Growing up in the Philippines, Dustin Jose Francisco didn’t have many toys.

His father struggled to raise a large family on a policeman’s salary.

“When the first Transformers movie came out in 1986, I made my own robots out of cardboard,” said the 43-year-old.

“When I wanted to draw I found a broken bit of porcelain and made art on the sidewalk.”

Mr Francisco grew up to become a florist, but he never lost his resourcefulness.

“He often goes for coffee and comes back carrying bamboo over his shoulder that he found discarded or some other treasure,” said his boss Petals owner Nikki Begg.

Mr Francisco loves using natural items, such as moss or twigs, to make unusual floral arrangements such as purple orchids against a snowy backdrop of melted wax, or a giant bird’s nest, woven by his own hand.

Some of his arrangements are on display now in photographer Amanda Temple’s BSoA show Forever Fleeting The Art of Metamorphosis.

His first experience with flower arranging came at age 12 when he decorated his parents’ home for Christmas with whatever flowers and materials he could find.

“I did a different theme every year,” he said.

“A wealthy neighbour saw my work and hired me to do her house also.”

When he finished high school, his grandmother paid for him to study fine arts and advertising at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

Unfortunately, she didn’t realise that art school required a lot of extras such as paint, paper and other materials that cost money.

“Sometimes students were not there because they wanted to be artists,” he said.

“They were there because they were wealthy and were looking for something easy to do.

“They would ask me to help them to draw a hand or a mouth. They would sit there watching television while I did their artwork for them. It wasn’t right, but it helped me afford art supplies.”

Unfortunately, halfway through his education, his grandmother died and he had to drop out because he couldn’t afford the tuition.

He found a job assisting a hotel florist.

“I loved helping him and I found it fascinating,” said Mr Francisco.

When he applied his own resourcefulness and fine arts background to flower arranging his talent shone. The hotel paid for him to train in floristry.

Later, he had the chance to branch out even further when he found a job in a Japanese hotel in the Philippines called Dusit Hotel Nikko.

“The flower arranging there involved a more Japanese aesthetic,” he said.

When the opportunity to work in Bermuda popped up, a few years ago, he went for it. For several years he worked for another florist on the Island but found it limiting.

“I couldn’t make my own containers because they wanted to sell their vases,” he said. “I like adding something to a vase before putting in flowers, or trying something more unique to hold the flowers.

“At Petals I’ve really had the opportunity to try things. I think the owner, Nikki Begg saw something in me and gave me a chance.”

For him, flower arranging is a passion, and he often continues working long after the work day is over.

“I do get frustrated sometimes,” he said. “Sometimes it’s easier to think of something than to actually make it. When you feel yourself getting frustrated you have to step back and say, well what can I do?

“I am just so thrilled and humbled to be taking part in this art show on behalf of Petals.”

Forever Fleeting is on at the BSoA at City Hall until December 8. For more information see www.bsoa.bm