09-06-24 Miniature workshop with Lauren Toth

Our instructor for our Friends and Flowers workshop was newly elected president Lauren Toth. In her lecture, Lauren noted the importance of balance, simplicity, and creativity in freestyle flower arrangements, including miniature arrangements.

Freestyle Ikenobo offers flexibility without strict patterns or forms. The emphasis is on personal expression, allowing designers to reflect their emotions and thoughts through their arrangements. Various containers and tools, such as kenzans (heavy metal pins used to secure stems) and floral foam, can be used.. Kenzans, in particular, help create stable designs.  Many students brought their own very creative, unique containers.

Though freestyle implies flexibility, basic design principles remain important:

Balance: Both physical (ensuring the arrangement doesn’t tip over) and visual balance (creating symmetry or intentional asymmetry within the design).

Contrast: Using different textures, sizes, and shapes of materials to create a dynamic look.

Simplicity: Keeping arrangements simple, a core principle in Japanese aesthetics.

Space: Considering both filled and empty space to give the viewer’s eye a place to rest.

Dominance: Determining whether the container or flowers take visual precedence.

Proportion: Paying attention to the size relationship between the container and elements of the arrangement.

As Lauren pointed out, despite their small size, creating proportional and balanced designs in miniature form can be more challenging than in larger formats.  It may be helpful to remember the mnemonic  that Lauren uses, Small Lips (SMLP)

S: Surface (by the vase or leaf surface, etc.)

M: Mass (grouping materials)

L: Line (guiding the eye through the design)

P: Points (small, distinct accents like gypsophila).

Thank you Lauren for an informative and fun Friends and Flowers workshop and a special welcome to our newest members, Dia Haque, Debi Howard, and Evie Norins.