Presenting

12 August | 2022 FR : Are your quests for creative inspiration and rejuvenation spontaneous and organic, or are they planned—or both? RV: I do not plan anything. I enjoy when something happens organically or spontaneously. When I am working with wire, for example, I let the wire "talk" to me. is takes me where I want to go. I am confi dent in that moment of inspiration, and I have no fear of failure. Instead, I create something unique and personal. No matter what, nothing is ever wrong. It is, instead, my inspiration to see things in a diff erent light and to push my limits outside the box and expand my comfort zone. FR : Tell us a little bit about your career and how you started in fl owers. RV: In 1990, when I was 25, I changed my career from the hospitality industry to the fl ower industry. I opened a retail fl ower shop, Varo Flowers, in Costa Rica, and after a couple of years, I started specializing in weddings, banquets, conventions and corporate events. At fi rst, I learned by taking classes presented by Smithers-Oasis in Latin America, but as time went by, I wanted to learn more, so after 24 years, I closed my business and moved to Florida in 2014. at's when I started entering fl oral design competitions and preparing to become certifi ed by AIFD [American Institute of Floral Designers]. I joined the Florida State Florists' Association, and in 2016, I earned my FSMD (Florida State Master Designer) and FPCF (Florida Professional Certifi ed Florist) credentials. In 2018, I realized my dream and was inducted into AIFD. FR : Tell us more about moving to the U.S. and starting over in a diff erent country. RV: I started working in fl ower shops as a designer, learning the American style. Flower arrangements in the U.S. are totally diff erent than in Latin America, where they are more European style and full of fl owers. I had to adapt my brain to it, but it wasn't hard; it just took some time. At the same time, I was taking classes, reading, doing research and preparing to test for AIFD. Since then, I started R .Varito Designs & Institute, and I also work as the fl oral director for e Special Event Resource & Design Group, one of the biggest event companies in South Florida, and as a freelance designer. I still like to compete, and I'm still working on my jewelry. Over the last eight years, I have done more than I was expecting. I've grown and grown. Every day, I'm doing something diff erent. FR : What do you hope to do in the future? RV: I want to continue to do diff erent things. I hope to do more mentoring, to share my knowledge and talent with others, especially my Spanish community. I also want to continue as a freelance designer and possibly work on a couple of books. To learn more and to inspire others are my main goals. FR : What advice do you have for fl oral designers just starting in the industry? RV: Whatever you want to do, keep going for it. You can do it; it is possible. ere will be challenges and frustrations, but keep going. Never stop. Never. Something great will come, and doors will open for you, if you keep trying, learning, creating and challenging yourself. If you fail today, try again tomorrow—and again the next day. at's the key. I've been in this industry for 32 years, and there have been many ups and downs, so I am talking from experience. I've started over many times, even in my home country, and I'm still constantly changing. Change is out of most people's comfort zones, but it's part of growing and learning. Learn a new technique, and challenge yourself to do something outside the box, like entering a design competition. It's not my model to stop learning and growing.

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