♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦=♦

Cathy Smith was born in Morgantown, WV. As a high school junior, she worked after school for a local florist. This began a life-long love of floral design and decorating. She worked for the florist all through college at West Virginia University until she earned her degree in English and French. Having receieved her teaching degree, she accepted a teaching posistion and relocated to Beckley, WV.

She is married to Clyde A. Smith, Jr. and together they have two girls – Jennifer and Julienne. It was after the birth of her second daughter that Cathy decided to stay at home and began her business – Unique Silks and Dried. She has over 23 years experience in floral design. She was juried into Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia, a large state funded facility for West Virginia artists to display and sell their work. Her work has been purchased by people all over the United States and Canada.

Presently, Cathy has her studio in her home, which suits her just fine, becuase she can be with her family. She hosts an open house at least twice a year in her home, where she displays many samples of her work. By special appointments, Cathy will meet with you or travel to your home to discuss custom floral work.  She has traveled many miles to help clients with design and floral decisions.

Some of her work can be found in the Govenor of West Virginia’s office in Chalreston, WV and some large floral arrangements have been created for the Parkways Authority of West Virginia and many arrangements and wreaths can be found in several colleges throughout the state of West Virginia. These arrangements contain silk flowers that Cathy designed and created herself out of silk charmeuse, these inlcude the rhododendron, West Virginia’s State Flower, and magnolias.

This website features just a small smapling of Cathy’s desgns. She loves to create custom pieces, large floral arrangements for the home and business. Cathy also has the capability of drying and preserving wedding arrangements using the flowers in a shadow or acrylic box.