Bella Meyer floral design guerilla florist
Allison Michael Orenstein

Marc Chagall‘s grand daughter Bella Meyer got a Doctorate in medieval art history from the Sorbonne and has held a variety of jobs – designing props for the theater, working as a puppeteer – before stumbling on her true calling: floral design. After friends asked her to design a blossom-laden chuppah for their wedding, Meyer, who had always drawn and painted, realized that flowers are her medium…”in their variety and richness, they’re natural art supplies.”

In 2003, she started Fleurs Bella as a floral design company; two years ago, it morphed into a bricks-and-morter shop near New York City’s Union Square. Heres an bit of her compelling story recently published on Tablet:

“Cut flowers,” she says, “have no other purpose aside from being given.” She always keeps a stash just outside the shop, with a sign that says “take one please.” About once a month, she ventures out onto the streets with what she calls “flower graffiti,” tucking small bouquets into alleyways or subway stations. Occasionally she’ll thrust her flowers at random strangers. Not everyone is thrilled. She recalls one man who yelled at her: “I don’t want to be happy!”

Flower graffiti! Such a wonderful idea: a guerilla florist. Downtown Express called her a “flower vigilante” for her unique strategy:

“I like to do it when times are harder. When it’s cold and raining, people need more little joys than other days,” reflected Meyer. “I like to get on the subway Monday morning and give a little joy to commuters.”

Bella Meyer guerilla florist surprise street arrangements
Bella Meyer

Belle Meyer guerilla phone booth flower arrangement
Bella Meyer

We love the story of the seemingly happenstance way she found her medium.

Belle Meyer arranging flowers Fleurs Bella
Allison Michael Orenstein

…an artist who works in flowers…

Bella Meyer flower arrangement

via Tablet Magazine, with thanks to Cara De Silva for sending the story our way.

Related posts: vase-less flower arrangement (right on the table)

4 principles of arranging deli flowers

alliums as alt-summer flowers

copy this: vines and leafy vegetables as flowers

how to be a guerilla gardener

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3 replies on “guerilla florist bella meyer: “flowers as natural art supplies”

  1. This is the SWEETEST gesture EVER! I love it and can’t wait to share flowers from my yard with strangers. I’m going to start by leaving little arrangements on bus benches. 🙂 Thanks for your inspiration.

  2. Hurrayy! We love that it has inspired you. Please send us a picture one of these days.

  3. Hi, I enjoyed reading your post I always enjoy visiting your blog|it is with great interest that I read
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