To celebrate our May Day season this year, The Floristry collaborated with artist Valeria Ganzman. Here we find out more about her work and wild-inspired life.

‘My biggest inspiration has been and always will be my grandmother,’ explains botanical artist Valeria. ‘It’s thanks to her that I do what I do. She was an actress and a dancer in the theatre, a lively and very special woman, she always pushed me to go in the direction of art.’

While studying photography, Valeria worked closely with her grandmother, ‘She let me photograph her and her body. I was very preoccupied with the woman’s body and femininity. She was always free with her body, was never ashamed of it. So, I photographed and painted her a lot.’

Today Valeria deals with the female body from various perspectives: the wear and tear; its sickness as well as sexuality, mortality and self-exploration. In 2017 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite the immense fear she was in, the disease aroused her curiosity. ‘There is something very beautiful and intriguing in sickness. The loss of my hair and the thought that I might lose my breast, made me wonder what femininity means.’

After her recovery Valeria took an interest in botanical art. ‘I realised that engaging in the body brings back a lot of difficult memories, so I was drawn to botanical painting. My grandmother brought me some plants for my porch during the period of my illness, and I would sit there, observing and researching them. I was still too weak to draw them at the time, but I imagined what I could create with their inspiration in mind once I recovered. Their presence was very healing. Since then my love for botanical painting has only grown.’

“I was drawn to botanical painting. My grandmother brought me some plants..and I would sit there, watching and researching”

To celebrate this season’s themes of spring flora, motherhood and the maternal, Valeria created a set of floral illustrations to adorn this season’s message cards. Each creation is delicate, expressive and so intimately connected to her sense of the wild, the female and the fragility of life.

‘Art is critical to me because it’s my life. It’s who I am. I can’t imagine ever not doing it. It’s my one true form of expression. And it’s through my art that my grandma remains with me.’

The Illustrations

Receive one of three illustrated message cards by Valeria with any order during our May Day season from April 16–May 18 2022.

Follow the artist @littlepurpleflowers.art