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www.ambiente.us MARCH | MARZO 2010
“Torre Mas Flores”| Interview with Robert Gonzalez
By Armando Diaz
Photography by Mike Ruiz, John Gress, and Frank Louis
Mr. Robert Gonzalez is an interesting combination of elements, the most
prominent (I feel) is his admiration for all that is vivid and prismatic in the world.
He tailors this fondness into a perfection of style, beauty and sensuality that
allows the viewer a glimpse into his mind and soul.
Then there is the element of dedication, this is essential not only for his unique
brand of floral masterpieces, but also for the obvious training that goes into his
carved male physique. You wouldn't think to put the two in the same arena at
first. You visualize the soft, delicate petals and blossoms of a flower, with the
solid, broad and muscular brawn of a man’s body. Somehow though, with Robert
Gonzalez, the provocative-ness and impact of the two worlds makes sense.
Late in the afternoon, I was very appreciative to be able chat with Robert after
an already busy day he was having in the Big Apple, finishing up a photo shoot
and running through the cold winter insanity the country is having this year.
Armando | How are doing you today?
Robert | Very good I can’t complain, it’s
a rainy day here. It’s snowing and raining
in New York City but it’s all good!
<laughs>
“Torre Mas Flores”| Interview with Robert Gonzalez
By Armando Diaz
Photography by Mike Ruiz, John Gress, and Frank Louis
Mr. Robert Gonzalez is an interesting combination of elements, the most
prominent (I feel) is his admiration for all that is vivid and prismatic in the world.
He tailors this fondness into a perfection of style, beauty and sensuality that
allows the viewer a glimpse into his mind and soul.
Then there is the element of dedication, this is essential not only for his unique
brand of floral masterpieces, but also for the obvious training that goes into his
carved male physique. You wouldn't think to put the two in the same arena at
first. You visualize the soft, delicate petals and blossoms of a flower, with the
solid, broad and muscular brawn of a man’s body. Somehow though, with Robert
Gonzalez, the provocative-ness and impact of the two worlds makes sense.
Late in the afternoon, I was very appreciative to be able chat with Robert after
an already busy day he was having in the Big Apple, finishing up a photo shoot
and running through the cold winter insanity the country is having this year.
Armando | How are doing you today?
Robert | Very good I can’t complain, it’s
a rainy day here. It’s snowing and raining
in New York City but it’s all good!
<laughs>
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| . |
| . |
Armando | Do you speak
Spanish?
Robert | Si claro, hablo espaňol
tambien.
Armando | Muy bien, I’m sorry
do you go by Roberto or
Robert which do you prefer?
Robert | Robert.
Armando | Robert, I want to
thank you on behalf of
AMBIENTE and all our readers,
por esta oportunidad para
conocerte un poco mejor.
Robert | No, thank you!
Armando | Your interest in
floral design started around
age 14, were flowers a family
business?
Robert | Actually it grew to be
a family business. I grew up in a
home where there was a
flower shop in the back of the
house, and that was basically
my playground where the
Spanish?
Robert | Si claro, hablo espaňol
tambien.
Armando | Muy bien, I’m sorry
do you go by Roberto or
Robert which do you prefer?
Robert | Robert.
Armando | Robert, I want to
thank you on behalf of
AMBIENTE and all our readers,
por esta oportunidad para
conocerte un poco mejor.
Robert | No, thank you!
Armando | Your interest in
floral design started around
age 14, were flowers a family
business?
Robert | Actually it grew to be
a family business. I grew up in a
home where there was a
flower shop in the back of the
house, and that was basically
my playground where the
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flower shop was…so I've been
around flowers ever since I was
little. What we were doing in
the family was more party
planning and events…the
floral design developed even
more after I moved to the
States.
Armando | Roberto what sign
are you?
Roberto | I’m a Leo..
Armando | <laughs>
Roberto | <laughs> un leon.
Armando | Bueno sabemos
que eres Venezolano de que
parte?
Roberto | De Maracaibo.
Armando | Crees que la
belleza natural de Venezuela
impacto tu aprecio para las
flores?
Robert | O si definitivamente,
las casas, la cultura es muy
around flowers ever since I was
little. What we were doing in
the family was more party
planning and events…the
floral design developed even
more after I moved to the
States.
Armando | Roberto what sign
are you?
Roberto | I’m a Leo..
Armando | <laughs>
Roberto | <laughs> un leon.
Armando | Bueno sabemos
que eres Venezolano de que
parte?
Roberto | De Maracaibo.
Armando | Crees que la
belleza natural de Venezuela
impacto tu aprecio para las
flores?
Robert | O si definitivamente,
las casas, la cultura es muy
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I go nuts. Any kind of cake I love, and when I do get the chance I’ll eat
cake, pastries, and you know all that stuff I should not be eating.
Armando | So we’re talking sweet tooth?
