Creative Playtime: An Interview With Juju From PÜL flower LA

Today on the journal is Juju from PÜL flower LA – I’d been admiring her work for a long time from afar, and when I found out that we were practically next door neighbors, I knew we had to do a creative playdate together. She showed me around her studio & gardens, and then made an arrangement with fresh cuttings. The final piece she created felt like a miniature version of her garden, and I loved how personal that felt. Her work is full of organic movement and tiny sculptural moments– every single stem placed intentionally and interacting with the ones around it.

Here is a selection of images from our day together, paired with an interview where Juju talks about her creative process, the wisdom she’s learned through nature, and bridging two cultures through florals. Shot on medium format & 35mm film– #mamiyaRB67 #contax645

Check out more of her work at: @pulflowerla / pulflowerla.com

Hi Juju ☺ This was such a fun shoot & studio tour we got to do together, I’m so happy we’re neighbors! Tell us a little bit about yourself, Pül Flower LA, and how you got started.

JUJU:

Yes! It was so nice to finally meet you in person! Quite excited for this interview! I started Pül flower when I first moved out to LA from Seoul about two and a half years ago. Pül is a one-woman operation so I basically do everything from growing and sourcing to arranging and deliveries! I started by posting my arrangements to Instagram without much expectation for gaining clients at first. I had zero friends or acquaintances in LA and no storefront, just working out of our converted garage studio. I connected with some other local women-owned small businesses in complementary industries and eventually met good friends like you!

That’s amazing. You have such a good eye for color– you mentioned that you’re coming from a background as a designer, has that influenced your style as a florist?

JUJU:

Thank you! Yes, my background in art and design influenced me a lot as a florist. It helps a lot in technical aspects like composition, color, physical space, etc. I am inspired by lots of great florists of course but I also get inspiration from paintings, sculptures, and works of art. 

Since moving here from Korea, how has the adjustment been? In what ways has being in two cultures shaped who you are as a person & artist?

JUJU:

It was easier than I expected, especially considering I didn’t know anyone here. I really believe Pül played a big part in helping me adjust so quickly. Many of the early friends I made I first moved here helped me emotionally and supported me mentally especially as they were also Asian women who ran small businesses.

I believe experiencing and assimilating into different cultures is a blessing especially when you are in a creative field– it expands your perspective and gives you the ability to come up with something new or different. Learning floristry in Korea, my foundation was in a certain style that Korean florists tend to follow and when I arrived in LA I definitely saw a sharp difference in the flower scene here. While it was challenging at first, I was able to find my own style and language that was not just a combination of the two but something new altogether. I think it took me more than a year to get there.

“There are times when you’re running a small business when you can feel inadequate, or incompetent, or like you’re falling behind – but my garden reminds me that every flower blooms when it’s their time, at the right time. ”

What is your creative process when designing for an event, installation, or arrangement?

JUJU:

For events, I start with a lot of research for inspiration and create a mood board based on the theme my client wants. There are so many combinations of styles and flowers and venues that it’s easy to get lost but once we’ve consulted back and forth and settled on the look and feel, the rest is up to seasonal availability. I love it when my client trusts me with some creative freedom because depending on what’s available at the market that week, up to 80% of the design could be decided while sourcing! It’s like being a chef at a fine dining restaurant who goes to the market early in the morning to procure unique and fresh ingredients which determine the menu for that day.

What’s going through your mind as you made this specific piece for our shoot?

JUJU:

These days I’ve been really into creating arrangements that reflect nature or wild gardens. I let the Pül garden grow pretty wild because I love drawing inspiration from the way flowers grow in nature without too much interference.

“I believe experiencing and assimilating into different cultures is a blessing especially when you are in a creative field– it expands your perspective and gives you the ability to come up with something new or different. ”

Who or what has influenced you the most, in you becoming who you are today?

JUJU:

I think my mom influenced me the most. She has been a lithography artist in Korea for over 30 years and some of my earliest childhood memories were of when she brought me to her studio. Her studio was filled with the sound of radio music and the smell of ink. She’d be super focused on what she was creating, and I would be doodling next to her or napping on the coach. Now I do the same thing in my studio. I fill my studio with music first, and then dive into creating arrangements.

