Meet Helina Zewdu | Flower preservation Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Helina Zewdu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Helina, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have been preserving flowers for myself since the fourth grade. I always found myself pressing wildflowers between pages of a book or drying flowers from a loved ones funeral and keeping them in a box. I have always felt flowers hold more than just beauty. They represent significant moments in our lives that sometimes pictures just can’t fully capture. You can always take a photo of the flowers at your wedding, but to still hold them and show them to your children many years later, I believe that is magical. We measure our lives through these large moments in time, in memories that brought us unbelievable joy or even sorrow. It is an honor to preserve a piece of a person’s significant day. This is why I started For.Ever Blooming. I wanted to be able to give my clients a unique piece of art showcasing their own memories. I believe it is the best of both worlds.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Floral preservation has been around for centuries, but Modern Floral preservation in resin is a newer industry. There are not many artists who can work with resin, successfully. It is a medium that takes a lot trial and error and patience. On top of that, its not cheap. I would not say resin is easy, it differently has its challenges. You must wear protective gear to mix resin, ventilator mask, gloves etc, and work in well ventilated areas. My passion and love for the art has encouraged me to adapt and be creative with where I can pour resin. I have learned patience though this form of art, resin is not something you can or want to rush. I have learned about the value of the hard work I put into each piece of art. It really is an act of love. If someone creates something for you in resin, know that it wasn’t easy. Everything with resin has to be intentional, precise and accurate. You only have a small window before resin cures and a lot of prep goes into each floral preservation.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If you were visiting me in Denver I would plan all of the fun actives for us. We would make sure to go to 54Thirty, a rooftop bar in downtown Denver for a meal and happy hour. You have to see the Denver skyline before you go. We would make sure to catch a Rockies home game too. I would plan an early morning hike near Red Rocks so we could watch the sun rise on the rocks. It’s beautiful and no picture can really do it justice. I personally don’t think a Denver summer is complete without music and wine in a park so we would have to find a perfect spot at Jazz in the park or Vibes in the park in City park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could create art all day by myself but I would have not thought to start my business if it wasn’t for my friends. Mayra helped me come up with the name of my business because she said, ” I’m so proud of you, you’re forever blooming”. In that instant, we both knew, that would be the name of my business. Lluvia has shown me to promote myself and be confident in my art. My boyfriend Jay helps me push through imposter syndrome and reminds me I do belong in this entrepreneur world. My family has encouraged me to keep going, they help pick up any pieces I might have missed. I started taking classes through Rocky Mountain Finance Institute and I have learned invaluable information on how to run a successful business.
I am beyond grateful for my people and clients who have trusted me with their flowers.

Website: www.4everblooming.org

Instagram: For.everblooming_