What the Plants Taught Me: An Interview with Jacqueline Francis

Love Force caught up with the brilliantly dynamic Jacqueline Francis, who talks with us about passion, who she is (and isn't), and how a greenhouse got her heart racing years ago and why it hasn't stopped since.

LF: You’re a floral designer. What led you to that?

I'm a floral designer, I'm a lot of things and people, and I don't know if there's ever one name for anyone other than their own. My little girl taught me that one day when I tried to define her with a description. I said, you are so this and this and she turned to me and said quite matter of factish, "No Mom, I'm Grace." And she is basically right. I'm Jacqueline. That means I'm a full time mom, I'm a daytime law firm staff (seriously I'm doing everything right now #ethical) I'm a florist with bigger dreams than my wallet, and a complete plant nerd. What led me to BEING was what I think leads every single one of us into enlightenment of our truest self– dark, unknown, crummy, unexpected, tough paths. And nature echoes that law. You don't get a rose without a ton of thorns. I've got scars to prove that. And T-Swift sings about it–so it's probably true. 

LF: From an artistic standpoint, how does floral design impact your life and how you see the world?

See above.

LF: You’re incredibly talented at what you do. What would you consider is your greatest strength? Have any of your recent actions demonstrated this strength?

I think my greatest strength is vulnerability. I'm very open with myself and others. It's a source and place that is utterly void of regret. I like to think this is a space in myself where creating is its own live throbbing thing. It is always evolving and always changing. It is affected by everything and everyone I internalize. I draw on that strength every time I design anything. So that's what you see in my work–it is vulnerability. Mostly with flowers I let them do what they do–they do the hard work, I just introduce them to each other.

LF: At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?

That's easy. And that's two questions. I feel most alive right now. Because I am. And I know what I live for. But when do I feel most passionate? I can't ever forget this, but it began one foggy burnt orange-lit night as a student in the Horticulture program at my university when a fellow student snuck me into the propagation seedling greenhouse and I stood there and knew I was a goner. I mean, my senses devoured that moment like a first kiss, like I would never live again. I looked out over those endless rows of every shade of green you can and cannot imagine and felt small. Small lives and air so clean it hurt your nose. And light so bright you forgot about the sun. And I was hooked. Flowers had me. I spent the rest of the summer pinching transplants from campus and buying every size pot from Walmart that they had–I'm not kidding I filled my vacuum with dirt in less than a month. I knew I'd do anything to make more life. Designing grew from that. Literally. I had to cut the plants for them to grow more. (Another life lesson). 

LF: What are the top five things you cherish in your life?

Five things: the earth, my family, laughter, Grace (all definitions), myself. (Anyone who tells you differently on that last one is lying. We are propelled by the discovery of our own souls).

LF: If you had the opportunity to get a message across to a large group of people (think millions) what would your message be?

Our passions teach us about life. And love. I learned more from the flowers than about them that semester. And I carry that in me.

To drool over Jacqueline's work (and rack your brain for reasons why you need to throw a party with flowers, lots of flowers) visit her floral design website here. To drool over the party that Jacqueline herself is, check out her Instagram account here.