American Style Flower Arranging (part 1)

Still remember the workshop of Andy Djati Utomo which held by the IPBI DPC Bdg few weeks ago? We will write it into several posts just for you, our faithful readers, starting from this one. So, enjoy reading.

Here are some of the materials supplied by the sponsors. The flowers are snapdragon, anthurium, gerbera, celosia, bromelia, carnation, rubica, roses, caspea, phalaenopsis amabilis while the foliage's cordyline, futoy, foxtail, ruscus, lily paris leaf, anthurium marble, ivy, Ming fern and croton. There are some leaves that we seldom use ie. alokasia triangularis leaf or Tombak Irian, justicia or rugball (this one looks like yellow sisal), simelaria leaf, hemalomena leaf (it’s a kind of anthurium leaf but smaller in size).

As usual, Mr. Andy brought his assistants. That day he brought 3 assistants. They are Mr. Yohanes Triyono, Mr. Syaifuloh and uhmm... Mr. Choirudin(?) ups, I forgot the last one, sorry. They helped him preparing the materials such as filling futoy stem with wire so that it can be bent without broken or  sticking the flower stem with wire, especially for flowers which have soft stem such as gerberas, phalaenopsis, calla lilies and then covering it with floral tape. What they did were very helpful so that the workshop could run smoothly and finish on time.

Mr. Andy started his show by explaining characteristics of 3 styles in arranging flowers so that the participants could understand the differences among american, european and japanese style properly. If the european style is mass arranging, volume and uses a lot of flowers while Japanese style is vice versa, line arrangement and minimalist, then american style is between them ie 'mass-line' arrangement, there is space that is full or volume (usually in the center) but there is empty space and lines, too. The American style doesn't emphasize on the form of flower arrangement as in the european style. But it has a lot of flower arranging techniques. There are dozens techniques actually, and even added a new one every year, wow... In this occasion, Mr. Andy only taught three techniques ie basing, grouping and terracing.

These are some of the floral design made at the workshop. We'll give you a little glimpse, 'ginger & lemon'. Just imagine what kind of flower arrangement that would? Curious to know more? No other way, keep following our posting, ok?

Pictures taken at the workshop by Andy Djati Utomo, S.Sn, AIFD, CFD, May 16th 2012.