Dominique Pfahl
After many years of creating floral designs and environments at my San Francisco store, Floréal, I began the process of closing shop and shifting gears. I have often regretted the ephemeral nature of working with fresh flowers, and as I started digging through my extensive collection of dried flowers and foliage, I began collages that I thought of as my mother’s imaginary gardens. The years spent using fresh flowers as sculptural elements have trained my eye to compose these collaged details from art history and natural history. The combined elements become something both steeped in the past and full of surprises. I suppose it could be described as surreal imagery.
What is your first memory of creating?
I remember making toy puppets with twine that I soaked in water to form my desired shape. My all-time favorite was a cartoon character, a little dog named Pollux, from Le Manège enchanté. It became a best-seller among friends and family. I was 11 at the time.
What is your relationship to your medium? What draws you to it?
My love of nature, particularly flowers, has always been a driving force. Being a professional floral designer for over 40 years stimulated my attraction to this medium. I also love that I can immerse myself in the decoupage process, concentrating so deeply that I forget everything around me; it’s almost like an out-of-body experience, where I enter another dimension.
What is the main thing you hope your audience takes away from your art?
When I look at a finished piece, the combined harmony of the colors and shapes gives me a great sense of happiness. It reflects the overall feeling I have when I create, and I hope to convey this sentiment to my audience.
Tell us about a challenge you overcame last year.
Last year, I deeply felt the loss of my oldest sister, and for a while, it was hard for me to regain a positive creative flow. But then I thought about making a piece using my memories of her, which became a tribute to her and her life. Working on it for a few months brought me inner peace and allowed me to move on.
What is your main goal or resolution this year in terms of your art practice?
I hope to continue sharing my passion for nature through my compositions.
