TOP 10 OF THE YEAR 2018

My year 2018 TOP 10 EXHIBITIONS, FLOWER WORKS AND INTERVIEWS 

It's time for recap of the year 2018. It has been full of hard work and wonderful assignments - both commissioned and personal work. I am more than happy how the year treated me. I've been busy and I will take a short pause in January and after that I will be ready for the year 2019.  As I said it's been a busy year and it has been full of emotions especially with my cat family. Haruki got 4 kittens in June 14th and it was super lovely to follow kittens growing and finally one of the kittens stayed with us - Tove darling. Now Haruki has a cat friend and I'm very happy about that too. In the beginning it was quite difficult but now they really are friends. 

But let's get back to my top 10 of the year 2018. It wasn't easy to choose from all the assignments I had. It was also hard to put them in order and order is not necessarily considered very seriously - they are all works I loved to do. There are also things I can't tell or show you yet but I will during this year. I want to thank you each and everyone for co-working with me. You made my day and hopefully we do some unique things this year too! 

10. My editorial flower story in online magazine The Green Gallery which presents flowers and plants as the source of inspiration.

9. At World of TRE Jewellery on a Pedestal installation is a collaboration between four individual fine jewellery brands and one floral artist. 

1805story  pionidesign  keskipomppu  mannstromjewellery 

8. ABL Laatat flower installation for their pop up shop window in Uudenmaankatu in September. I was in good company. Marble mushrooms by talented Pasi Kärkkäinen.

7. Asun magazine editorial story for X-mas issue, photographed in Seurasaari. Styling by Selina Vienola.

6. PRIME floral art photography exhibition 12.9. - 23.12.18 in Bang Bang Gallery.

tulips, 2018

5.Flower workshops at Kultaseppä Kulmala, Måla and More, Johanna Gullichsen, H&M Home, Stockmann, Ryti-talo, työhuone ovi 10 Floral Art Now workshops.

4. Flower wall and a Christmas garden chair installation in the Center for Finnish Fashion  Kämp Garden.

flower wall 2,5m x 2,75m

3. A story and video of me as an artist in Helsingin Sanomat  

arrangement I made in 30min (for me it's quite short time when same time talking to video cam what I'm doing :0 )

2. A story of me as an artist in Finnair's Blue Wings magazine  ( I'm a cover girl, how cool is that haha! )

photo by Laura Iisalo

1. In January I SEE COLOR exhibition at Mattsson & Mattsson workspace gallery in Helsinki. 3 works from the exhibition was also part of Käsittämätöntä group exhibition in Arktikum during Arctic Design week in Rovaniemi in February. I SEE COLOR exhibition was back in Helsinki in November at Galleria Pirkko-Liisa Topelius. 

conformity, 2017

Thank you for reading so far :)

Coming up Floral Art Now workshops you can find here.

Take care and Happy New Year 2019!

xoxo
Kreetta

FLOWER WORKSHOPS SINCE AUTUMN 2017

EVERY FLOWER HAS A MEANING

floral design by Satu in Måla and More workshop

It's almost autumn. Two days ago I was thinking what happened one year ago in my life and I remembered that September 2017 was a big month for me. It brings me very good memories. My first flower arrangement workshop happened in September Habitare 2017 at Asun magazine exhibition. It was wonderful gift from Asun magazine for the Habitare guests. A free flower workshop. We had a huge line of eager ladies and I only could take ten. I was quite excited maybe a bit nervous too and the time flew and suddenly there were ten flower arrangements ready to be photographed. So I think the past year went quite same way. Fast. A bit nervous. Eager. Restless. Happy.
 

my flower arrangement for Johanna Gullichsen shop window in Helsinki

This past year has made me feel a bit overwhelmed. I've been asked to teach floral design, expecially arrangement in various places like in Asun+Anno home, Kultaseppä Kulmala, Måla and More, Johanna Gullichsen, H&M home. A good design and colorful diamonds with group of wonderful flower ladies - not bad at all. I'm more than happy about all these workshops.

flower workshop in Asun+Anno home in December 2017

details in Kultaseppä Kulmala

my dear Fritillaria Persica

Arranging flower workshop is a project. It's a process that begins with planning and ends with cleaning the workshop. A lot of work in between. I never counted the hours I've spent in one workshop but it's a lot. I want that the workshop is so good that everyone is happy after the day. 

in every workshop we take pictures because you have to have a record of your beautiful floral art

Every time is different. Every flower arrangement is different even though we all use same flowers. We are different. After every workshop I think how could I express my way of working better. The real and short version is - intuitive. But you can't teach people by saying "I like it this way. Someone asks "Why?" My answer could be "Well, I feel it and see it." Believe me I've been working hard to find the right words for the creative work with flowers. But it's quite same like in painting. Colors, texture, shapes and composition.

