Life & Work with Gabrielle Sorensen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Sorensen.

Hi Gabrielle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a charming neighborhood near downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. While living there, I noticed the different phases of plant life throughout all four seasons. As I studied business for my undergraduate degree, my mind was always on owning a creative business someday. To keep this creative spark alive, I interned for several wedding florists and learned the exhilarating pace and artistic principles of floral design under their wings. In 2018 my husband and I moved to the Napa Valley in California. Feeling a bit isolated from all that was familiar, I found comfort and inspiration in my new natural surroundings. Straight and seemingly endless rows of grapevines climbed every hill in the summer. In the winter, yellow mustard plants spread between the aisles of trimmed grapevines. With these vibrant seasonal changes, I was inspired to bring the outside beauty of the seasons inside my home. I bought some cheap vases from Goodwill and began sharing my floral arrangements on Instagram. This helped me connect with local photographers to create a portfolio for my work and Fleur Gabrielle was born!

Fast forward three years, and within that time I’ve called Napa Valley, Marin County, and Orange County home for a season. Each place brought new opportunities, friends, and surroundings that influenced my journey in floral design. My designs aim to capture the textures, colors, and emotions our natural surroundings evoke. With each wedding, gathering, or collaboration I create flowers for, I seek inspiration from the space participants will gather in. Whether it’s a lush, natural garden, calming cruise at sea, or modern art gallery, I design flowers that complement the surroundings to create a cohesive and immersive experience.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
While the various places I called home brought new inspiration, the moving around also brought challenges for my business. My husband’s career has given us opportunities to move and we’ve optimistically taken them. However, creating clientele for flowers in a new city or region takes time. Before word of mouth advertising can carry you, you have to establish a presence locally. As with most challenges though, there’s a silver lining. Moving has motivated me to be vulnerable and reach out to established businesses and vendors to collaborate. My network has grown organically and I feel grateful for the progress I’ve made in coping with change both personally and as a business.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a plant lover, dancer, musician, and creative business owner. My medium to create in this stage of life is flowers. I specialize in creating floral designs that elevate ordinary settings into immersive ones. I design flowers for weddings, gatherings, businesses, and special occasions. I take the time to get to know my clients and develop friendships that last well past the event I’m hired for. My clients trust me with their event vision, and I provide a personable and artistic experience through flowers for them. I’m known for using unique flowers that tell a story through color, texture, shape, and scale.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
“A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.” Zen Shin

Although I’m still working on not comparing my work to others, I believe we all have value and important talents to contribute to the world no matter how big the effect is.

Contact Info:

• Email: sayhey@fleurgabrielle.com
• Website: https://www.fleurgabrielle.com/
• Instagram: @fleur.gabrielle
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fleur.gabrielle2

Image Credits:
Photographers: @_rachaelmccall, @theganeys, @twofourteenphotography, @saramweir, @sarahihadden