Seven Questions - ANTONIO BOND
June 30, 2021
You may recognize Antonio Bond from the current season of HBO’s hit reality show, Full Bloom. Antonio is the founder and owner of Transplants Floral, an independent floral boutique located in Austin. He routinely tours the landscapes of West Texas, California and the American Southwest looking for trinkets, bones, foliage and bucolic items to incorporate into his floral designs. He has no formal training, instead applying his knowledge of art and design to a trade he learned while working in the floral section at a local grocery store. Since his meager beginnings, his work has been sought out through word-of-mouth by renowned photographer Dan Winters, acclaimed Hotelier Liz Lambert, Senator Wendy Davis, and numerous celebrities for weddings and special events.
1. What gets your motor running, artistically?
You know what gets my motor running? Nature. I love the outdoors 🚪. I get so much inspiration from seeing landscapes and formations. I find a lot things for my art in nature, and I’m always collecting wherever I go: a cool piece of wood, a rock, bones, etc.
2.Tell us about a work of art you feel is woefully misunderstood or underappreciated.
Man, that’s a tough question. I’m not sure if it’s underappreciated or not, but I love Andy Goldsworthy. He has an incredible permanent installation in upstate New York, at a place called Storm King. It’s a wall made of stones found on the property, and it curves and twists through the woods. It’s quite incredible to see.
3. You’re most known for your floral art these days, but you’re also a successful visual artist. How does your work as a collage artist influence your floristry?
It’s kinda the same thing. I’m arranging paper in my collage work, and arranging flowers for my floristry. I love putting things together to see how they talk to one another.
4. What’s the key to a great work of floral art? Do you start with an image in your mind, or do you create as you go?
When creating an arrangement, I let the flowers talk to me. It’s very spontaneous. I don’t like to plan much out—I like to jump right in with whatever is inspiring me, flower-wise, at that moment. The key is to make something you like.
5. If you could sum up your philosophy on art in a couple of sentences, what would you say?
Keep creating, never stop. Practice, explore, experiment, challenge yourself. Never stop growing as a human. Feel life. Art is in everything.
6. What would you tell someone who's maybe working a job they don't love, but secretly dreams of being an artist?
Man, all I can say is, MAKE ART. Because it’s magical to create something. Find your passion and never let go of it. Who knows where that may lead you? More irons in the fire! 🔥
7. How do you take your whiskey?
I take my whiskey straight. Shot or sip.
