Flowers: Creative Design

JAMES L. JOHNSON, Distinguished Lecturer at Texas A&M University, is the current director of the Benz School of Floral Design and the Benz Gallery of Floral Art. Mr. Johnson, an Indiana florist for fourteen years before coming to Texas A&M Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award in Teaching and the College of Agriculture’s Honor Professor Award. He has also received the 2000 Frances Jones Poetker Award given by the American Horticulture Society, the Texas State Florists; Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award and the AIFD Award for Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry. Mr. Johnson holds AAF and AIFD memberships and is a co-author of the Professional Certified Florists program, the Texas Design Seminar, an accredited design program for Texas Garden Clubs Inc. flower show judges, and the AIFD Book of Floral Terminology. His ability to make good design principles and techniques understandable to the novice as well as the expert is unsurpassed.WILLIAM J. McKinley, JR. is the director of the floral design program at Kishwaukee College in Illinois and an associate instructor of the Benz School of Floral Design at Texas A&M University. He received his Masters degree from Texas A&M University and his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Missouri. Mr. McKinley, also a former practicing florist, has extensive experience with floral care and handling and color techniques. He is current chairman of the AIFD National Student Membership and Artist in Residence Committee as well as the Illinois Floristry Educators Network, and he has also served on the AIFD International Committee. Mr. McKinley is a contributing editor for Flowers& magazine, authoring a column: ‘For Varieties Sake’.M. “BUDDY” BENZ, a 1932 graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in landscape art and floriculture became an internationally known author, floral artist, lecturer, commentator, traveler, and collector of art from over the world. In 1946 he established the now famous Benz School of Floral Design. Mr. Benz was a charter member of the American Academy of Florists and the American Institute of Floral designers, receiving AIFD’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry. In 1976 Texas A&M University bestowed it coveted Distinguished Alumnus Award upon him, recognizing all his many contributions to his field of endeavor.