Tell me a bit more about your ceramics collection.

JUJU:

Haha my husband is always commenting on how it keeps growing. I always had an affinity for ceramics, many of my friends became ceramic artists. It grew as I started Pül since a florist always needs vessels for their arrangements. The unique shapes and textures of ceramics also inspires me to experiment with unique arrangement styles.

“I feel like we are all just a small part of nature. ”

I love your magical garden!! Tell me about what it’s like to care for it everyday, the work that goes into it, and your favorite part of having your own garden.

JUJU:

Yay! It makes me so happy when people like my garden! I consider myself a very amateur gardener since I started just 2 years ago. I’m still learning how to take good care of the garden. I spend time every morning and evening hand-watering and tending to it. Gardening is a perfect getaway from all my thoughts. When I look at my garden and see how amazing nature is, my worries suddenly seem so small. I feel like we are all just a small part of nature. There are times when you’re running a small business when you can feel inadequate, or incompetent, or like you’re falling behind – but my garden reminds me that every flower blooms when it’s their time, at the right time.

“It’s like being a chef at a fine dining restaurant who goes to the market early in the morning to procure unique and fresh ingredients which determine the menu for that day.”

Tell me about the type of work that is most inspiring and fulfilling for you.

JUJU:

While the majority of Pül arrangements I sell use flowers from the market, tending to my garden is really the most fulfilling thing for me. I actually like to watch documentaries or YouTube videos about other people’s gardens, they’re a never-ending source of inspiration for me. I love visiting other people’s gardens and hearing about their growing experiences. I could talk about gardening all day with them. As a florist, the act of arranging cut flowers begins after the flowers are fully grown, cut, and conditioned. But when you grow in your garden you are able to follow the whole journey from seed to flower to seed. Flowers seem very slow and passive but they are actually more “animalistic” than you might think! They actively move and adapt throughout the days and weeks, striving and competing to grow and reproduce. You can see how strong their will is to survive and grow… it’s just amazing!

We talked a little bit about trying to find the balance between doing fun creative projects and running a profitable business– how do you balance these two things?

JUJU:

Wow! I’m still trying to figure that out haha! I try to do as many creative projects as time allows because it’s what moves me forward and keeps me from falling into a rut. It’s also very encouraging when people really like my creative projects. I believe that confidence boost motivates me and indirectly affects my business profitability as well.

These conceptual projects are really the genesis of many product lines that I end up selling. For example, I started a micro-arrangement series a few weeks ago and got a lot of great feedback. These micro-arrangements consist of small Ikebana arrangements which use floral pins and delicate flowers that are very difficult to transport for regular orders, however I am able to do them for on-site installations at events! I’m in the process of figuring out a way to make these more robust for delivery or pick-up orders.

What is something you have been learning about lately?

JUJU:

I’ve been learning how to consistently do something without burn out. I’m the type of person who will fixate on doing something (and nothing else) to the fullest and best of my ability and eventually let go of it because I’ve either burnt out or lost the joy in it. Flowers are something I’d like to do for the rest of my life, so I’m learning how to pace myself.

What’s next? What’s a project you would love to work on, or a new role you want to try out?

JUJU:

Half of Pül flower’s existence was during a pandemic. As a result, there wasn’t as much human connection as I would have liked. Evolving my work to have more connection is where I’d like to head in the future. That could mean more events or perhaps more collaborations with other local artists and businesses!

Thanks so much Juju! We’ll end with a few short trivia questions–

Music you to listen to while working:

I’ve been listening to a lot of Motown classics these days. The funk and groove keeps me moving on my feet~ | Juju’s YouTube playlist

Favorite home-cooked meal:

Anything someone else cooks for me! lol

Your perfect morning routine:

Hit the flower market and be back at the studio by 7am, tend to the garden, yoga, breakfast, then conditioning flowers until lunch.

Favorite tea:

I love barley tea so much that I think it has replaced water in my life.

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Check out more of her work at: @pulflowerla / pulflowerla.com

This is her dog, named Good Boy or GB for short (◕‿◕)