Interview with Artist Alyssa Matkey-Winder
Interview by Darcy Dillon
This week, we sat down with artist, Alyssa Matkey-Winder, to talk about how she brings her queer identity into her field, the reason she got into flower arranging, and how nature inspires her work.
Tell us a little bit about your photography and flower arranging. How do you mix those two creatively? Do you find that one informs the other? What drew you to these two art forms?
My love for photography and floristry all stems from the beauty of the flowers themselves. They've always been my muse and focus. I have fond memories of my childhood, being with my grandmother and gardening, which I believe sparked my interest in both my hobbies. Photography has allowed me to be able to document the world as how I perceive it, but floristry has given me an avenue to be able to recreate nature and display it how I please. Meshed together, I've been given the great pleasure of creating Aster Projection, where my photography and floristry are fused as one!
How has flower arranging affected your relationship with nature and its imagery?
Since I've began arranging, I see every natural form to be an opportunity to be showcased in a design. I see Illinois natives like Solidago, Aster, Queens Anne's Lace, and Bachelor's Buttons growing wild wherever they take roots, and can only think about how I can clip them and utilize them in an arrangement. With the thought of having these so easily accessible to me, I've even gone as far as taking on the hobby of growing flowers!
In what ways does queerness manifest itself within your art?
As a member of the LGBTQA+ community, I take pride in my identity, but in the florist industry, it’s a bit challenging to portray queerness. Bright and flamboyant colors can be used, but my main goal in this industry is to bring a fresh new, queer eye to yet another male-dominated career. I also want to break the stigma that flowers are only for “women.” Flowers can be gifted for an array of occasions, whether you’re male, female, gay, straight, feminine, or masculine. All walks of life should be able to enjoy nature and its beautiful byproducts.
As a creative with many broad and different interests are there any art forms or media you haven’t gotten into yet that you would like to explore?
In my youth I used to dabble in drying flowers and using silica gel as a way to achieve a quality product. I’d love to dive back into that art and even learn more forms that I can utilize my dried florals in. Resin pieces, shadow boxes, and seasonal wreaths would be a beautiful addition to my services and abilities.
Here's your time to shine: tell us what projects you're working on and where we can find your work! What are you working on currently?
My photography business has been on a long hiatus, but my passion for arranging has been flourishing. I hope to soon be able to provide stylized sets, where I can display my ability in both floristry and photography. I look forward to one day taking on weddings and other social events and eventually opening my own store front that’ll provide these two services under one roof! Keep up with what I'm doing at @asterprojection on Facebook and Instagram!