We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful DAVID GARCIA. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with DAVID below.
DAVID, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
While in my early 20’s working retail home furnishings, I had much free time to explore my artistic backround. I had always had a keen interest in the arts from Artists such as Frida Khalo, Edward Gorey, Salvador Dali. I began at a young age developing my own signature style of freeform line work using paint pens. I was facinated by the challenge of utilizing unconventional materials as my canvas. I found myself using scrap wood, dolls, book spines, bags, dried foliage.
When I moved into my early college years, I put aside the pens and focused on what I wanted to pursue which at the time was film. I ventured to California and took summer courses which quickly made me realize it takes a very thick skinned and ambitious person to follow the career path. This led me to take a pause on my education and step into the retail world where I found myself drawn to the visual merchandising and customer service experience. While working for big box furniture stores, i was able to learn the craft of merchandising.
One day there was a store mannequin that was being discarded for a slight crack and I asked management if I could take it home. I had an idea. Never had I ever explored putting a pen to the human form. I was obsessed. I found a new passion of collecting mannequin parts and creating this almost tribal pattern, each different from the next.
While entertaining myself with my new found hobby and craft, I took a position with a high end floral design firm. It was here where I leaned what is my current design focus, Florals. The company I worked for at the time embraced my creative eye and gave me liberties to incorporate my signature art into the arrangements. One of my biggest accomplishments at the time was being able to design weekly floral rotations for the Hard Rock Hotel. The assignment was to switch it up each week with next creative showstopping floral creations. Once again I found myself picking up the paint markers and actually painting flowers.
Fast forward to a few years later, I had the opportunity of opening up my own floral design firm. When it came to deciding on a name, I wanted something BOLD. Every shop at the time was using words like “petals” or “blooms” in their company names. It made sense, it was the medium of choice and what people searched when looking to order flowers. But for me, it didnt make sense to state the obvious. I wanted to have a name with strength. I thought back on my journey as an artist, and what I realized was I had already made a name for myself. My “statues” were my muse. My “designs” were my product. Statues are built to honor or memorialize important moments of time. It was here when it clicked that the weddings and events that I would be producing would be the most important moments in my clients life, and I got a chance to be a part of them. Statue of Design was born.
Funny story, when we were listed in the yellow pages, we began to get a few sporadic calls from customers asking if we could repair broken statues. I had to laugh, it was something I never thought about being the “obvious” in other professions. Hind sight is 20/20 i suppose. But I still to this day stand by my decision on my business name.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have owned and operated Statue of Design for the past 16 years in San Antonio Texas. I focused on high end weddings and hotel floral rotations up until about 6 years ago when a fantastic opportunity arose. I was approached by the Hotel Emma to produce weekly florals for the property which led to my next venture in a retail flower shop. When we began the account with the property we would continuously get calls from pasts guests raving about our design work in the hotel lobby. They wanted to share our designs with the friends and family there were visiting in San Antonio. At the time, i did not have a retail storefront, and we only worked the days we had weddings and events.
The decision to open up a retail space was inspired over a holiday trip to one of my favorite cities, New Orleans. I have always been drawn to the dark, sultry, moody vibes of the city and thought how cool would it be to bring a piece of that culture back to San Antonio and blend it into mine. Thus No.9 floral chocolates & gifts was born. It was a chance for me to bring a culture clash of French Creole and Mexican American to the shop demonstrated in our design work and curated gifts.
What sets us apart is our ability to think outside the box. I alway say I was fortunate to stumble into an industry I was able to channel my creative juices. In my opinion you can learn the tricks and trades from classes and the “right” way to design flowers, but my best work has always been from me experimenting and finding ways to make my clients wonder, “how did they do that?” This is best shown through our wedding and event design work. You can find full murals of fresh florals recreating the iconic Andy Warhol Marylin Monroe, boutonierres made of film strip and popcorn, tablescape hedges made of fresh apples and orchids.
I am most proud of taking a chance. I was very young, 24 years old when I decided to open my business. There are certainly things I would have done differently and a few regrets. But it comes with growth. Reflecting on the last 16 years I am humble being able to have accomplished my craft as a small fish in a big pond. Had I tried this in another larger metro city, I feel I would have faced many more challeges. San Antonio was the right place and right time for me.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
The pandemic was a huge pivotal point in my career. When the event industry shut down I jumped on board the puzzle train and created my own floral design work into 500 piece puzzles. I sold over a thousand in a year!
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
My mother was my initial investor. I think it was realistically a strategy to get me to move back home since i was gone for over 8 years. But without her support I would not be where I am today. She eventually was bought out so I could take the reigns and she could retire.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.statueofdesign.com
- Instagram: statueofdesign
- Facebook: statueofdesign
