Meet Kerry Laing | Floral artist

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

Hi Kerry, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Flowers and foliage have always been an interest of mine. Growing up in Florida where almost anything grows, my back yard was typically lush with gardenias, plumeria, and orchids. I’ve often enjoyed dabbling in various artistic mediums and come from a very “artsy” family; my mother and aunt design jewelry and my cousin is a potter. The idea for Victor & Vines came to me early summer of 2019. I was living in Chicago at the time, and attended the Midsommar street fest in Andersonville. I was intrigued by the people sporting flower crowns and was determined to try my hand at making one. Ready with supplies, I went to a friend’s house and proceed to make multiple crowns on his living room floor for us to wear to the festival. At the fest, we were stopped by various people asking where we got the crowns and how they could purchase one. That’s when I realized, this could be something. I made my first sale that day, a special order for a group of women going to a Dead Head show. After that, V&V evolved, my technique improved, and things seemed to move quickly from there. I started to take advantage of any chance I had to make a flower crown for a friend or an event.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I design and make wearable floral art, from necklaces to crowns, rings to earrings. I enjoy sourcing materials from various sustainable sources, locally foraged, area florists, or grown myself in my garden. One of my favorite things to do is to go on a hike and design a piece from what I find on the side of the trail. I pride myself on being able to create something beautiful out of overlooked or a-typical resources and making pieces that truly reflect the area in which they were created. I have experienced criticism along the way, judged for the cliché nature of flower crowns. I’ve tried to set myself apart from the “hippie-dippie” reputation by making floral pieces beyond crowns, such as neckpieces and bracelets which continue to display the artistic floral nature I aim for. My goal is to create wearable floral art that bring people joy and make them feel beautiful.

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?
I love visitors! I’d start with brunch at Fox Run on Colfax, followed by a bike ride down Cherry Creek Trail to Confluence Park. Maybe some Tubing or kayaking in the Platte River. Lunch at Ohanas, tuna Poke for the win, and shopping at the Perfect Petal in Highlands. Grab a drink at Joyride in Edgewater, and walk around Sloane’s Lake. Final nightcap at Hudson Hill and some star gazing near Evergreen.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shout out to yoga instructor JQ Williams who invited V&V to participate in its first event, a roof top yoga rave. I also want to recognize Brenden Mathews, the photographer who allowed me to collaborate with him on so many projects. He continues to inspire and challenge me every time we team up. To all my friends who have been strong armed into modeling for me, thank you for your continued support and encouragement. And to DUG (Denver Urban Gardens) thank you for your education and gardening experience that allowed me to grow and use so many flowers.

Instagram: @victorandvines

Other: victorandvines@gmail.com

Image Credits
Photographer Brenden Matthews Models Charlotte Ohlin, Meghan Schirmang, Kate Rizzo