s set up at Måla and More before our flower students arrived

First one is always the hardest one or is it? I don't think so. Second one is the hardest one. To continue. When you begin from zero knowledge you are free of every rule. I think the best way to work with flowers is to keep it very relaxed. Never plan too tight what you are going to do because it's all about ingredients and they will direct you for sure. I could say I make big decisions when I choose flowers for the workshop. But when we are talking about flowers you can't promise certain flower with certain color because you might not get it. You always have to have a plan b. Flowers are also quite expensive material to work with.

blue flowers - I like, do you?

Colors, shapes and textures. I love to combine colors in quite bold way but I know that when I choose colors then I need more time to create the flower arrangement. I love the challenge - how to get all the colors together in harmonious way. And the important thing is time. You need time. You are surrounded by all the beautiful flowers and yes you should have time to enjoy it. It's important to have also a break. A pause. Part of creative work is learning when to take a pause. Take a few steps backwards, do something else. Drink coffee, walk or eat delicious food.

delicious lunch by Meri-Tuuli Väntsi at työhuone ovi 10

That brings me back to our workspace työhuone ovi 10. I have organized workshops there from the Autumn 2016. I organized my own flower arrangement and flower photography workshops first time in Mars 2018. 

I believe that all we do should make us feel good so in workshops there are beautiful flowers, photography, good food, beautiful natural light and time. I co-work with my lovely workspace colleague cook, food stylist and cooking book author Meri-Tuuli Väntsi. Can you imagine when you have worked almost two hours with your flower arrangement and you might be in a spot where you don't know what to do next? Then is the right time to forget the flowers and take a pause - and eat something! Talk with like-minded people. 

when we photograph flowers we also have props

After lunch we continue with flower arrangement and when it's ready we begin to photograph. You photograph your own beautiful flower work with my help. We see the arrangement through the lens and make some adjustments because the world is different through the camera. You might need photos for your portfolio or you want to make an art photography print on your wall or maybe you just want to show your friends your floral art. But we also do it because it's good to photograph your arrangement before you leave the workshop because never know what can happen to it.

learning manual exposure

I've been writing about flower arrangement workshops but I also arrange flower photography workshops where we go through very basics of manual exposure. It's worth to learn if you are planning to get better in photography. On that workshop day we don't make a flower arrangement but we photograph flowers with props. You learn bits of composition too. Manual exposure will open you a new view to photography. Finally you get your blur to the right place.

a flower arrangement for advertise H&M Club flower workshop

All you see here in this picture is done by a photographer. Developing your own skills in different things is always a good thing. I've noticed that painting has helped me to make better photos and it was easier to begin with flowers too - colors, shapes, textures. The most unpleasant feeling comes when you have a doubt that you can't do it. How can you know if you never try? You don't have to be the best - enjoying is enough reason to begin.

flower crown workshop at Johanna Gullichsen

Many of the students have been so happy and almost surprised about their arrangement or crown. Flowers are wonderful ingredient to make feel good art.

floral art by Kristiina

If you are still with me you are in the beginning. This flower arrangement was made in Asun magazine flower workshop in Habitare 2017. A lot have happened and I don't know what to expect from the next year. I'm a photographer and now also flower artist. Love the combo. I love photograph food and lifestyle  (and flowers of course !) and I love to make flower art.

flower arrangement for Helsingin Sanomat story in spring 2018

I'm very thankful for all the lovely stories about me in different magazines like in Helsingin Sanomat. They asked me to make this flower arrangement above with basic flowers from the flower shop. Ok, I added few mine special ones but still it's quite basic, haha.

flower arrangement done by 30 people

Thank you for reading my blog post and I want to wish you a wonderful autumn ! This pic above is from this year's Taiteiden yö in Helsinki. We made flower art together - 30 persons and look how it looks? Not bad? Quite bold and wild I think. That's good, don't you think?

More information about flower arrangement workshop

More information about flower photography workshop

Welcome!


xoxo
Kreetta

SOMETIMES ONE PIC IS ENOUGH

FLOWER WORKSHOP AT H&M HOME

In the times of the pictorial glut it's even more important to understand the power of one photo. 

