Women with Tools | Featuring Stacey Lee

By Rachel Evans Heath

Meet Stacey Lee of Paeonia Designs in Boston, MA.

She designed and created this in 2017 for Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston….

Flowers in Frame by Stacey Lee

From the front and far away, it looks like a painting. From the side, you’d have no idea what it was.

So what went into this masterpiece?

Well, she built an 8’x8’ wall with a hole in the middle, highlighted by an ornate picture frame. Behind the wall were podiums with large flower arrangements, blooming branches and hanging “clouds” on mic stands.

The design process took over a year to complete and during that time there were quite a few setbacks and challenges. Before she could even get started she had to convince the museum it would work. And then, after months into planning, building, and creating, she had to convince them again that not only would it work, but it would turn out looking pretty cool.

And then there are always those last-minute hiccups.

“[During that final week of preparations) it was just one thing after another! But to finally see the finished piece in the museum, that’s something I’ll never forget. I stood there with my husband, dad, friends and family that helped me along the way and it was all worth it.”

So how did Stacey learn to utilize power tools in making her conceptualized floral pieces a reality?

For Stacey working with tools goes way back…

Stacey’s dad is a plumber and she grew up with him teaching her how to use hand and power tools to help with various house projects. He taught her everything from cutting wood to soldering pipe.

Their house burned down when she was 11, and she had the opportunity to help a little with rebuilding it.

“The base of my tools education started young, but the love of it kept me interested. I took 8th grade woodshop and we still use the folding table I made there. [It’s now] in my son’s bedroom. (Shout out to the amazingly engaging Mr. Perry at Hingham Middle School!)”

Studying civil engineering in college, Stacey worked on various construction sites. She got to work on site designs, order the right heavy equipment and handle machine safety. She says it was quite the education, but she was never handling the heavy machinery by herself. A lot of it was watching from the sidelines.

But her real comfort with tools grew when she and her husband bought a house that needed some basic work.

They bought a Milter Saw, (see earlier image), first and after learning the ropes, she started using it more regularly and it became her favorite tool. She says that’s because it’s a very versatile tool and it’s all about the angles. “I’ve used it to make straight cuts, angled cuts like the corners of the ornate Italian molding for the frame for Flowers in Frame and even tilted cuts, such as the custom birch log place card holders.”

Stacy’s self-crafted chuppah and birch log card holders

But she says that overall, it’s hand tools and the smaller power tools like drills, saws and sanders that get the most use on floral projects.

“I got into flower design about six years ago and for four of those years, I freelanced for established designers building podiums/risers, floral wall frames, chuppahs and back end mechanics for hanging installations.

 

With each project you gain skills, confidence and knowledge. I think you need all three in order to be comfortable with a power tool or piece of equipment, no matter the size.”

So where does she recommend you look to get started yourself?

“If you’re at the beginning of your power tools journey I can’t recommend joining a makerspace more.

 

Makerspaces are places that offer a common work space with a wide selection of tools and equipment available to members and the paying public.

 

Technocopia is a non-profit makerspace located in Worcester, Massachusetts which offers a variety of hand and power tools, as well as larger equipment for artisans to create and work with. They host training classes and workshops which make use of the shared work areas including a complete wood shop, metal/welding shop, glass flameworking, electronics/robotics plus equipment and lab space that includes 3D printers, laser and vinyl cutters. They pretty much have everything you’d need to create anything your heart desires.

 

However, the real amazing part of makerspaces is the community of creatives who work in them. People who love what they do, love to share their passion. After taking a safety class or workshop on how to use a piece of equipment or work area, there is always someone in the space who you can turn to for questions or help with your project.

 

Some of the most amazing pieces coming out of makerspaces like Technocopia are created using a variety of skills, tools and machinery from various disciplines by multiple people working cooperatively. It’s a collaborative, welcoming space where people support and push each other to keep creating incredible things. It’s the perfect place to begin with power tools!

 

And if you can’t find a Makerspace, there’re YouTube videos for everything or you can learn from a pro. Power tools are pretty safe if you educate yourself, slow down and use them correctly. Don’t be intimidated, they’re just machines!”

For Stacey, Flowers in Frame was a dream for a while. She sketched it up for weeks before building a paper version in her garage. Then being able to actually create from start to finish and see your vision become a reality… that’s the most rewarding part for an artist.

In her words:

“Sometimes you have and idea in your head and your heart that you feel compelled to put out in the world. That’s art. SHARE IT! And don’t be afraid to use some power tools along the way.”

A special thanks to Stacey of Paeonia Designs for sharing the beautiful images.
Find Paeonia Designs online at their website, Instagram and/or Facebook.

 

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