It feels wonderful when someone recognizes and compliments my work, calling me talented. However, I strongly believe that talent isn’t something we’re born with or blessed with by a higher power. Instead, true talent lies in the desire to constantly learn and understand, the curiosity to explore how things work, what they’re made of, and why they exist. For me, this passion has led to a deep interest in paper and clay flower making, which has opened my eyes to the beauty of nature in a profound way.
As I’ve delved deeper into this craft, I’ve become increasingly fascinated by different flower varieties, their botanical parts, and how they change throughout their growth cycle. To create accurate replicas, I study each flower closely, observing every detail from different angles and taking countless photos. I also collect images of rare and exotic flowers online, read botanical books, and even preserve blooms from my own garden. All of this effort and knowledge is essential to my craft, as it allows me to recreate the flowers as accurately as possible.
While some may assume that creating a simple flower like a daisy or cosmos would be quick and easy, it’s often the opposite. The materials used to make the flowers can greatly impact the time and effort required. For instance, creating a clay flower involves making molds and focusing on details like the veins on petals and leaves, while paper flowers require creating patterns and trial and error to turn a 2D sheet into a 3D structure, hiding the armature (wires of different gages) that help shaping and holding the petals, centers, leaves and stems, then coloring and sealing to preserve from natural fading.
Leaves and green fillers are also crucial components of my craft, and I’ve come to appreciate their importance. To make them as true to life as possible, I’ve studied and preserved a variety of leaves, drawn different types, and even created silicone molds from scratch. Through these efforts, I’ve improved my botanical replicas and brought my flowers to life.
Ultimately, I believe that the process of creating these beautiful pieces is what brings me the most joy. It requires a constant desire to learn and improve, and there’s always more to discover. To me, the question of how long it takes to make a flower is irrelevant – it’s a lifelong journey of discovery and growth. I feel grateful to have this opportunity to never be bored and always find inspiration in the world around me. In my upcoming posts, I’ll share time-lapse videos of some of the most beautiful stages of blooming I’ve captured over the past two years.