In July I had a chance to teach a flower workshop at H&M Home in Iso Omena for 2 wonderful groups of lucky members of H&M Club. This pic I styled and photographed for H&M for marketing these workshops. I also used it in my own Instagram feed and offered a chance to win 2 places in these workshops for my followers. I just love the idea of one photo but of course I had to take few and finally I used two pics in my feed. One when announcing the competition and one as a reminder pic.  ( and when I'm telling in IG about this post I will use the third one) 

Social media demands often more than one photo but there is a difference between enough and overload. Before I began my Instagram feed January 2014 I was very convinced that I don't need or actually the world doesn't need more of my pics but I was wrong. From Instagram I found very lovely community of people who I'm following now and we are having great conversations and plenty of useful tips have been shared and mindful thoughts too. I've got so many thankful comments and DM:s about my flower photography that it's been almost overwhelming.

Yes, my feed is full of flowers and (at the moment) Mama Haruki's kittens too. There are posts of food too but mostly flowers. I have over 14 000 followers and I'm very grateful of that and always happy to read all the comments. Maybe now I can call myself social media influencer. I've made few Instagram takeovers and I have to say I've enjoyed a lot making them. Love to tell this to you because I'm back at work and it's time to create something new and beautiful, don't you think? Something what we haven't seen before. 

One more thing. I was smiling today when I saw the cover of Vogue. There were huge flower headpiece and Beyonce. I had an art exhibition I See Color in January where I had huge floral headpieces. I taught flower crown workshop at Johanna Gullichsen shop in Helsinki in May and designed flower crowns for Supershe Island summer 2018 retreats. Flower crowns are made by Bukettmakaren. I guess we are not so far from each other anymore. The world and us.

xo

Kreetta

1:1 FLORAL ADVENTURE WITH THE BLUE CARROT

MAGICAL WORKSHOP WITH FLORAL DESIGNER SUSANNE HATWOOD 

BOUQUET BY SUSANNE

I’m lost in flowers. I've always liked them but after my mom's death 2016 flowers just took over. My mom loved flowers and somehow I feel more connected to her when I work with them. I’ve been organizing flower workshops in Helsinki at my workspace työhuone ovi 10 for over one year now and I always find myself making wild flower arrangements from the workshop leftovers because in the workshop I teach flower photography and floral designer is teaching the flower arrangement. But because I want to learn to make very beautiful flower works I decided to make a trip to well-known floral designer and gardener Susanne Hatwood known as The Blue Carrot. Her work speaks the language I love and I was her 1:1 student for two days in April. This trip was a gift to me from me. Creativity needs to be fed. 

In the workshop morning I’m very excited and a bit scared too because I’m only a photographer who wants to learn to make beautiful flower works that I can photograph and of course I’m a big fan of her work so this is really exciting. We drive to her workspace. It’s in a small stone house next to the old farm house. When Susanne opens the door, I just can’t get my eyes off her flowers. Amazing! 

We continue to see her garden and that is such a charming place! I’m feeling a bit envy but mostly I’m thrilled to be here. Her place is truly a hidden gem. I'm already in love.

First we decide to make a bouquet because I’ve never done one! She is teaching me the spiral technique. That is because we want to avoid crushing and breaking those delicate stems. It’s demanding a great deal of patience and finally my left hand fingers are starting to feel really stiff and the whole hand is hurting a bit. Susanne reminds me to relax my hand and fingers and same time to see how flowers goes in shape that is natural for them. She is so right. 

It’s also important to build both sides of the bouquet and that is a challenge for me as a very beginner. We step out to a light to see how our bouquets looks against simple background. It’s also very helpful to take a photo of it to see more clearly what to change and how to continue. You can also use a mirror to see.

Susanne has amazing skill to build a movement in her flower works. Like the bouquet she is building now. I struggle with very basic things and she is helping me out and giving good advices so I’m not in trouble at all (actually I have pretty good chances to success because next to me is very talented flower lady) But still I have this moment of frustration “Can I start all over again?” I ask. “No” Susanne answers. In creative process I often get to the point when I feel real frustration because the work doesn’t look like I want to. But (most of the time) I’ve learned to breath in and out I do something else and then go back to the thing I was doing. But now Susanne takes my bouquet and tells me loose my fingers (again - this is second or third time) - she says “Look where the flowers set. Forcing is not a good way to work with flowers.” Wise words and quite obvious too but did not come to my mind in this pure excitement, haha.

Fact is I did have difficulties to choose right amount of different flowers to my bouquet because there were too many beautiful and charming ones around me and that doesn't happen too often.

Susanne’s philosophy is charming. Her bright blue eyes and sense of humour are enchanting. She is a lady of no rules even though she is very precise in everything. She doesn’t care about numbers, green foliage, cold colours. She is all about movement, curves and autumn colors. She also keeps her arrangements quite simple if talking about amount of different flowers and colors. No mess of flowers around here but lot of laughing.

