The Why

Founded in 2021, Studio Mariposa is more than a botanical design company—it is a living meditation on transformation.

“Mariposa,” the Spanish word for butterfly, felt inevitable. A butterfly is a clear symbol of transformation. Flowers reflect that same process—moving through cycles of growth, change, and death. Their language has endured for centuries—love, grief, devotion, celebration—yet the way we speak through them continues to evolve. At its heart, Studio Mariposa exists to tell stories of metamorphosis. Every design is crafted for joy and to honor the beauty of becoming. My hope is that when someone encounters our work, they don’t just see flowers— they feel a shift. A reminder that transformation, like nature, is both inevitable and sacred.

Through Studio Mariposa, I’ve had the privilege of working with plant life grown both locally and abroad. There is a deep affection in my work for the unusual—the untamed stem, the unexpected curve, the flower that feels almost otherworldly. And yet, I am just as devoted to the familiar legends of our fields: Sunflowers, Zinnias, even Dahlias that are indigenous to Mexico and cultivated here in the Northeast. These local legends are sustained by an extraordinary network of growers and vendors across New England. It deepens further at Ceiba Valley Farm, where I continue learning—season by season—how to grow cut flowers. Cultivating flowers has transformed my relationship to them. They are no longer just materials, but an integral part of the process itself.

— Zen Astrud

Founder & Creative Director