We recently connected with Yana Polshina and have shared our conversation below.
Yana , appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?
I’m glad you’re interested in stories . I was inspired by Flemish floral still life collections around the world and particularly the female artists who were unfairly unknown for years. There were indeed many talented female artists throughout history who didn’t receive the recognition they deserved. One such artist is Clara Peeters, a Flemish painter known for her stunning still life paintings.
Clara Peeters was active during the 17th century and specialized in still life compositions, particularly those featuring flowers, fruits, and sumptuous table settings. Her attention to detail and skillful use of light and color truly brought her paintings to life. Despite her remarkable talent, Clara Peeters was largely forgotten for centuries, as many female artists of her time faced significant challenges in gaining recognition.
Another remarkable female artist from that era is Rachel Ruysch. She was a Dutch still life painter who excelled in creating intricate floral arrangements. Her ability to capture the delicate beauty of flowers with astonishing detail and vibrant colors is truly extraordinary. Rachel Ruysch was highly successful during her lifetime, even being appointed as court painter to Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine. She sold her paintings for twice as much as Rembrandt and in addition to that , she was also the mother of 10 children.
However, her work faded into obscurity after her death and was only rediscovered and appreciated much later.
One female artist who used flowers as symbols in nonverbal expressions in her artwork is Georgia O’Keeffe. O’Keeffe was known for her large-scale paintings of flowers, in which she explored their forms and colors, often presenting them in a close-up and abstracted manner. While she did not explicitly use flowers as symbols in a traditional sense, her floral paintings were seen as expressions of feminine sexuality and sensuality. O’Keeffe’s flower paintings were often interpreted as representations of the female body and were considered as nonverbal expressions of her own personal experiences and emotions.
These are just a some examples, but there are many more talented female artists from different periods and regions who deserve recognition for their contributions to the art world. It’s wonderful to see their work being rediscovered and celebrated today.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Vespera’s journey began with a simple photo series that took place in the evening, as dusk began to fall, and blossomed into a true labor of love, thanks to the creativity and expertise of Yana Polshina and Jacquie Aphimova. At Vespera Floral Studio, we are dedicated to creating breathtaking arrangements that take you on a soulful journey. We believe that flowers possess an ethereal energy that connects us to the wonders of nature. By embracing chaos and utilizing a bounty of materials, we craft one-of-a-kind masterpieces that are visually stunning and rich in cultural symbolism.
Hiring a remote developer for our florist website proved to be a challenge. Communication difficulties and lack of face-to-face interaction made it harder to convey requirements effectively. Technical questions caused delays, and scope creep complicated the development process. Budget control became a concern, leading to additional expenses and revisions. We had to establish clear communication channels and set milestones to track progress. In hindsight, having a contingency budget would have been beneficial. Despite the challenges, we learned valuable lessons in hiring remote developers.
Small businesses often face high marketing costs similar to large companies. However, they may not have the same financial resources to allocate towards marketing campaigns. Additionally, platforms like Yelp can be unpredictable in their review removal process, often citing algorithms as the reason. This lack of transparency can be frustrating for businesses. We decided to adopt a more relaxed approach and not solely rely on platforms that prioritize profit over user satisfaction. We focus on building strong customer relationships and delivering quality products or services instead.
That became our choice just focus on creating and maintaining reputation with clients who believe in us and admire compositions we create..
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Hollywood strikes impacted our floral business by reducing the demand for floral arrangements in film and television productions, red carpet events, and premieres. Additionally, some of our celebrity clients reduce their public appearances or spending during strikes, it affects the demand for floral services. However, the impact is temporary and we hope for positive outcomes for everyone.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
We had to use low budget using just savings from paychecks and eventually designed budget for more investments in supply and on website development. We had to learn how to decide on pricing our compositions and labor. It’s not a secret that all prices went up dramatically after covid -19, and some other reasons.
We always ask why we love flowers creating arrangements for people?
Flowers hold a very special place in people’s hearts for various deeply personal reasons. Some find solace and peace in the beauty and fragility of flowers, using them as a reminder to appreciate the fleeting moments in life. Others see flowers as a tangible expression of love and kindness, using them to convey heartfelt emotions and sentiments. For many people , flowers bring a sense of connection to nature, acting as a reminder of our place in the larger ecosystem. There are also those who find therapeutic benefits in working with flowers, finding joy and relaxation in arranging and caring for them.
Celebrating special occasions with flowers has become a tradition for many, adding a touch of elegance and beauty to significant milestones in life. Lastly, flowers offer business opportunities for those who have a passion for floral design and entrepreneurship.
Flowers bloom for themselves but they hold a unique and personal significance for each individual, touching our hearts and souls in their own way. Flowers are miracles and transform us on emotional level from sad to happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vesperafloralstudio.com
- Instagram: @vesperaflorals