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Kirsblooms - Artisans of Oakville

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Introducing Kirsblooms - the creative journey of Kirsten Gosling. This endeavour began in the early months of the pandemic when Kirsten took her morning walks by the lake and along the trails in the beauty of springtime in Oakville.

Observing the blooms and the beginnings of new plant life along these paths, she felt saddened knowing that so many of our grandmothers, mothers and elders were missing the delight of the fresh scent of spring growth due to lockdowns and quarantining.

Many seniors grew up familiar with the names of each flower, the herbal benefits and traditional meanings; sadly, it was a spring when this knowledge would not be passed down.

Kirsblooms
Kirsblooms

During one of these walks, the idea of pressing and drying petals and leaves and then gifting them was born as a means to commemorate the times.

With both of her jobs furloughed due to the pandemic, she used her free hours researching flowers and preservation techniques. Enlisting the help of her daughters, she planted her own garden, supported local florists by buying the flowers which she couldn't grow, and then began the lengthy process of plucking and pressing the blooms in preparation for framing.

When it comes to framing, Kirsten consciously chooses to re-purpose. She uses donated frames, scours thrift stores, and learned to repair, repaint and refurbish. She intends to be environmentally friendly, re-using and locally sourcing the frames and glass.

The results are exquisite - the petals artfully arranged, creating patterns of unexpected colour and form. Her first foray into selling her creations was a small exhibition in her garden, donating a portion of the proceeds to Acclaim Health Oakville for Dementia support.

Kirsten describes this past year as a beautiful journey and considers “artistry” a word that we cannot possibly jump into but requires lifelong practice. For her, artistry requires time, learning, and making mistakes to be bold enough to claim for herself the title artist.

You can see much of the fruits of Kirsten’s labour on her Instagram feed @kirsblooms or her site www.kirsblooms.com.