Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Floral Hurricane
- 21 June 2023
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A closer look at my design for the BC Floral Art Society Mini Show:
My design was inspired by a twirling hurricane. I wanted it to look ripped apart and ever so frighteningly off balance... but still eerily beautiful. My design stands on a tiny portable photographic turn table so that the entire design spins... in the same direction in which the twigs are glued to twirl.
For this design we were allowed to let a design element that was preprepared dominate so I wanted to make full use of that. My entire armature is preprepared and stiffened so that it looks fragile and kinda ominously spinning around and around and around... but is so secure that it can carry even water filled tubes and the orchids ( even placed higher up) without a single wobble or a disastrous topple or sag right out of my allocated design space.
This week in our email I tell you how I made sure the design wont topple over even though it looks rather off balance. Of course it looks like that to create visual tension... but in reality it is quite secure. I send out a notification email every Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) to subscribers to let them know the moment the new design is ready to view. And I tell you a bit more about something that I found particularly interesting while crafting the design. This is a great way for us to connect. You are welcome to reply to the email if you have questions or comments or to say Hi... or to let me know if you want a link to where you can order this tiny (and inexpensive) turntable. It works wonderfully for photographing designs.
I used wisteria, passion fruit and jasmine vines that I wove (and dried) into a twirl spinning from inside the glass vase opening up into a disintegrating swirl.
I also used ripped gladiolus foliage to soften the dried vines and give it a ripped apart look. See below for detailed instructions on how to cover wire with ripped fibers.
For more detailed instructions on how to rip and curl foliage
Ripping Flax
Book readers turn to page 46 where I show you how to make rope. And when you are ready to take it a step further page to 385 where I show you how to buff the fibers... it makes all the difference!
For more information about my book:
The Effortless Floral Craftsman
Three sizes of Phalaenopsis orchids, starting with miniatures at the point and becoming progressively larger to almost comically oversized at the top... placed in tiny water filled tubes to keep it hydrated.
To see how I make these tiny water tubes see the Tutorial below
And finished off with a generous scattering of tiny dew drop crystals all over the design.
For more detailed instructions on how I place these tiny dew drop crystals see the Tutorial below
I won a Certificate of Achievement: Most Innovative Design for my Floral Hurricane Floral Art Design
Special thank you to the BC Floral Art Society for a fun design morning and a creative mini show.
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Tutorials
When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need.
I purchase a huge roll of sisal string to use... sometimes as string, but mostly I unravel it for the fibers
This wired rope is inspired by Monkey vine that you see hanging from trees. It is strong, rough and very tough. Covering the rope with mud will add texture and it also insulate...
Using the design elements as mechanics to secure the design elements.
Connect grass covered wire rings with short reed sections to create a natural looking Floral Art armature
Bend and weave three wire wreaths to string up as an air plant chandelier
Favourite Flowers
Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid
Granadilla, passionflower, passion vines
Related Designs
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Looking back at the preparations and staging of a design in the Floral Design Studio Marquee at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
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