Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Foley.
Ana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My business started with an opportunity. My friend and neighbor, Amparo Abeyta from Fleurs and Events, needed ~20 giant paper flowers for an event. I had limited exposure to the client’s needs and very little time to identify the best way to design and fabricate the flowers. I’ve spent a large portion of my life crafting, but paper flowers were new. I watched tutorials available on various websites and other mediums (books, etc.) and leveraged this knowledge with my life’s experience to create the flowers. I worked constantly and expeditiously with the support of my family and delivered a product that was celebrated by both the client and Fleurs and Events.
Over the next two years, I worked delivering fresh flower arrangements for Fleurs and Events and eventually worked at the store in McKinney, TX. I learned a lot during this time and had the opportunity to study and deconstruct a wide range of fresh flowers to gain a deeper understanding of natural design.
Concurrently, l created paper flowers for a variety of events both for the sake of improvement and at the request of clients. With each crafting iteration, I work to improve the design, durability, and representation of the flower I’m crafting.
I’m passionate about art and creation: music, dance, drawing, photography, jewelry making, sewing, needle arts, and countless other artistic activities. The synthesis of all of these interests has served as the spark that inspired “Midday Adventure”.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not a smooth road—no starting business ever is! Long hours, sometimes investing more than you might expect back. This is all part of it—but I love it and would choose nothing else. There’s micro failures all the time, the good thing about them is that they guide me in the right direction. They’re merely a way to let me know that it wasn’t the right path, in essence, they are opportunities to get it right.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I grew up in central Mexico surrounded by the ethnic communities of the Wixáritari and Otomí cultures. Their sense of color, respect for nature and dedication to their craftsmanship were ingrained in my aesthetics. My exposure to the arts at an early age began with my maternal grandmother who used everyday materials to create artistically practical items.
I start by studying a real flower either from live samples or high-quality photography. I’ll then sketch the flower and add in any of my own design elements. I look for inspiring forms in natural design and embed creative design elements. The end goal is to create a high-quality product true to natural design with unique artisan elements.
My long term goal is to help others see the creative works the people of Mexico have shown me during my younger years. I want my business to become the connective tissue between the great artwork created in the villages of Mexico and the rest of the world.
Contact Info:
- Email: middayadventure@gmail.com
- Instagram: @midday_adventure
- Facebook: @middayadventure
Image Credit:
Ana Foley
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