Portrait of Isabel Anderson
Tang Austin Floral Designs
Tang Bourommavong
2022 installation
2nd Floor - English Drawing Room
The Inspiration
New York City painter DeWitt M. Lockman captured a mature and confident Isabel Anderson in this portrait, painted in the late 1910s when she was in her early forties. She wears an elegant and fashionable tea dress—worn by wealthy women while entertaining at home during the day—and large sapphire pendant. Isabel shares the composition with her pet macaw, Anna—the same bird depicted in the mural of the Italian garden at Weld that is installed in the Winter Garden of Anderson House. The portrait is on loan from the New Hampshire Historical Society.
Title: Isabel Anderson
Artist/Creator: DeWitt M. Lockman
Date of Creation: ca. 1915-1920
The Flowers
Florist’s inspiration: Inspired by the moody, smokey tones and opulence of Mrs. Anderson's gown, I chose florals in tones, textures and shapes to mimic the soft layers and graceful lines of her dress and shawl. The colors remind me of a beautiful night sky dotted with stars, so my palette is rich in deep hues of purple and blue with delicate touches of cloud grey, rose and mauve.
THE DESIGNER
Tang Bourommavong
Tang Austin Floral Designs
I'm Tang, founder and creative force behind Tang Austin Floral Designs and I truly love what I do! Bringing my clients’ dreams to life and creating something even more beautiful than they imagined is my greatest goal. My love for flowers began in my parents’ garden, where everything flourished—flowers, fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. My beautiful mother filled our garden with peonies, roses, clematis vines, and hydrangeas, and their beauty left a lasting impression on me. As a child, I was like a butterfly drawn to their magic.
You may or may not know I’m a passionate, self-taught floral designer, originally from Laos. My family immigrated to the D.C. area when I was two, and lived in Michigan and Georgia before returning home to northern Virginia. My journey into floral design started unexpectedly while working in telecommunications—I was searching for a creative outlet and took a part-time job at a charming European style flower shop. That experience changed everything. I fell in love with floral artistry, and that is where my journey began.
For over a decade, I have been crafting artful and refined floral designs with curated seasonal blooms and gorgeous locally grown flowers as often as possible for special events and celebrations. My work is a reflection of my love for sophisticated color palettes, captivating textures, and the organic beauty found in nature. My mission is to bring extraordinary beauty to your most cherished moments through the art of floral design.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY
Aimee Custis
Aimee Custis is a wedding and portrait photographer based in Washington DC. Her rich, luminous, and emotive style draws artistic inspiration from classical painters, street photography, and storytelling. Her inclusive, client-centric approach to wedding photography is informed heavily by a background in hospitality, non-profit event planning, and college summers as a camp counselor. Aimee's wedding work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, and Washingtonian Weddings. Her non-wedding clients include non-profits, hotels, and elected officials. Aimee (she/they) lives in a rowhouse in Washington DC’s U Street corridor with her husband Greg and golden retriever Whiskey.