Robert | <laughs> Yes! I think all us Venezuelans have a sweet tooth!
Armando | What do you listen to if anything while working out? Do you
currently have a favorite song?
Robert |Well Lady GaGa right now is my favorite, I have a couple of
remixes, one by Rafi Rosario and one by DJ Paulo.
Armando | Which track are the mixes of?
Robert | It’s “Bad Romance” that’s my favorite one right now. I have a
podcast of DJ Paulo, I listen to him a lot….I love his drums…the Latin
influence he puts into his music…that’s what really makes me move
when I’m in the gym.
Armando | Cual es tu favorite color?
Robert | Oh God, all colors are my favorite…I love all colors. You can’t
ask that of a florist, we love all colors. When it comes to how I dress I’ll
go more blues and blacks, but when it comes to my work I use and love
all colors.
Armando | Your now infamous photo shoot with Vanessa Williams,
(which was beautiful by the way..)
Robert | Thank you!
Armando |…seems to be the catapult for your fashion, flowers, and hair
angle. Have the offers just been pouring in since then?
Robert | Yes I've been getting many more requests from photographers,
magazine editors, that they want some of those “beauty shots”, which is
what we call them, incorporated into the magazine or into their
portfolio.
cake, pastries, and you know all that stuff I should not be eating.
Armando | So we’re talking sweet tooth?
Robert | <laughs> Yes! I think all us Venezuelans have a sweet tooth!
Armando | What do you listen to if anything while working out? Do you
currently have a favorite song?
Robert |Well Lady GaGa right now is my favorite, I have a couple of
remixes, one by Rafi Rosario and one by DJ Paulo.
Armando | Which track are the mixes of?
Robert | It’s “Bad Romance” that’s my favorite one right now. I have a
podcast of DJ Paulo, I listen to him a lot….I love his drums…the Latin
influence he puts into his music…that’s what really makes me move
when I’m in the gym.
Armando | Cual es tu favorite color?
Robert | Oh God, all colors are my favorite…I love all colors. You can’t
ask that of a florist, we love all colors. When it comes to how I dress I’ll
go more blues and blacks, but when it comes to my work I use and love
all colors.
Armando | Your now infamous photo shoot with Vanessa Williams,
(which was beautiful by the way..)
Robert | Thank you!
Armando |…seems to be the catapult for your fashion, flowers, and hair
angle. Have the offers just been pouring in since then?
Robert | Yes I've been getting many more requests from photographers,
magazine editors, that they want some of those “beauty shots”, which is
what we call them, incorporated into the magazine or into their
portfolio.
| . |
Armando | That’s wonderful.
Armando | If you could tell me a little about working with Harpo
Productions and the Oprah Winfrey Show, how did that come about?
Robert | Well I did an arrangement for her, for her 50th birthday and I
guess she was very impressed the way the arrangement was put
together, the colors were great. So I got a call from Miss Winfrey and I
was asked to create the arrangements for her personal and executive
areas (upstairs offices) and it was fun…it was a great experience and I
loved working with them.
Armando | There’s been talk about you starring in your own reality show,
can you tell us a just little about that because I love surprises!
Robert | <laughs> Well I can’t talk too much about that right now,
because it’s all in talks…nothing concrete but we’re working on it!
I think it would be interesting for people to see how an
arrangement gets created up to when it gets delivered.
There is so much that goes into one simple
arrangement…a floral studio there can be a lot going on
especially when you’re working with different designers…
it can be…interesting <laughs> - Robert Gonzalez
Armando |And you still actively compete in bodybuilding contests?
Robert | Yes, yes.
Armando | Any coming up?
Robert | I’m doing one in the spring, hopefully if my body responds well to
my diet…but yeah I can’t wait I can’t wait for that, I just love watching
my body transform it’s a big draw for me.
Armando | If you could tell me a little about working with Harpo
Productions and the Oprah Winfrey Show, how did that come about?
Robert | Well I did an arrangement for her, for her 50th birthday and I
guess she was very impressed the way the arrangement was put
together, the colors were great. So I got a call from Miss Winfrey and I
was asked to create the arrangements for her personal and executive
areas (upstairs offices) and it was fun…it was a great experience and I
loved working with them.
Armando | There’s been talk about you starring in your own reality show,
can you tell us a just little about that because I love surprises!
Robert | <laughs> Well I can’t talk too much about that right now,
because it’s all in talks…nothing concrete but we’re working on it!
I think it would be interesting for people to see how an
arrangement gets created up to when it gets delivered.
There is so much that goes into one simple
arrangement…a floral studio there can be a lot going on
especially when you’re working with different designers…
it can be…interesting <laughs> - Robert Gonzalez
Armando |And you still actively compete in bodybuilding contests?
Robert | Yes, yes.
Armando | Any coming up?
