Garden-Lou Spotlights Ken and Cyndi Mahne

Art in Bloom at the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM) is a BIG deal in this town and one of the local floral industry calendar highlights. Art in Bloom teams local floral designers with art pieces in the collection for a 3-day judged competition. This event is popular with the public and professionals alike, partly because it takes place during a time when the St. Louis area is still awash in the drab colors of a way-too-long winter and absolutely starved for anything blooming, fresh, and fragrant, and partly because for plant and flower-geeks, it’s just plain FUN.

One of the 30 chosen designers for 2024 is Petal Pushers STL. You might remember Ken and Cyndi Mahne from previous years at Art in Bloom. Ken and Cyndi have been married for 42 years. Ken has an IT background, and Cyndi works as an Instructional Coach at Cor Jesu Academy. But don’t let the tech side of this dynamic duo fool you-Petal Pushers STL has been a top pick for multiple years per The Knot, a popular online wedding planning resource. The Mahnes treat engaged couples like family and offer personalized, outstanding customer service combined with artfully designed bouquets.

This is the 5th time the duo has participated in Art in Bloom. This year, Wole Lagunju’s impressive Irawo II (2023) will be interpreted. The 86×61” oil painting recently acquired by SLAM is displayed in the Contemporary Gallery on the main level. The Mahne’s goal is not to replicate the art piece exactly but to evoke a similar mood or feeling. A lot of work goes into the event before even getting to the point where designers can start scheming and dreaming.

An email from SLAM goes out early to designers requesting photos of work examples. Once the designers are chosen, they are invited for a meeting. There, the art pieces are paired with each designer, who pulls a scroll from a bucket with a corresponding number given to each designer. (Trading is allowed!) Rules for the event include strict size restrictions and the removal of any pollen and flower stamens that could end up damaging the surrounding artwork.

By mid-February, a write-up and list of flowers is submitted to SLAM. Ken prepares for this by creating a “mood board,” which helps to visualize what the finished piece will include. “I’ve done lots of research on flowers that will work with my design. I have tried to include some flowers/greenery/fillers that have an African origin.” The flower choices are only part of the finished piece. Deciding what to use as a container can be the most challenging part of the design since it’s usually the only thing in the arrangement that isn’t botanical. Ken settled on a round compote concrete container and painted it an ochre color to mimic the colors in the crown of the king in the painting.

As the event grows closer, Ken creates a mockup. This year, he created two. “I have done two preliminary mockups not using the exact flowers but similar blooms so I can think through how the design might come together. But truly, all of that work could go out the window based on how the flowers will flow when I go to put the final piece together.”

Ken takes the research a step further. “I’ve spent the past few weeks listening to podcasts by Wole Lagunju. This helps me get some insight into the artist, his inspiration, and painting techniques.” Nigerian-born Wole Lagunju is currently based in the U.S. His bold paintings are saturated with insightful symbology stemming from his Yoruba heritage. Underlying the proud portrait are the connections Wole sees between royalty, nature, and the divine world.

The day before the event, the designers arrive, and their creations are measured at the door. SLAM staff escort the designers with their pieces in pairs to the appointed location where the containers are secured into place on the pedestal with museum wax. The designer has two hours to tweak and adjust the piece before judging begins.

During the event, Ken and Cyndi like to ask others what they would do given the same piece or just talk about flowers all day. The interaction with others makes the event fun and worth all the work. Ken says, “It’s a win to be part of the 30 chosen designers, even if not winning an award.” 

QUICK FACTS– Petal Pushers STL

-Years in the Floral Industry-17

-Specialization-Weddings

-Art in Bloom participation-5 years

-Favorite flower-Ken, carnations Cyndi, wax flower

For more about St. Louis Art Museum’s Art in Bloom event, click here;

Saint Louis Art Museum (slam.org)

For more information about Petal Pushers STL, click here;

Best Florist St. Louis | Petal Pushers STL | United States

Or find them on Instagram or facebook!

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer. Additional photos graciously provided by Ken and Cyndi Mahne.