Working with Creatives
The Ponderosa Classroom is the creative home envisioned by Ponderosa & Thyme founder, Katie Davis, and is designed to be a safe place for a wide range of creatives to explore their creativity, build community, and expand their skills and knowledge.
Building on basic floral design techniques and skill, the Career and Artistry Ponderosa Classroom Intensives are designed as continuing education for the experienced florist who wants to dive deeper into the art of floral design, and become a designer that creates from the heart and soul, while maintaining a fulfilling career and sustainable business. During these sessions we will teach you practical skills to grow and pursue your goals out of a place of love and internal confidence, instead of fear and comparison. We are excited to work with you to help you discover and uncover your very own artistic voice within the creative world.
Over these two days we will explore taking a grounded approach to Floristry, covering topics from nurturing yourself and your business, to pushing the boundaries in shape and design by letting nature take the lead to create beautiful editorial designs. We will cover advanced techniques in nature-led bouquet making and a natural framework urn arrangement.
In this two day intensive we’ll empower you develop strategies to grow your established business in a sustainable way and to help you to attract clients that value your artistic vision! We will teach you two technically challenging floral designs, Wired “Princess” Bridal Bouquets, and a Dramatic Table Arrangement using a Kenzen. We will cover lots of other topics as well, from marketing, to pricing, hiring your team, contracts, collaborating with other professionals and more!
For many professionals, collaborations bring new opportunities and help you know you're not alone in the pressures and challenges that can come with a career in our creative industry. In this one day course we will work together to create an intimate and immersive floral experience (including a hanging installation!) that you will get to later enjoy at our community dinner ar the end of the day. During this class we will focus on your role within the creative community and how to best work and collaborate with other creatives while embracing the mindset of love and community over competition.
- SPRING INTENSIVE WEEK (May 20-24)
- AUTUMN INTENSIVE WEEK (November 11-15)
*These Intensives are designed for those with professional floral experience, and is meant to expand on your personal skills and knowledge.
We are so excited to invite you to our beautiful hometown of Salem, Oregon! The Ponderosa Classroom is located in the heart of downtown Salem, an hour south of Portland, in the center of the Willamette Valley wine country. There is public transportation available, but we recommend renting a car in Portland so you can explore the area if you’d like.
125 Liberty Street, Ste. 200, Salem, OR 97301
393 State Street, Ste. 200, Salem OR 97301
International | Portland International Airport (PDX)
Regional | Eugene Airport (EUG)
Regional | Salem Station
Local | Cherriots (Salem-Keizer Mass Transit)
Yellow Cab | (503) 362-2411
Uber
Lyft
While accommodations for the week are not included, guests will be invited to book a room in The Grand Hotel for a special group rate, located just two blocks from the Ponderosa Classroom.
9:30 AM | Welcome and introductions
Morning meditation
Lecture | Building a Strong Foundation - We will discuss setting up yourself up for success, building your team, protecting your work, and creating a branding strategy.
Lunch (on your own)
Lecture | Finding Inspiration - Discussion of how to pull inspiration from Nature, and your surroundings for your editorial design work, and staying connected to your artistic heart.
Demonstration | Nature Led Editorial Bouquet
Hands-on Session | Nature Led Editorial Bouquet
5:00 PM | End of day (dinner on your own)
9:30 AM | Coffee, tea and conversation
Morning meditation
Lecture | Stretching your Creative Limits - Do you want to make something unique - something innovative? What's your vision for your art? We will discuss following your intuition and taking creative risks to create truly unique works of art.
Lecture | Capturing your Work: Phone Photography 2.0 - We’ll explore adventurous phone photography and video making as well as Katie's favorite editing apps to help you to determine what style of photography and editing best suits your brand.
Lunch (on your own)
Lecture | Creating Natural Framework (Minimal Waste Designing)
Demonstration | Large and Luxurious Urn Arrangement
Hands-on Session | Urns - A lesson in large scale vase arrangements
5:00 PM | End of day (dinner on your own)
9:30 AM | Coffee, tea and conversation
Morning meditation
Lecture | Branding and Marketing - What is your voice? How are you representing yourself? We’ll help you perform an in-depth analysis of your Instagram, Facebook, and other marketing platforms to help you effectively find and reach your ideal followers.
Exercise | Going Live (Facebook and Instagram) - An important tool to strengthen in your marketing skill set because your people need to know who you are! Practice makes perfect, so together we will practice “going live” on the platform of your choice.
Lunch (on your own)
Lecture and Hands-on Session | Wired “Princess” Bridal Bouquet - Tiny and lightweight is coming back into style! Expand on your wiring skills in this specialized session and learn the hows and why’s behind the old school wiring techniques needed to create this new twist on a “princess styled” bridal bouquet.
5:00 PM | End of day (dinner on your own)
9:30 AM | Coffee, tea and conversation
Morning meditation
Lecture | Pricing and Agreements - How to price your work and set-up successful agreements.
Lecture and Exercise | Vision Boards and Client Presentations - Discussion and exercise in creating a client vision board and outline.
Lunch (on your own)
Demonstration | Dramatic Table Arrangement - Creating a lush, low-lying table arrangement using a Kenzen.
Hands-on Session | Dramatic Table Arrangement
Exercise | Phone Photography Practice: Capturing Moody Light
5:00 PM | End of day (dinner on your own)
9:30 AM | Coffee, tea and conversation
Morning meditation
Lecture | Working with Creatives - Collaboration is the name of the game! We go into depth about HOW to work with other creatives for the best results for all people involved.
Lunch (on your own)
Group Hands-on Session | Large Scale Hanging Installation and Styled Table - As a group, we will create a unique floral installation and pair it with a simple and elegant table settings.
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM | COMMUNITY DINNER
Floral demonstrations and hands-on instruction with Katie Davis in a small classroom setting
Hands-on Floral sessions
Thematic Lectures & Exercises
Group discussions
Ponderosa Classroom Online Facebook group to network and stay connected
One Year Ponderosa Classroom Online Membership (starting the month of registration)
Morning coffee, tea and snack
Snacks and refreshments throughout the day
Community Dinner (Optional for any intensive guests for the week)
Welcome gift
Workbook - includes floral list, step-by-step instructions, and discussions overviews
Beautiful vessels used in course
All flowers and supplies
Professional headshot (optional)
Access to the Guest Gallery for portfolio, website, and social media use:
- Candid and editorial shots that capture the Ponderosa Classroom experience
Group Discount on lodging at The Grand Hotel
(Included with purchase of all three intensives)
- Ponderosa Apron
- Floral knife
- Floral Clippers
- Ribbon scissors
- Kenzen
- Rose Glove
If you are unable to see the registration form on this page, please click here to go to the standalone registration form.
PLEASE NOTE: Your Seat is not reserved until the registration form has been submitted and Payment has been received.
Guests are responsible for carefully reviewing all Terms & Conditions, and to fully understand the agreements contained therein. By registering Guests acknowledge and agree to all Terms & Conditions. See the Registration form to review the Terms & Conditions.