Robert | I’m doing one in the spring, hopefully if my body responds well to
my diet…but yeah I can’t wait I can’t wait for that, I just love watching
my body transform it’s a big draw for me.
colorful. It’s very colorful in my country so this has a big impact in how I
arrange my flowers. My style is very colorful and very bright, I operate with
a “color block” which means all the flowers of the same color go in the
same spot, and that’s basically how all the homes are painted in my
country…yellow and oranges and purples…very colorful.
Armando | Your design process has been described as “from bloom to
zoom”, out of your creations do you have a favorite design so far?
Robert | A favorite design…my God every project is so different…and I put
my whole heart into it…so I don’t think I have a favorite one. I always
come up with different concepts, ideas and I always end up loving it. It
always has to be the best, I feel I am only as good as the last one.
Armando | Do you ever come up with any of these incredible concepts
during a workout? Like do Triceps equal Tulips or do Daisies equal Delts?
Robert | <laughs> No that’s two totally different mindsets for me,
Armando | Ok.
Robert | When I’m working out, it’s very straight forward, I don’t think of
anything else but the muscles I’m working out. When I’m working with
flowers, I’m only thinking about colors, contrasting textures…it’s two
completely different concepts to me one has nothing to do with the other.
Armando| Two totally different planets, gotcha.
Armando | Dedication is key to both those worlds, so I am guessing your
eating habits are very disciplined. Do you have a favorite comfort food,
when you do eat?
Robert | When I do eat? Oh my God yes!
Armando |<laughs>
Robert | I…my…ok, cakes, I…cakes are my weakest point. If I see a cake
arrange my flowers. My style is very colorful and very bright, I operate with
a “color block” which means all the flowers of the same color go in the
same spot, and that’s basically how all the homes are painted in my
country…yellow and oranges and purples…very colorful.
Armando | Your design process has been described as “from bloom to
zoom”, out of your creations do you have a favorite design so far?
Robert | A favorite design…my God every project is so different…and I put
my whole heart into it…so I don’t think I have a favorite one. I always
come up with different concepts, ideas and I always end up loving it. It
always has to be the best, I feel I am only as good as the last one.
Armando | Do you ever come up with any of these incredible concepts
during a workout? Like do Triceps equal Tulips or do Daisies equal Delts?
Robert | <laughs> No that’s two totally different mindsets for me,
Armando | Ok.
Robert | When I’m working out, it’s very straight forward, I don’t think of
anything else but the muscles I’m working out. When I’m working with
flowers, I’m only thinking about colors, contrasting textures…it’s two
completely different concepts to me one has nothing to do with the other.
Armando| Two totally different planets, gotcha.
Armando | Dedication is key to both those worlds, so I am guessing your
eating habits are very disciplined. Do you have a favorite comfort food,
when you do eat?
Robert | When I do eat? Oh my God yes!
Armando |<laughs>
Robert | I…my…ok, cakes, I…cakes are my weakest point. If I see a cake
Armando | If you could give (1) piece of advice to our readers about
eating as related to the bodybuilding what would it be?
Robert | Well with guys, especially guys…we tend to retain the fat around
the waist, we all do and I do…so I think the only way to get rid of that is by
doing some good cardio in the morning before you eat, so you kick start
your metabolism and that’s the only way to burn the fat around your
waist. And if you do it for (16) weeks straight …it will completely fall off.
Armando | So by cardio you mean running…
Robert | Actually I don’t run, I get on my treadmill and set the speed to
about 3.5x and I walk fast. I don’t run b/c I’m too heavy and that would
hurt my knee.
eating as related to the bodybuilding what would it be?
Robert | Well with guys, especially guys…we tend to retain the fat around
the waist, we all do and I do…so I think the only way to get rid of that is by
doing some good cardio in the morning before you eat, so you kick start
your metabolism and that’s the only way to burn the fat around your
waist. And if you do it for (16) weeks straight …it will completely fall off.
Armando | So by cardio you mean running…
Robert | Actually I don’t run, I get on my treadmill and set the speed to
about 3.5x and I walk fast. I don’t run b/c I’m too heavy and that would
hurt my knee.
Armando | Right.
Robert | That’s what I've done for many years and my body responds
incredibly to that. Before eating your breakfast that;s what I do…protein
shake then I jump on my treadmill.
Armando | Good advice.
Armando |Roberto do you have a favorite part of your body?
Robert | It’s all a work in progress <laughs>…I guess I love the way my legs
are, my legs are kind of big…I’ve always been very active, so I would say
my legs.
Armando | Well with legs like that, tu juegas o jugaste futbol en algun
tiempo?
Robert | Si cuando estaba en la escuela juge futbol, but it wasn’t my
sport. I was kicked around and run over…I guess I wasn;t aggressive
enough for the sport.
Armando | You also model, and I myself have seen some of your powerful
and sensual photo series.
