When Moore resident Courtney Davis’s therapist recommended she look for a fulfilling hobby to help control her anxiety, she began with a flower garden.
Not long after, she saw a candle decorated with pressed flowers on Pinterest. That gave rise to the idea of pressing and preserving the flowers she was growing in her garden.
Eventually, the hobby snowballed, and today, pressed flowers—from her garden, roadsides and other venues—form the basis of both her vocation and avocation. And yes, she finds the work therapeutic.
Courtney, who considers herself “crafty” and is self-taught, made her first sale in July 2022.
Consultations form an important part of her pressed flower business.
“I have a consult with the client to envision what they want and also set expectations on what can be done with flowers. In the end, we find a way to encompass their idea with pressed flowers,” she says.
Courtney also offers wedding bouquet preservation, a process that begins by pressing flowers in a traditional flower press for two to three weeks, then reconstituting the flowers that had been taken apart for pressing. Lastly, she places the reconstructed flowers between two pieces of glass and places a frame around it.
Courtney has gained 18,000 followers on Instagram and her top reel has 2.1 million views. At in-person markets, she says, “most people stop and look, even if they aren't purchasing. They can't believe that the art is made of flowers. They also enjoy talking with me about my process.”
For those who want to take a deeper dive into the art form, Courtney offers “Learn How to Press Flowers” and flower art classes.
Learn more and sign up for classes at BigBloomEnergy.com, on Instagram @big.bloom.energy and on Facebook at Big Bloom Energy. She also participates in in-person markets in the metro; follow Courtney on social media for dates and times.
Courtney has gained 18,000 followers on Instagram and her top reel has 2.1 million views.