Hitomi’s Week One Study Notes
‘A DEEPER LOOK AT SHAPE & FORM’
compiled by Hitomi Gilliam
Companion text to Hitomi’s first Mentor Session & Bonus Flowering Session, which can be watched via the following links
Hitomi’s First Mentoring Session - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o-5OoEB4Zg
Hitomi’s Bonus Flowering Session - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1SvAeS1r7g
My References:
Interflora World Cup 2023 Design Review with Per Benjamin
Compilation of Art observed and analyzed on my recent trip to New Mexico
Georgia O’Keeffe Art Revisited
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum – Santa Fe
Georgia O’Keeffe Studio & House Tour – Abiqui
Georgia O’Keeffe Landscape Tour – Ghost Ranch
Museum of Encaustic Art – Cerrillos (Beeswax infused with color pigments)
Vivo Contemporary Gallery – Canyon Rd. Santa Fe
Ilse Bolle (fiber artist)
GF Contemporary Gallery – Canyon Rd. Santa Fe
Pascal Pierme (wood/paint)
Gia Cobbe Fritz Fine Art Gallery – Canyon Rd. Santa Fe
Barbara Pontium (ceramic art/totem)
Globe Fine Art Gallery – Canyon Rd. Santa Fe
Richard Potter (Encaustic paint)
New Mexico Fiber Arts Center – Espanola
Seco Potter Fest – Arroyo Seco
Fritts & Shelton Pottery Studio – Taos
Definition of SHAPE & FORM
SHAPE: 2D figurative view and assessment of an object, from your point of view. An outline or silhouette.
FORM: 3D figurative overall assessment of an object
3 types of BOTANICAL ART:
1. Decorative Floral Design
Determined Form filled abundantly with Flowers in an artful way.
Artful commercial design created to appeal to the masses.
2. Botanical/Floral Art
Upgraded composition highlighting the technical and creative skills of a designer with emphasis on artistic value of design. Proportion of flowers/botanicals (75%) to the foundational structure that has been constructed as a template (SHAPE/FORM) with non-botanicals must be observed… to be deemed as Floristic.
3. FLOWERxART Hybrid Art
Hybridization of other art media…. paint, fiber, metal, clay, glass, with FLOWERS
The proportion of flowers to non-botanicals are not critically observed. One form of
Art and Flowers become the cross section of the story. Exploring the balance
between medium… interdisciplinary art.
Painting with flowers on canvas alongside paint pigments….
Or shaping with flowers with Clay, or Metal, or carved Stone….
Or weaving with flowers and Fiber….
Not necessarily Floral-centric
ART that informs about NATURE…
ART that tells a Story…. Makes a statement…
What we have learned so far with each and every ELEMENT of Design that we have studied in Floristic Dialog…
That there is the Fundamental Study…. the guideline to launch the study of COLOUR, LINE, TEXTURE, FORM…. It involves the science of the topic…. the hardcore evidence of geometry, color wheel, etc. without the study of emotional outcome…
Like with Color Theory based on color wheel as a tool to illustrate and to analyze the outcome of dynamics of color… it cannot be the sole heartbeat of the advanced study.
Added creativity comes from the emotion that the element can bring with added imagination.
So to advance the study…. we need to pursue the COMPLEX HARMONY within each element.
How can we go beyond designing from facts and science… to dramatically affect the emotions.
Learning to create profound discovery….. in your works… building the creative connection, Bridging the effective combination so that the viewer can see it and feel it!!… the AHA!! effect.
WITH SHAPE & FORM…. How to reach Complex Harmony?
Intrigue and make the viewer discover with shapes at first glance
Let them see and appreciate the complexity of the construction
Let them discover how the shape inspiration becomes the FORM
Draw their eyes to the final outcome…. to appreciate the craftsmanship, the creativity and pique their fascination
Think of shapes that are dynamic instead of static…. Shapes that moves your eye
Think of Form that can come to life with addition of living flowers
Think of impressive quality words to describe the Shape/Form…. and its effect, like we did with Colour…. like Sleek, Curvaceous, Signature, Dynamic, Sinuous, Diaphanous, Levitating, Magical, Arabesque, Sculptural ….. CREATE THAT!!