Robert | <laughs> yes.
Armando | Roberto, is that you when you look into the camera, powerful
yet sensual, muscles yet flowers… I guess my question is if you were a
flower which would you be?
Robert | Si cuando estaba en la escuela juge futbol, but it wasn’t my
sport. I was kicked around and run over…I guess I wasn;t aggressive
enough for the sport.
Armando | You also model, and I myself have seen some of your powerful
and sensual photo series.
Robert | <laughs> yes.
Robert | That’s what I've done for many years and my body responds
incredibly to that. Before eating your breakfast that;s what I do…protein
shake then I jump on my treadmill.
Armando | Good advice.
Armando |Roberto do you have a favorite part of your body?
Robert | It’s all a work in progress <laughs>…I guess I love the way my legs
are, my legs are kind of big…I’ve always been very active, so I would say
my legs.
Armando | Well with legs like that, tu juegas o jugaste futbol en algun
tiempo?
Robert | Si cuando estaba en la escuela juge futbol, but it wasn’t my
sport. I was kicked around and run over…I guess I wasn;t aggressive
enough for the sport.
Armando | You also model, and I myself have seen some of your powerful
and sensual photo series.
Robert | <laughs> yes.
Armando | Roberto, is that you when you look into the camera, powerful
yet sensual, muscles yet flowers… I guess my question is if you were a
flower which would you be?
Robert | Si cuando estaba en la escuela juge futbol, but it wasn’t my
sport. I was kicked around and run over…I guess I wasn;t aggressive
enough for the sport.
Armando | You also model, and I myself have seen some of your powerful
and sensual photo series.
Robert | <laughs> yes.
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Armando | Roberto, is that you when you look into the camera, powerful yet
sensual, muscles yet flowers… I guess my question is if you were a flower which
would you be?
Robert| I would be a sunflower definitely, because it’s very powerful, very
colorful…they love the Sun, I love the Sun…I’m a Leo you know so definitely I
would be a sunflower.
Armando | What is the one place in the world you want to visit?
Robert |I would say India or Egypt…India the culture is so colorful and I just love
everything about it…very amazing country.
Armando | What would you like the world to know about Roberto Gonzalez?
Robert | I would say when I meet people, I may come across as maybe stand
offish, but it’s really that I’m a very shy guy…that’s what I want them to know
that …he’s a very shy guy.
Armando | Eres un leoncito entonces?
Robert | Yeah, yeah un leoncito pequeñito
Es dudoso que cualquier ambicion relacionada con Robert
sea pequeña. Su personalidad, su creatividad, su talento,
sino también su increíble humildad, son aspectos de un
individuo bien redondeado y dedicado - lleno, de energía
y de vida.
sensual, muscles yet flowers… I guess my question is if you were a flower which
would you be?
Robert| I would be a sunflower definitely, because it’s very powerful, very
colorful…they love the Sun, I love the Sun…I’m a Leo you know so definitely I
would be a sunflower.
Armando | What is the one place in the world you want to visit?
Robert |I would say India or Egypt…India the culture is so colorful and I just love
everything about it…very amazing country.
Armando | What would you like the world to know about Roberto Gonzalez?
Robert | I would say when I meet people, I may come across as maybe stand
offish, but it’s really that I’m a very shy guy…that’s what I want them to know
that …he’s a very shy guy.
Armando | Eres un leoncito entonces?
Robert | Yeah, yeah un leoncito pequeñito
Es dudoso que cualquier ambicion relacionada con Robert
sea pequeña. Su personalidad, su creatividad, su talento,
sino también su increíble humildad, son aspectos de un
individuo bien redondeado y dedicado - lleno, de energía
y de vida.
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This was of course a great opportunity to chat with a uniquely put together
and down to earth man, whose discipline has paid off absolutely. Robert is
well on the way to the far edges of success, blazing a trail of color, beauty
and power alongside the Sun, which he loves so much.
---------------------------
For more information on Robert Gonzalez, celebrity floral designer, fitness
model and bodybuilder please visit:
www.robertogchicago.com
www.robertgonzalezmodel.com
photo references:
www.MikeRuiz.com
http://blog.johngress.com/2009/11/29/robert-gonzalez/
http://www.beautifulmag.eu/
CLICK HERE for more Armando Diaz, Jr.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
and down to earth man, whose discipline has paid off absolutely. Robert is
well on the way to the far edges of success, blazing a trail of color, beauty
and power alongside the Sun, which he loves so much.
---------------------------
For more information on Robert Gonzalez, celebrity floral designer, fitness
model and bodybuilder please visit:
www.robertogchicago.com
www.robertgonzalezmodel.com
photo references:
www.MikeRuiz.com
http://blog.johngress.com/2009/11/29/robert-gonzalez/
http://www.beautifulmag.eu/
CLICK HERE for more Armando Diaz, Jr.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.