Florist means a person who arranges and sells floral decorations such as bouquets, corsages, sprays and wreaths. May be natural or artificial.

Florists belong to the broad trade category of Artisans and Craft persons.

What do these workers do?
(Source: BC Work Futures)

Artisans and craft persons combine their manual skills with artistic ability to create original objects. They share some of these duties:

Plan designs and handiwork. When creating an artistic object you often begin by researching the desired design characteristics, such as size, shape, weight, color, materials used, cost, ease of use, fit and safety. For example, stringed instrument makers apply their knowledge of wood properties and instrument design to adjust, repair and construct stringed instruments, using hand and power tools. Stained glass artists use their expertise with colour and composition to cut, paint, fire and assemble pieces of stained glass for windows, lamp shades and other objects.

Use specific tools and equipment. Depending on your specialized craft or artwork, you use a number of different tools and equipment. For example, carvers use hand tools and woodworking machines to produce carvings from wood, stone and other materials and to carve ornamental designs into wooden furniture and other objects. Glass blowers design and create glass objects, using blowpipes and artisan's hand tools and equipment. Metal arts workers design jewellery, utensils, implements, wall hangings and other objects and crafts from gold, silver, copper, pewter and other metals, using concise precision instruments. Weavers use their hands or a loom to make baskets, wreaths, wall hangings, clothing, rugs, blankets and other objects.

Teach others. You may share your particular artisan and craft knowledge by offering courses to the public, either in your studio or through an artisan guild, college or recreation centre. For example, potters may teach groups about the design and creation of ornamental and functional earthenware pieces by using moulds or a potter's wheel to shape clay. They demonstrate how to glaze pieces and fire them in a kiln. As a craft instructor, you prepare lessons, gather the required working materials and demonstrate and teach craft-making techniques.

Specialize in creative areas. Many artisans and craft persons specialize in a particular area to produce items such as ornamental objects, stringed musical instruments, pottery, stained glass, jewellery, rugs, blankets and other handicrafts.

Read the full Florist Profile (56kb pdf).

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