Shapes are incremental 2D surface components that makes up the final 3D form
FORM is a result of multiple directional shapes….
The identity of Form is the result of multiplicity of shapes that provides is character.
Complex Harmony of shapes create Advanced Form.
ILLUSTRATION OF FORM AND SHAPES – THE EVOLUTION
click above image to enlarge
2.1
3 Dimensional Form in Floristic Art at Interflora World Cup competition can be analyzed assessing the following….
Prevalent Line established…
Angularity and Direction ….
Proportion and Size of the effect….
Emphasis Dimensionalized….
Proportion of botanical use to be maximized to 75% of the composition
So what constitutes the Shape/Form inspiration for…
CANOPY?
It is an overall form that can be irregular…. In natural interpretation, but has an overall umbrella feeling to it.
Top heavy… the word singles out the top portion of the tree
Multiple canopies or single? Up to interpretation
Seemingly static form… but teeming with life, full of vibrant community of living organisms and creatures that it supports. It is the heartbeat of the forest.
Represents protection… cover…. shelter feel
The mechanics of the way the power of the canopy is supported indicates the degree of emphasis to this specific part of the forest.
From the Shape and Form perspective….. which designer clearly portrayed the Word CANOPY, the best?
WAVE?
Waves come in all shapes….multiples… swaying gently… stormy and violent… or of course singular
It foremost, represent Movement…. Nothing static about it.
The proportion and direction provides the power of the surge, and the Impressiveness of this interpretation
The mechanics of the form must adequately support the energy depicted
The various quality of the water like foamy, splashy, etc. – creative depiction to match the physical weight of the build-up in the composition.
From the Shape and Form perspective…. which designer depicted the power of Wave to the most awesome effect?
How much of this shape is affected by proportion?
How much of the judging also is affected by the details of the depiction?
SHAPE & FORM is the backbone or the overall look of the theme depiction.
It is clearly responsible for the theme development… it is the foundational sketch, the starting point, the outline, the structure that supports the final silhouette.
The 4 examples of SHAPE & FORM follows with an accompanying file….
Floral Nomenclature and Longevity Chart for Flowers and Foliage to be referenced to support the use of Free stemming and Water Tubing techniques in designs.
I am also approaching these designs based on the World Cup Floristry standard to see if the analysis of percentage of botanicals used to the whole construction is 75% or more as prescribed.
2.2.1
SHAPE & FORM #1: Curvilinear Extended Triangle with Blurred Movement (Cloudgrass)
Curving horizontal lines of extending Willow whips, constructed, bound with bindwire with crossing lines of the same to create the mechanics of triangular structure building for strength and support. It emulates a low canopy like feel overall, over a low lying triangle with offset, displacement of bottom point from the wood block base. It is supported by a leg to distribute the weight of the triangular extension and the flowers which will be placed in that area.
Concentration of watertubes used are closest to the wood block for support and balance for this design.
Non-Botanicals: 4 x 4” Wood Block; 4” Clear Plastic Watertubes; UGlu Dashes; Bullion Wire, Bindwire
Botanicals: Cloudgrass (dried Agrostis nebulosa); Rose ‘Tiara’; Carnation ‘Hypnosis’ (Dianthus caryophyllus); Tulip ‘Black Bean’; Stock (Matthiola incana); Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Purple Focal’; Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Cherry Vanilla Focal’; Clematis ‘Amazing Kyiv’; Tracheleum caeruleum; Astrantia ‘Star of Love’; Steelgrass (Xanthorroea); IKEA ‘Torka’ Willow Whips; Raffia; Bamboo Skewers
Carnations, Roses and Steelgrass can be Free stemmed if the design need to last for 2 days or less.
Repetition of triangular shapes in its curving form… the wispiness of the pointed, directed end on every triangle visible as well as the bundled Cloudgrass, bundled Steelgrass and even the bamboo skewered water tubes… they all have a pointed end that wisps. From overhead, the volume is thicker over the wood block and wisps out to infinity.
