Jason Lloyd
Jason Lloyd
Floral Designer / Artist / Prop Stylist / Set Decorator / Founder of By Jason Lloyd.
Los Angeles, CA
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I am a visual storyteller, a creator, and a moment maker. ”
I work on a variety of creative projects where I create a world for a person, product, or event to live and breathe in. At any given time I use a combination of set design, floral design, prop styling, painting, crafting, etc to create immersive experiences and perfectly curated moments. I own a creative production studio called By Jason Lloyd which is primarily a floral design business for events, weddings, and editorials (and I'd love to do a fashion show too!) but we have taken on prop styling and home staging projects in the past couple of years too.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I went to school for theatrical performance and while there I wanted to understand how the entire theatre worked so I took every single tech class that my various colleges offered. This meant I was learning skills from costuming to lighting to set construction. As I was receiving that valuable education I worked simultaneously on professional productions as a scenic painter, stage manager, and director. And this was all while getting my ACTING degree. LOL.
I had moved to San Francisco for college and after I received my degree I got a job on the opening team of The Battery (a luxury members only club) and worked in the inaugural private events department, learning the ropes of luxury events, launch parties, and social happenings.
After The Battery I began freelancing in the destination event world, helping produce luxury social and corporate events all over the country, as well as internationally.
After moving to Los Angeles I formally started my own brand and began to take on creative projects that aligned with my design aesthetic and who I am as a person and I have never been happier! My brand continues to evolve as I do on a personal level but creativity and passion is always at the center.
How do you stand out in your field?
I believe my work ethic is strong and is present on every job I do no matter the scale or who I am working with. My eclectic background allows for a wide range of knowledge and those random skills I have learned along the way come in handy! And I truly believe my sense of humor / calm during high pressure situations is what brings people back over and over. I treat people, places, and cultures with respect and I will make you laugh while whipping up something gorgeous before your eyes.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
Currently working on an e-commerce store to house my dried floral creations as well as some other curated home decor. Will be some stuff I create and some I source while traveling (when we can again).
I have also been working on my styling portfolio and looking to book some test shots with new connections in the next few weeks.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
I feel like this is constantly developing but I like to mix clean lines and organic elements. I'd love to move into a more immersive spaces and create textural, floral driven moments with global flair. Love to mix high and low and look for things to work with that are interesting or have a story to tell.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I would love to do more prop styling and set decorating. Art department yasssss.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
2020 put a BIG cap on the confetti cannon. I was just starting to book big jobs (like Coachella) where I could create larger than life installations. I am ready for bigger and badder projects but 2020 made things slow WAY down and give me barely any work.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
Help me with back-end organizing, outreach, bookkeeping, and other office tasks.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
Time machines are fun! I would go back to when I first moved to LA and encourage myself to find a part-time (if not full-time) job FIRST and then slowly start my brand. I moved to LA knowing no one and started my brand one day one from my apartment and it has been an uphill battle to say the least. I'd tell myself to work in the Los Angeles market for a bit and discover who you want to work with, what areas of the city you are into, etc. And I'd tell myself to consider saving money before jumping in blind.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
How to get more "full time" work while working for yourself. I'd love to know how to get on more sets, assist more, lead more, build that portfolio, get to an agent, and move on up!
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Table top styling for ads, editorials, and commercial. Any set dressing or styling that fuse flowers and styling together in an immersive way.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My ideal client is one that comes to me for my energy, style, design eye, work ethic, etc and allows me to be creative. I love being collaborative on a job and letting the creative juices flow but then being given the freedom to produce something kick ass. Trusting the creative goes a long way!
I'd love to work on fashion shows, fashion campaigns, home decor catalogues, and music videos where florals and set design collide.
Who is a creative that has helped you elevate your work?
Jesse Tombs was the event department manager at The Battery and took me under his wing with all things events. Picture this: two theatre queens running an event department where the cities top socialites played.
I also worked for/still work for a woman named Tracy Radeff who is based in San Francisco. She has inspired me immensely and does large scale destination corporate work. She has her own furniture, does her own graphic design, does her own florals...and sends shipping containers filled with decor to meet us at our destination. She has no social media cause she is an old school OG.
In LA Abby Pendergrast has become one of my best friends and top styling buds. She is amazing!!
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
I am not above a DM slide or a shoulder tap at 7-11 but I would prefer someone email me at info@byjasonlloyd.com with as much info as they currently know! Then we can jump on a call or start our correspondence if the project is a good match. I will always reply no matter how you reach out.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
I absorb the world through a child's eyes and never cease to explore, wonder, and question.
This member profile was originally published in March 2021.