We were lucky to catch up with Emily Alexander recently and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Recently, I had a client ask if I could finish the preservation of her sister’s bouquet from a few years prior because unfortunately the artist whom started the preservation passed before she could complete it. This project was so meaningful to me because in this process and I was able to learn about the love and passion of a person without ever meeting her. In my form of art, it is my hope my clients see their pieces and are reminded of their special occasion, the love they share or the feelings they hold for a special person in their life. While my craft and design are present in the art piece it is the memory and keepsake behind the flowers that spark feelings from it’s owner, not necessarily my artistry at the forefront. However, working from another artist’s work I was able to specifically appreciate her craft: her personal style of pressing, what she pressed, how many pieces she pressed, how she organized the petals and pressed them separately. It was an amazing feeling how much I could appreciate her work beyond her life while also feeling grief for the conversation we would never share. It made me appreciate that while the flowers in preservation art are beautiful and incredible to be enjoyed for years after they are fresh, it is artistry that allows their beauty to be showcased.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Emily Alexander and I began Perfectlee Preserved to preserve fresh flowers into shadowboxes and pressed frames. Shadowboxes hold dried whole flowers while pressed frames display flattened petals I press and then reconstruct into flowers. What began as another craft endeavor, quickly turned into a love and passion I now share with clients. I’ve always considered myself a crafty person who likes to “collect” different hobbies that I can revisit when I feel inspired. Flower preservation grew into more than a hobby for me because it was the perfect union of my love for crafts, design and nature. This art gives me a creative outlet while also respecting and admiring the beauty of nature.

I’m so honored to be able to share my art with all kinds of people from newlyweds to new parents to those experiencing the loss of a loved one. Not only do I get to create beautiful keepsakes but my art gives me more opportunities to meet new people. I learn about their lives, hear about their celebrations, admire their photos, and mourn their losses. I’m a type of person that feels deeply and I think my clients feel the authenticity and genuine care I give them during the entire process. I’m most proud of the detail and care I give to every frame. I offer color correction services for the flowers to naturally enhance color and longevity over time while respecting their natural aging process. I take the extra time to send clients a mock design of the style they request but also additional designs that work for their flowers so they feel confident in their final design choice. I don’t think a lot of artists take this extra step because it is more of a time commitment but it is one of my favorite parts of the process. I enjoy the creative freedom and sometimes uncover a design idea we may have never considered.

I welcome all of my clients into my chaotic life as an artist and a stay at home twin mom and love the opportunity to be part of a small part of their lives.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In my journey as a flower preservation artist, I started by making resin blocks to display preserved flowers. However, after my husband and I decided to grow our family I was not comfortable working with resin any longer as it is a chemical that needs proper personal protective equipment and proper ventilation. I was nervous to stop offering this product as I was only in my second year of offering this service to clients and it was the most popular product potential clients requested. Every time I received an inquiry for resin and had to turn people away I questioned if I would ever book nearly as many clients or if there would be any interest in pressed frames. I continued to perfect my skills with pressing and continued to share my work. Around the same time, I felt a shift in the flower preservation community, on my social media platforms at least, that pressed frames were becoming more and more popular and many other fellow artists started offering pressed frames as well or stopping resin entirely. While the timing was coincidental and lucky I was already confident in my pressing abilities by the time this shift began and I was happy I took the leap and followed my passion and what was best for my family.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal of my creative journey is to spread love, preserve memories and create a keepsake that embodies the love and emotion of a special occasion or person. I want my clients to know their love is important and valued and should be celebrated. The chance to give them a keepsake that bottles up the emotions of a particular event or day or person is so special to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/perfectleepreserved
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfectleepreserved/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/perfectleepreserved

Image Credits

Leah Laratta Lifestyle Photographer