The Cloudgrass bundles randomly wisping here and there shrouds the volume to be light rather than heavy… transparent rather than solid…. and its transparent quality in front of the flower vs. behind creates interesting textural contrasts.
I liken it to the semi-transluscent filmy finish with the Encaustic (wax) paint on canvas.
Translation of what the effect you want to implement… is up to your imagination. This created the different emotions that you feel as you look upon the combination of materials and shapes that makes up this very light and airy, diaphanous form.
2.2.2
SHAPE & FORM #2: Curving Vertical Cylindrical Form in Suspension, Inspired by Ruth Asawa’s Hanging Wire Sculpture
After I figured out how to 3 dimensionalize flat Midollino circular tatami pieces, it took on the hanging
Asawa-esque sculpture feeling…. Also not unlike the bamboo and paper lantern sculptures of Isamu Noguchi. These long hanging #4 reed rattan (in place of Midollino N/A) structures morphs along with varied handling manipulations bringing the layer upon layer of circular motions tight in and open out to modulate the shaping of the column.
Non-Botanicals: Wool; Bindwire; Wire Mesh; Bullion Wire; European spiked Watertubes (plastic); UGlu Dashes
Botanicals: #4 Reed Rattan; IKEA ‘Torka’ Willow Whips; Boxwood; Equisetum hyemale; Bittersweet Vine (Celastrus orbiculatus); Clematis ‘Amazing Kyiv’; Wild Clematis floss (Clematis vitalba); Carnation ‘Hypnosis’; Rose ‘Tiara’; Disbud Chrysanthemum ‘Typhoon Red’; Chrysanthemum button ‘Doria Cherry’ & ‘Doria Purple’; Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Purple Focal’; Astrantia ‘Star of Love’; Raffia
The transparent modular cylinder provides opportunity to Flower it in various ways…. In this example, I inserted a wire mesh cylinder filled lightly with boxwood through the center of the entire column to accommodate insertions to be stabbed into the core. The European extended watertubes were covered with raffia to naturalize them… these were internally inserted to the core, as well as from the outside of the structure.
Another watersource are the upside down Equisetum which were decoratively colored with banding of turquoise yarn and copper bullion wire to introduce the Southwest color combination that beautifully accentuate the chosen color palette. Turquoise is the color of the patina on weathered copper…. they are color companions by process.
Additional wrapping with copper bullion on stems of the Bittersweet to repair the broken berry limbs, extended to the banding effect help tie in the use of copper in this composition.
Designing vertically from inside the column, interfaced with flowers on the outside seem to make the most sense and impact. Visually the use of the wool spun tubes of blue violet to red violet helps connect the turquoise and copper bridging the blue to peach within its spectrum. Using spun wool fiber as a companion medium adds a layer of richness both in color and texture to this composition.
2.2.3
SHAPE & FORM #3: Opposing Extension, a companion addition for Swooping Cone (Funnel-shape) previously created for SHAPE & FORM Part 1
A squeezed Cone shape, tailored to a fine sharp point at the top, covered partially with dock (Rumex crispus) which dried beautifully was turned upside down and slid over the metal lamp stand to be the base for the opposing squeezed cone, shorter in height… to create a composite sculptural shape made from flexed Willow whips into an attractive overall New Finial shape.
To get the squeezed look to the point, I used bongo ties which allowed me to feed the thin pointed sticks into the rubber banded sections to taper it beautifully.
It took tips from 4 bundles of IKEA ‘Torka’ Willow Whips to create the total structure.
Non-Botanicals: Metal Lampstand; Threaded Metal Rod inserted into the lamp stand; Coated Chickenwire; Bindwire; Bullion Wire; Rubberband; UGlu Dashes
Botanicals: Ikea ‘Torka’ Willow Whips; Bittersweet Vine (Celastrus orbiculatus); DA Garden Rose ‘Tess’; Aranthera orchid ‘Anny Back’; Dahlia (Pompon rusty orange); Dahlia (Pompon red orange); Pincushion Protea ‘Succession’ (Leucospermum cordifolium); Wild Clematis floss (Clematis vitalba); Mini Calla ‘Red Alert’ (Zantedeschia elliottiana); Chrysanthemum button ‘Doria Cherry’ & ‘Doria Purple’; Chrysanthemum Cushion ‘Berry Sorbet’; Carnation ‘Mustard’ (Dianthus caryophyllus); Rose ‘Sahara Sensation’; Sycamore leaves and seedpods (Platanus var.), Dock (Rumex crispus)
The chickenwire floor of the structure in the middle is partially covered with Sycamore twigs with leaves intact, with some of the individual leaves initially covering the edges of chickenwire.
