Carlos Santana, Def Leppard, Lorde and Cyndi Lauper are just some of the famous musicians Maryanne Bilham-Knight has photographed in more than 30 years working internationally in the visual arts industry, now she has decided to utilise those creative skills by studying floristry at Open Polytechnic.
When the COVID-19 restrictions hit, she decided to “pivot to a new skill set” from her Auckland-base in 2022 and started studying towards the NZ Certificate in Floristry.
“Studying online seemed like the most sensible alternative due to the lockdowns and flexibility of my own study programme,” says Maryannes. “Polytechnic courses like this one are industry accredited, which was another factor in deciding to study.”
Maryanne loves the flexibility of Open Polytechnic, which enables her to balance her study schedule around her photography business.
Maryanne returned to New Zealand with her husband Robert in 2020, after living in the United States for many years as a professional photographer. “During this passage of time I reconnected with the natural beauty of Aotearoa,” Maryanne says.
As the prospects of future projects in the US waned, Maryanne and her husband decided to refocus their goals and remain in Auckland.
“Unable to travel, I turned my focus. I have spent much of my time in America photographing iconic musicians, I now see flowers as the divas of the floral stage,” Maryanne says.
It’s this appreciation that piqued her interest in flowers and inspirational floral images created by Robert Mapplethorpe, Joyce Tennyson and Irving Penn. “The ephemeral, sensual, spiritual and captivating flower,” she says. “A personal transition into flowers for me also required a full immersion into the techniques and foundations of floristry, including the elements and principles of design, colour theory plus a deeper understanding of botany, and horticulture.”
With this knowledge base, which stems from her floral studies at Open Polytechnic, Maryanne is excited to develop her own style and niche as a floral stylist and visual artist.
The transition into floristry was also helped by Maryanne’s love of flowers and gardens from a young age. She grew up in Devonport, near Auckland, where her family enjoyed gardening.
“Our father had vegetable gardens and flower beds, perfectly manicured lawns and hedges, all very English,” she says. “Both my nana and mother had a love of roses and cultivated beautiful blooms, so I always had an appreciation for flowers.”
Maryanne, who recently completed NZ Certificate in Floristry (Level 2) and is now completing Level 3, has learnt plenty of floristry skills through Open Polytechnic. According to Maryanne, floristry is a hands-on skillset, and she has learned techniques like how to spiral, medium base designs, bouquet making, installations and wedding florals.
She also enjoys the feedback and practical approach of her tutors, which she finds helpful, with the programme being delivered online. “Because it’s online, this means you actively need to be practicing and creating alongside it.”
Maryanne supplements her study with the required workplace hours, as well as working part-time in the industry.
“Both my part-time practicum placement positions were with florists who embraced sustainable practices, one in their retail operation, the other by having their own biodiverse flower farm and working in the wedding and event industries,” Maryanne says.
Maryanne is currently also working as a freelance floral stylist and is creating an online platform called Flora Sanctum to promote her creative skills around floristry, including limited edition prints and merchandise. “The programme has helped me network into all aspects of the industry, from florists to the flower markets, flower farmers, collectives and wholesale floral supplies,” she says.
The move towards an era of using sustainable practices where possible and sourcing from local flower farms is very exciting for Maryanne, who is based in Whangaparāoa.
Through her time working in the floristry industry, Maryanne is noticing more people buying locally grown flowers and choosing more environmentally friendly solutions for their weddings and events.
“Even in New Zealand there are more local flower farms and people that are embracing and using sustainable practices like cutting back on plastics and the use of floral foam,” she says. “I look forward to embracing these practices in my own work.”
Studying online seemed like the most sensible alternative due to the lockdowns and flexibility of my own study programme.