Suddenly my bouquet is ready to be tied up. Susanne puts my bouquet on the table and takes burlap string and ties it up tightly but not forcing. Then she takes flower tape and rolls it on the burlap string few times and then turn the tape’s sticky side up that when we add the silky ribbon it will stay there without problem. 

After the work is done we start to photograph our beautiful bouquets. And that you should have seen. Two ladies with their cameras going around and round those flower bouquets and how many places we tried - trying to find a perfect light and angle. But as all creatives they know their light and Susanne’s workspace window is magical before the noon. 

MY BOUQUET

I can already say I’ve learnt many things but one of them is patience. I don’t have it always so much so it’s a challenge. It’s important to concentrate when choosing your flowers like what kind of flowers, colors, right size, right shaped stem and how to put it in the right place. When collecting ingredients it doesn’t have to be the most beautiful ones but they have to speak the same language in every level: color, shape, texture, size, contrast, movement. Seeing different shades and colors together - is it cold or warm tone - makes the difference. You might have to leave your favorite flower out from the bouquet. We are not talking about easy decisions.

Next day we continue with flower arrangement but the time just keeps running and suddenly it’s time to close the workshop door behind us. I’ve enjoyed two days in the middle of flower haven with talented Susanne. She has her own way with flowers and she follows more her instinct than rules. But of course she is on that level that she can work like that. She doesn’t make easy decisions, she is a bit like her favorite flower - dark colored tulip called The Queen of the Night. There is drama and tranquility with a hint of absolutely perfect sense of humour.

FAMILY PIC: SUSANNE'S ON THE RIGHT MINE ON THE LEFT

Because I couldn't take the whole flower arrangement home with me I took few flowers. I pressed them between the magazine I bought from the Paddington station for the train reading. Those flowers are my souvenir from the beautiful flower experience I had with Susanne in her magical workshop in Portscatho, Cornwall.

Next week I will travel to Belgium to Golden Age : The Abundance of Autumn workshop by Fleuropean and The Blue Carrot. I can't believe this is happening but it is. You will see and hear about it during next week in my IG and later on here in my blog. It's another gift to me from me. I paid these workshops with my inherited money from my mom. I think it's well spent money.

Enjoy your weekend!

xoxo

Kreetta

CREATIVE FLOWER WORKSHOP

A DAY WITH FLOWERS, PHOTOGRAPHY AND DELICIOUS FOOD

Welcome to see bits of last Sunday when we had our relaxed creative day with flowers at työhuone ovi 10. 

We made Creative Flower Workshop together with lovely and talented Laura Syväniemi from Lovejunedesign. A day was combination of making a flower arrangement, photographing it and having a delicious lunch and dessert by my dear workspace colleague cook and book author Meri-Tuuli Lindström.

Getting to know chicken wire. 

It's amazing how silent it can be when all the ladies are concentrating in creating the flower arrangement.

From the Laura's gorgeous flower bar students could take so many beautiful flowers. 

It has been super fun to plan and make the workshop happen with Laura. Here she is telling about roses. Flowers have their own nature. Some of them are very fragile, some very straight, some very difficult to maintain and the list is endless. There are lots of things to learn. I wish I had made my 10 000 hours already but no - I'm in chapter one.

It's amazing to see how different the flower arrangements are from same flowers. I have arranged already quite a few flower workshops since August 2016 and not in any of them people made the same. I think we bring a lot of our personality to our work and I think that is wonderful and THE thing. We can be creative in so many ways. In workshop we try to support students own creative process. For me one very important thing in creating is feeling relaxed. I sure you it makes things easier with better result. But we all have our own way to create so whatever works for you - use it.

Be never hungry when creating - that is almost my rule number one. I get easily distracted if I am hungry not forgetting I need a good music while working.

This pic above is a beautiful flower arrangement by it's creator. But when you bring it in front of the camera there are some things you see more clearly. It's different if this arrangement would be on the party table. It's backround isn't so clear and it's looked at from almost every angle. In photo you can see only one side. Together with student we made it ready for the photo. I try to help student to see the problems or the challenges in the arrangement when we are photographing it. We try to balance and shape the work as beautiful as possible.
 

See the difference?

This gorgeous flower arrangement is by Eeva.

I hope you enjoyed the post. Maybe even got excited about flowers? You are always very welcome to our flower workshops. We don't just make a flower arrangement, we want to create a full relaxed and creative experience for you. After the workshop you have a beautiful flower arrangement, a pic of it in your camera or phone, great experince of tasty food and hopefully your mind is relaxed and full of inspiration.

Quite nice don't you think?

Thank you for all our lovely students!

  
Have a lovely weekend <3

xoxo
Kreetta