Kathy Ong AIFD, CFD ( Malaysia )
Kathy Ong is an internationally recognised floral designer, accredited by the American institute of Floral Design ( AIFD ) and is currently the Education Director of Lee Flower Design Academy, Malaysia. She also holds the position of President and Vice President in Malaysia's International Floral Design Education Association ( IFD ) and China's Sanya Floriculture Institute respectively.
Style
Kathy Ong is Malaysia’s most acknowledged floral designer with a passion for flowers and the floristry industry. With great respect for nature’s beauty and each flower’s character, her minimalist style stresses on balance being the key aspect in her designs, ensuring even the smallest flowers contribute to her design as a whole.
Floral arrangement has always been a way of expressing herself beyond boundaries, where she is able to combine different elements and still achieve a refreshing and perfect harmony in her designs. She is spirited in extending the life of floral and botanical materials to unveil their second life in an artistic form that can be appreciated by others. Her values and beliefs are often a reflection of her interpretation and respect for the flowers.
Accreditation & Education
Kathy is honoured at being one of the few AIFD accredited designers in Malaysia, a Top Asian Florist and World Top Creative Chinese Floral Designer. Having several accreditations and certifications, she firmly desires to upgrade the industry’s skills and is a strong advocate for floral design education in Malaysia. Being the pioneer in her industry, her academy ( Lee Flower Design Academy, better known as LFDA ) aims to develop the profession and set the stage for opportunities that could assist the Malaysian government in developing the Skill Learning Program and Education syllabus and course modules for the Floristry Industry in Malaysia.
Global Networking
Her strong credentials speak well of her popularity. Extensive networking in local and international floral industries has helped to upgrade and elevate the industry in Malaysia, especially when bringing in international floral designers to participate in international floral design events such as the Putrajaya Floria Flower & Garden Festival ( from 2007 - 2013 ) and various floral workshops led by internationally - acclaimed floral designers.
Appointments, Awards & Commendations
Kathy’s inspirational floral design pieces have been published in China, Hong Kong and Italy and are frequently featured in print and audio visual media locally and internationally. She has represented her country and won numerous awards from internationally acclaimed competitions such as the AIPH - INTERNATIONAL HORTICULTURAL EXPOSITION 2011. As a highly accredited floral designer, she has played the roles of an advisor and a judge in multiple design competitions organised by international Floriculture and Horticultural associations.
Her status as an international award-winning floral designer has made her the leading floral designer in Malaysia and a popular choice for floral design work. She is also acknowledged as the "Queen of Floral Floats" in Malaysia having been involved in designing and building more than 70 floats for floral parades since 1991.
International Training & Collaborations
She has worked and trained with many world renowned floral designers from United States, Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and China. In her quest to take the industry to higher levels, Kathy herself is a strong leader in managing large scale floral projects both locally and internationally, from conceptualisation and overall management to execution and delivery. Creating competition platforms and securing global participation in international floral design shows is her forté.
Academy
Kathy manages her floral design academy, Lee Flower Design Academy ( LFDA ) - the leading floral design academy in Malaysia. It was set-up with a mission of providing internationally accredited and professionally recognised training and educational programmes, locally and from abroad. With 28 years of floral design experience, she has been nurturing future generations of floral designers in her Academy and has guided them to achieve excellence in local and international competitions.
Awards & Commendations
1989 ~ 1991 Two Gold & One Bronze - for the Best Hotel Lobby Floral Display Competition ( Holiday Inn Hotel Kuala Lumpur )
1991 ~ 2013 Involved with over 70 units floral float teams for Malaysia National Floral Floats Parade, Pesta Floral & Wesak day parade, consist of competition and non-competition category. In design and decoration process with 26 productions of Theme awarded, 1 International Award, 9 Gold, 5 Silver, 3 Bronze & 5 Jury.
2006 Silver Award - Floral Sculpture – in The Malaysian International Landscape & Garden Festival.
2007 Four Awards during “Putrajaya Flower & Garden Festival 2007” Fine Dining - Gold, Floral Sculpture - Gold, Celebration Window - Silver, Rainbow Window - Jury.
2007 Awarded “The World Top Creative Chinese Floral Designers” by China - Shanghai HK Emperor International Florist Association.
2008 Accredited floral design pieces award in the “International Annual Floral Art 2008 / 2009”
2008 GOLD AWARD -Malaysian International Landscape & Garden Festival “Laman Grand Entrance”
2009 A warded “The Creativity Award” & “Best Theme Award” 祖国之光 for the best designed & build floral float at ShunYi ( China )
2009 “Premier Award” for Tropical Flower Booth in the 3rd China ( Sanya ) International Orchid Show.
2010 “Outstanding Landscaping Award” for the Grand masterpiece entrance in The 4th China ( Sanya ) InternationalOrchid Show.
2010 Three Awards during FLORIA '10 Fauna Garden Sculpture competition GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE.
2010 “Prime Award” for Best Garden design in FLORIA 2010 Putra Jaya Flower & Garden Festival.
