FLOWERING HEARTS - Creative Edge February 2021
DESIGNS & TEXT BY HITOMI GILLIAM AIFD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLIN GILLIAM
“February is a HEART month!! Valentine’s Day is symbolized by the Red Heart motif universally as an expression of LOVE.
My article and the 3 designs this month is going to center around the Heart shape as the core inspiration.”
“My 3 designs this month are:
#1 RED HEART GRAFFITTI ‘CURSIVE HEARTS’
#2 FLOATING FLATLAY GREEN HEART
#3 VERTICAL ‘ART NOUVEAU’ GROWING HEART
”
RED HEART GRAFFITTI
‘Cursive Hearts’
“If a graffiti artist was spray painting hearts as a repetitive form on the concrete wall… it would probably render in a distinct cursive form. This look was translated into a three-dimensional structure for flowering using midollino extenders (2 midollino extended with aluminum wire and bindwire wrapped in red yarn) to create the initial armature. Two different shades and textures of red yarn were used to create variation within the structure. This free flow rendering of hearts were bindwired together to create a longitudinal structure, attached and suspended from the top of an upright aluminum stand and bindwired securely in multiple spots. Flowers were in most part designed in water tubes and threaded through the structure, bringing out the formal linear characteristic of this design. Some blossoms (which perform well when glued), were designed in this way to complement. These two methods of designing worked beautifully together to achieve the various effects in order to flower this structure successfully.
The color palette of flowers selected were largely within the analogous color harmony, leaning to the tints, tones, and shades of red-violets to bring richness and contrast to the red heart structure. To elaborate on the wiry cursive armature, repetition of the linear flow with sinuous stems of mini callas gracefully achieved the desired effect. This design is very much in the spirit of Art Nouveau styling – as an open form design with a formal linear emphasis. The design was finished with a garden romance using lacey Asparagus setaceus, complemented with Jasmine vine in bud. Much of the transparency is preserved to bring emphasis to the linear elements.”
BOTANICALS Mini Calla (Zantedeschia rehmannii), Ranunculus asiaticus, Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum opulus), Eryngium planum, Phalaenopsis sp. Blooms, Aspidistra elatior (variegated), Philodendron selloum, Fatsia japonica, Jasmine vine (Jasminum officinale), Plumosa fern (Asparagus setaceus), Equisetum hyemale
SUPPLIES Midollino extenders (view youtube tutorial), Bindwire, 4” clear water tubes, UGlu Dashes, Aluminum vertical stand (tweaked lamp stand)
GREEN HEART
‘Floating Flatlay’
“Two Flat Heart Shapes were created using a single midollino extender each. The heart shape is supported by criss-crossing bamboo skewers randomly bindwired to the outer heart shape. Both layers of hearts are stacked on top of each other with an approximate one-inch spacing, connected together with standing bamboo skewers, allowing these structures to float over the low platter. Flowers are then laced through the structure to form the heart shape with its stems in water. Tulips were designed initially, followed by short Cyclamen blooms placed in floating water tubes to interact with the linearly inserted flowers. The next step was to fill in the heart shape with cyclamen leaves (stems cut flush to the leaf and cauterized with cold glue) in a flattering 3D layering effect.
A midollino extender heart was added as an overlay to define the heart shape. Phalaenopsis blooms with cauterized stems were glued in to create the focal emphasis. The final touch was the lacing of light sprigs of flowering Jasmine to loosely naturalize the vining, romanticizing the heart.”
BOTANICALS Tulip (Tulipa var.), Cyclamen persicum blooms & foliage, Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum opulus), Phalaenopsis blooms, Hypericum andrjosaemum, Jasmine vine (Jasminum officinale)
SUPPLIES Midollino extenders (green), bamboo skewers, bindwire, UGlu dashes, 4” clear watertubes, Wire mesh (silver), low platter
ART NOUVEAU
‘Vertical Growing Heart’
“A larger flat green heart was shaped with a midollino extender (2 midollinos extended with aluminum wire and bindwire wrapped with green yarn). Bamboo skewers were criss-crossed within the heart, bindwired to the heart frame randomly until the shape was solid. Additional midollino extenders of varying color green and thicknesses were added to create a decorative Art Nouveau styling, further dimensionalizing it. This decorative linear addition with an added emphasis to the curvilinearness of the tendrils and vines that characterize the Art Nouveau look. Watertubes were then UGlued and bindwired to the back and through the structure, holding the initial foliage treatment.
Greening on the left side with split Aspidistra leaves, and the right side of the heart with Lily grass loosely woven together for transparency. Poppy stems in watertubes were placed into the weave of the botanically sculptured heart, helping the green foliage heart become a canvas to show off these exquisite Poppy blossoms. A heart is truly a shape that resonates emotion. When the beautiful botanicals create an interplay of color and texture, the tension that’s created exudes both love and passion. ”
BOTANICALS Poppy (Papaver nudicaule), Hypericum androsaemum, Aspidistra elatior (variegated), Lily Grass (Liriope muscari), Plumos Fern (Asparagus setaceus)
SUPPLIES Midollino extenders (green–various shades and thickness), bamboo skewers, Bindwire, UGlu dashes, 4” clear watertubes, 4x4” wood block, Glass rod
