Finding New and Meaningful Floral Inspiration Through Fine Art
Finding new floral design inspiration or breaking out of doing the same thing over and over can be challenging. Whether due to anxiety, exhaustion, or simple repetition, it is easy to get stuck in a cycle of creating variations of the same arrangement.
However, with all the canceled events and quarantining this year, some of us have extra time on our hands—and it can be the perfect excuse to experiment with your designs! I hope this post sparks creativity and new thinking when it comes to your work as we explore the artistic ties between fine art and floral design.
Floral Design Is an Art Form
Floral design is an art, and flowers are our medium. Our sculptures sit not in museums or for the enjoyment of the elite, but on the tables of gathered loved ones as art for the everyday person.
When we see floral design as a form of art, it allows for creating arrangements that are individual and thoughtful—with meaning and intention. When I get stuck, one of my favorite places to find inspiration is from other artists, and I'm not just talking about other floral designers!
Paintings, music, poetry, dance, architecture, ceramics, animation, graffiti, tapestries—the list is endless! These art forms are a great way to influence our designs and spark excitement about our craft once again. By opening the door for further creativity, we expand the boundaries of what floral design can be, pointing to the value and artistry that goes into our work.
By opening the door for further creativity, we expand the boundaries of what floral design can be, pointing to the value and artistry that goes into our work.
Be Inspired by Dance
Design: Anne ten Donkelaar
This Netherlands floral designer, Anne ten Donkelaar, uses ballet dancing to inspire her series of underwater floral arrangements.
To achieve the apparent weightlessness of this dance, she uses delicate blooms submerged underwater that sway gracefully. Putting flowers in an unexpected environment brings both curiosity and stunning meaning.
This opportunity for novelty is all around us: in a bathtub, in different lighting, or in the streets like the guerrilla art movement.
Using Treasured Paintings as Floral Design Inspiration
Ann Elizabeth Mekala, the owner of Dear Hyssop, created this piece based on the painting by Anthony Van Dyck titled, "The Betrayal of Christ." This painting was made during the Baroque art movement, a period known for rich color, religious subject matters, and drama.
We can see her floral design using lines and similar colors to depict this chaotic and dark scene through flowers. Notice the blue area that gives rest to the eye, similar to the focal point of Christ in the painting.
When using historical art as inspiration, it can be helpful to notice the different styles that characterize each art movement. Because intense contrast, action-packed scenes, and brilliant colors are all Baroque features, this floral designer focused on these specific aspects.
“The Betrayal of Christ” by Anthony Van Dyck
c. 1618-1620
Oil on canvas
55 7/8 x 44 1/2in
Dear Hyssop
Finding Creative Insight in Sculpture
Jessica Mastro, owner of Shed Designs in LA, works with artists often, creating floral design pieces inspired directly from their body of work. Here, she was asked to mimic this sculpture made by Loup Sarion, reminiscent of a tongue.
We can see her echoing the shape and getting that fleshy, almost visceral feel using gerbera daisies and carnations. Instead of taking a literal approach to the design, she opted for a looser interpretation, capturing the form and feeling instead of making an exact copy.
In this way, examining art can be a loose starting point for your designs. Even the bud of an idea can grow into something completely new, making it your own style entirely!
Examining art can be a loose starting point for your designs.
Loup Sarion
Title: Nude (black magic/afterglow)
2019. Fiberglass, resin, pigment
22x47x18 in
Shed Designs
Using Fashion as a Starting Point for Your Floral Work
These floral arrangements below were inspired by fashion! Genevieve Wilson, owner of Apricot Floral, mimics the colors and styles of these dresses made by Dr. Zwack.
We can see her imitating the fringes of the first dress with the hanging amaranths and the sweeping lines of the second dress with giant palm branches. There is a playfulness that she captures in these exaggerated forms.
Try exploring the Met Gala or the Oscars' looks or picking up a Vogue magazine from the grocery store checkout counter! Try picking a decade of fashion in the last 100 years and capturing its essence in an arrangement. Fashion represents a beauty ever-changing, and because of this, it presents an opportunity for similar development in floral design.
Dress Design: Dr. Zwack
Floral Design: Apricot Floral
Dress Design: Dr. Zwack
Floral Design: Apricot Floral
Design: Federica Carlini
Photography: Marcelo Deguchi
Concept Pieces in Floral Design
Christo and Jeanne Claude were artists making large-scale installations in the mid to late 1900s. In one of their best-known works, Umbrella Project, they wrapped all the trees in plastic as far as the eye could see.
At London Flower School, floristry tutor Federica Carlini explores the ideas brought up by this artwork. The inspiration is "revelation through concealment," while opening up a conversation about plastic and using environmentally-friendly materials in the floral industry.
Conceptual art is a style in which the idea behind the work is more important than the finished product itself. Think of a message you would like to convey and how you could use flowers to do so; it could be as simple as "I love you" or as broad and deep as women's rights.
Think of a message you would like to convey and how you could use flowers to do so; it could be as simple as "I love you" or as broad and deep as women's rights.
You could also start your process with a material that you normally wouldn't associate with flower arranging (like fabric, paper, or even bricks) and find ways for the two different mediums to enhance one another.
Where to Find Your Own Floral Design Inspiration
What captures your interest and sparks your excitement? Maybe it's the colors in pop art paintings, the unique melody of a song, the sweeping lines of a bridge, or the stained glass window in a church. Something that catches your eye is a great place to start diversifying your artistic style.
To browse artwork, try contempraryartdaily.com, artsy.net, or mymodernmet.com. When you choose an artwork or inspiration piece, think about which elements of the work are the most exciting. What draws you to that piece? Is it the color combination? The structure or shape? The texture? The meaning or symbolism behind it? Maybe just the feeling you get when you experience it?
Think about how you could use color, shapes, or lines to recreate that idea in your own way. Don't be afraid to try something you wouldn't typically do! The goal is never perfection, but rather to give yourself space to be creative in your work and open up new designing methods that you may have never thought of before.
