02/28/2026
Participating in NYBG's Orchid Dinner was amazing for many reasons. I got to pay homage to my home, exercise creative freedom and meet a design challenge, and celebrate what makes New York so amazing- its diversity, resilience & vibrance.
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My immediate first thought was to emulate the cityscape; plexiglass has a really unique way of reflecting light & can have sharper edges than glass sometimes, so i had custom columns made.
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's Orchid Show theme is "Concrete Jungle," emulated here with a variety of tropical flowers, orchids growing out of their containers and stems that are bent, much like sometimes us New Yorkers can be.
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But in response- art! The art of floristry, graffiti, which has been part of New York forever, and the art of self-expression. The second detail I knew would be incorporated was a graffiti style "NYC," which I asked my brother, an FDNY member, to draw for this. When work exposed him to unhealthy extremes, he started drawing graffiti. The creative practice helped him through (and still does.)
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As with my brother looking after his mental health, I'm proud of this city's complexity and ability to always continue blooming.
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This one meant a lot to me. Thanks for witnessing the ride.
✌🏻🗽♥️🌹💐