2011 Silver Award – Malaysia Representative for the International flower competition at the INTERNATION HORTICULTURAL EXPOSITION
2011 ( China - Xian ) - by A.I.P.H.
2011 Gold Award - for World Flower Council ( International Chapter )
Jury Award for “Infinity” Flower Tower competition in FLORIA 2011.
2012 Gold, Silver & Bronze - Lead 3 awards for LFDA Masterpiece design for Colours of the Sea with Recycle bottles under school competition in FLORIA 2012 at Putra Jaya Flower & Garden Festival.
2013 “Bronze Award & Trophy Award” for the bridal bouquets in Asia Pacific Orchid Conference ( APOC 11 ) & the 27th Okinawa International Orchid Show in Japan.
Appointments
1995 ~ 1998 Designer for Special project functions decorations for the Royalties in Brunei.
2000 Represented ( FAMA ) Malaysia to exhibit & conduct floral demonstration for The 3rd International Flower Exhibition ( Century Park ) Shanghai, China.
2001 ~ 2013 Representative of Malaysia to exhibit & conduct floral education and demonstration for various overseas floral activities & International Flower Exhibition- Beijing, GuanXi, Guilin, LuoYang & Sanya.
2002 ~ 2013 Participated and demonstrated in several TV programs& Media interviews. Organised numerous local & international WFC, AFS, IFDA floral educational activities.
2004 Organized a floral promotion & exhibition “Chrysanthemum Extravaganza” for The Floriculture Association - Cameron Highlands.
2007 Programme Co-ordinator in The 1st Malaysia Flower Show “ Putrajaya Floria 2007”
2007 Designed & exhibited more than 1000 pieces dried & silk flower arrangements for Routes Art Gallery.
2007 Designed & decorated for Cameron Highlands Floriculture Show in “PEKAN FEST” ( The Royal town of Pekan, Kuantan ) won “Best Floral Landscape.”
2008 Organized & developed Floral Education Programme for Jabatan Pembangunan Kemahiran ( JPK )
2009 Organised 7 Malaysian consultants from MediaSigns Sdn.Bhd. to Beijing for design & build 7 units of animation floral floats for China 60th National day Parade.
2009 ~ 2010 Landscape Consultant for setting up The Orchid World ( Sanya, China ) –The World largest Tropical Orchid Farm.
Invited to choreograph a Bridal bouquet show for the official launching of the new Township at ZhengZhou, China.
2011 Invited to Beijing to cast for China Central Television ( CCTV ) - a TV programme featuring on Tropical Beach wear of Body flower decor.
2012 ~ 2013 Design Consultant & Pavilion Coordinator for The 5th & 6th Putrajaya FLORIA flower show.
2013 ~ 2014 Design Director for the 7th & 8th China ( Sanya ) International Orchid Show.
Accreditation
1991 & 2007 Trained & appointed as Official Judge for Visit Malaysia Year - “National Flora Fest Competition.”
1995 Qualified as AFS Teacher for Asia Pacific Rim.
1996 Qualified as WFS Instructor, Malaysia region.
1998 Qualified as European IFD Instructor.
2002 Appointed as Official Judge for World Orchid Conference ( WOC ) & Selangor Orchid Society.
2004 Accredited to AIFD by American Institute of Floral Designers - U.S.A.
2005 Appointed as judge for the AIFD Student Competition, U.S.A.
2007 Accredited floral design pieces published in China, Hong Kong & Italy.
2007 ~ 2013 Appointed as Advisor & Official Judge in China ( Sanya ) International Orchid Exhibition.
2008 Appointed as Chief Judge & Trainer for Malaysia MySkills Floristry ( JPK )
2009 Appointed as Vice President of Sanya Floriculture Institute ( China )
2009 Accredited as International Certified Floral Designer ( U.S.A.)
2009 Appointed by Beijing, China as Chief Floral Float Consultant for their 60th National day Parade.
2011 Accredited as JPK - National Industry Expert.
2011 Panel Assessor of National Occupational Skills Standard ( N.O.S.S. ) Development for department of Skills Development.
2011 Official Judge for Malaysia's Abilympics Vocational skill contest.
Membership
• International Floral Design Education Association
( IFDEA ) - President - Malaysia.
• American Institute of Floral Designers - AIFD, CFD.
• World Flower Council - International Member.
• WFS Teachers Club, Kuala Lumpur - Education Advisor.
• AFS Teachers Association - Asia Pacific Rim, K.L Representative.
• Selangor Orchid Society - Official Judge & Life Member.
• Japan Ikebana "Sogetsu" ( Kuala Lumpur Chapter 72 )
Click here to Play Video 01
Video 02
Lee Flower Design Academy Sdn. Bhd. ( Reg # : 798753-V )
No. 70 B, Jalan SS 15 / 4, Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya, 47500 Selangor D., E., Malaysia.
Tel : +603 - 5637 0668 || Tel : +603 - 5637 0778 || Fax : +603 - 5637 6118
Email : info@lfda.my ||
URL : LFDA.MY
