Claire Won Kang won the AIFD Distinguished service to the Floral Industry Award

 

클레어 강씨가 7월 6일 시카고에서 열린 AIFD 심포지엄에서 화훼산업 공로상을 받은 후 가족에 둘러싸여 기뻐하고 있다. Photo: AIFD 

 

뉴욕의 화가이자 플라워디자이너 클레어 강(Claire Won Kang, 이원영)씨가 시카고 힐튼호텔에서 열린 미플라워디자이너협회(AIFD, American Institute of Floral Designers) 심포지엄에서 화훼산업 공로상(Award of Distinguished service to the Floral Industry)을 수상했다. 올 대회는 'Grow'를 주제로 7월 `1일부터 6일까지 진행됐다.   

 

클레어 강씨는 이화여대 생활미술과 졸업 후 1968년 미국으로 이주, 펜실베니아 미술아카데미(Pennsylvania Academy of Fines Arts)에서 Oil Painting을 전공했다. 미플라워디자이너협회(AIFD, American Institute of Floral Designers)의 회원으로 매년 필라델피아 플라워쇼(Philadelphia Flower Shows)에 참가해왔다. 

 

1991년 브롱스의 뉴욕식물원(New York Botanical Garden)에서 플라워디자인을 가르쳐왔으며, 2005년엔 '올해의 강사'로 선정됐다. 2016년 출간한 작품집 'Wonness; The Art of Floral Collage'으로 에릭호퍼 도서상(Eric Hoffer Book Award)을 수상했다. http://www.thewonness.com

 

 

클레어 강씨가 화훼산업 공로상 수상 후 소감을 밝히고 있다. Photo: AIFD 

 

This recipient began to develop her keen sense of color, texture and form while studying at Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul Korea receiving a bachelor’s degree in fine arts.  

 

She completed her studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon University and Nova Scotia Arts School of Halifax, Canada. 

 

 She was a faculty member for over 25 years at The New York Botanical Gardens, where she was awarded “Instructor of the Year” in 2005 and became Program Coordinator of the Flower Department in 2007, all while working full time as a floral designer in Chappaqua, NY.  

 

In 2008, she was invited back to Ewha Woman’s University to present a flower show at its 100th year Alumnae Gala. From 2008 to 2018 she offered annual American-style design lessons which had a significant influence within the Korean floral design community.

 

Inducted into AIFD in 1992, her floral art has graced many symposium stages. 

Palm Desert 1996, creating wedding designs to introducing a new art form” Floral Collage Painting” titled “An Artist’s  Life: The Four Seasons of Creativity”, as a guest designer during Symposium Chicago 2001. 

 

Blending her fine arts and floral design so successfully she was invited by the 2003 AIFD London Forum to present her signature collages to an international audience.

 

In 2004 I had the pleasure of sharing the main stage at symposium with her presenting “ East Meets West, Fusion, or Confusion.  

 

She has always volunteered her talent and her time to AIFD, creating presentation bouquets for symposium 2010, designing artistic tablescapes for National BOD luncheons 2013 and 2019 and in 2022 decorating the Presidential Suite. 

 

Her compositions are recognized worldwide, mentoring many students who are now, AIFD members. 

 

In 2019 she was one of four world-class designers chosen to represent AIFD in the FTD World Cup.

 

Her talents have been shared at the prestigious Philadelphia flower Show for almost two decades. Her contribution and collaborations with the AIFD’s Northeast Chapters annual display won “Best in Show” in 2010, 2011, 2015. 

 

In 2014, as AIFD’s Cultural Advisor, she led her team in Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, receiving “Best In Show”, the Special Achievement Award from the Garden Club Federation of PA, The Society of Artist’s Award, the Special Achievement Award of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Peoples Choice Award of the PFS.

 

In 2022, in celebration of the 50 years of Korean Language Study at Yale University, she was invited to present a collage of metal works and fresh flowers, titled “Sky Earth People”. The sculpture represented the three basic elements of the Korean Vowels and describes the underlying philosophy of the Korean Alphabet.

 

Her book ”Wonness” published in 2015 simply states: “Style is irrelevant when you listen to the flowers, they are your muse. When all your senses collaborate, a vibrant and dynamic creation is born. I believe beauty of art mainly comes from the following traits: Simplicity, sincerity, truth and Nature” .

 

It is my great pleasure to present The Award of Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry, 2023, to my dear friend Claire Won Kang, AIFD!