Internally some of the Dahlia shorts, Carnation shorts and Rose shorts cover the floor… only to be seen through the transparent willow stick structure. Some of the Doria button mums are free stemmed direct into the opening in the willow stick structure, paved flat so as not to affect it as they dry.
The main line of design from top to bottom will follow the main open sliver in the willow structure. It is highlighted by the Bittersweet Vine (free stemmed), Sycamore branch with seed pods and bullion wired Sycamore leaves to lead your eyes up to the pinnacle and to hang down to drape off of the edge of the circular ring mid height, followed by drapings of Wild Clematis floss (free stemmed) to lighten up the flow. The flowers follow suit with upward flow of mini callas and downward to hanging downward spirally (stem end sealed with floral adhesive and closed with bindwire wrapping) … Aranthera orchid,Pincushion Proteas , Dahlias, Carnations and Roses (all in green spiked watertubes inserted into chickenwire) fill in to complete the design. Weight distribution of water tubed flowers front to the back side is necessary to make the design physically balanced.
2.2.4
SHAPE & FORM #4: Outer Rectangular Frame showcases the Natural Sculptural Form of the Dried Tropical Inflorescense and Foliage
An existing wood frame canvassed and primed white, with a sliver of swivel vertical wood frame attachment within becomes the window into which a natural sculptural form composed from dried tropical flowers and foliage bindwired together was mounted. It swivels to change its direction of view, as well, the narrow window holds the cylinder of wiremesh which can hold angled insertion of watertubes on bamboo skewers as water source.
Often times, the mechanical ingenuity is required to get the most exciting shape & form effect out of a design.
Non-Botanicals: 1 x 4” lumber (wood frame); Screws and Hardware; Unbleached Cotton Canvas; Foamcore; Spray Adhesive; Bindwire; Latex Paint; Wire Mesh; 4” Plastic Watertubes; UGlu Dashes: Hot Glue
Dried Botanicals used to create the Nature’s Sculpture: Hanging Heliconia; Ravenala inflorescense; Curculigo (Whaleback); Heliconia;n Strelitzia foliage; Calathea foliage; Fasciated Willow; Lily pods on stem; Miscanthus sinensis (Silver Maiden Grass)
Botanicals: Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’; Cosmos Apricot; Wild Clematis vitalba floss; Sedum spectabile; Rose ‘Sahara Sensation’; Eryngium Questar green; Chrysanthemum button ‘Doria purple’; Chrysanthemum cushion ‘Berry Sorbet’
Georgia O’Keeffe had a penchant for bones, skulls and other skeletal remnants found in the high desert of New Mexico around Ghost Ranch… and in her paintings, she often transposed fresh living blooms against the lives past and gone. I chose to create a Sculpture with Naturally curled and formed Dried Botanicals, and apply the fresh blooms to add LIFE back to the past.
All of the thirsty blooms such as Dahlia and Cosmos are in water in the tubes. The Chrysanthemum, button and cushion are free stemmed, glued into the crevasses flush to the surface so they will dry happily into place, as will the Sedum spectabiles and the Wild Clematis floss.
The color of the flowers are deliberately light and very close to the color of the naturally bleached dried botanicals…. Bridging Life and Death as a natural transition ethereally depicted in Art.
Shape and Form for Botanical Art are outlined in Elements and Principles of Floral Design.
They are those which have circulated in Floral Art for decades, taking to different interpretation and styling influenced by timely Floral Trends.
There maybe additional inspirations exploring outside of Floral Art… looking at Other Art Medium… seeing how other artists construct their Shapes and Forms and be inspired by it literally and emotionally.