduled to do this has backed out and I can't find anyone else to do it!!!
I am ready to give up on this whole concept - it is the second week of January and we have 6 weeks to go before move-in. Schaffer Designs 4-year award-winning Flower Show Set designer, Chris Kainenberg from Wish Painting & Sculpture tells me to wait - he says - 'just give me 3 days to come up with a solution.' He - as well as all of us - loved the idea we had come up with and wanted to see it happen. So...holding my breath with Chris - I had a designers meeting at my place and during that meeting we agreed that if the "ICE POND" had to die we would revive it with an inspiration from Superman's Fortress of Solitude. I was resigned to go ahead with the new plan when Chris had a major EUREKA moment!!!! What an amazing idea he had to save the ICE POND - WOW!!! It was the hottest talk of the Exhibit!!! Not only did it work but I know it became better than the original plan - and!!! - the Fortress of Solitude also took shape as a background to the "Ice Blocks" hanging above the "Ice Pond". So - like the saying goes "If you get a lemon - make lemonade" WELL WE MADE FROZEN LEMONADE.
OK - a little secret - the ICE BLOCKS were found online as fish tanks that were dipped in liquid acrylic (over and over) and allowed to dry with that amazing frosted and dripping effect. The pond above the installation was a 2" acrylic pond with water being snuck up the front leg by a heavy duty pump hidden in the water below. Chris sourced those original Ice-Tongs and dipped the entire piece and accessories in a white resin for that frozen finish. My favorite part of the Exhibit were the hundred or so pin-holes drilled into the acrylic to give that all-day melting and dripping effect that the Flower Show crowds ooohed and ahhhed over...and even better than that was that the Holland Open Cut Calla Lillies that were designed inside the fish tanks never had to be replaced. The dripping water continuously fed fresh water back into the pieces and they lasted 10 full days submerged in the water-filled tanks!!!!
until next time...
Bill
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Comments
Wed, 16.03.2011 08:03
Hi, we're doing a play in the middle school here in Northfi eld, NJ and I want to emulate the wonderful backdrop y [...]
Thu, 03.03.2011 10:32
Sat, 10.04.2010 11:33
I love this one! He's my favor ite
Sat, 27.03.2010 12:08
WOW WOW WOW! I was raised in the back of my families floris t and I really didn't enjoy th e industry. Fast forwar [...]
Sat, 13.03.2010 10:15
Awesome photo! This turned ou t fantastic. Can't wait to se e more.