Floral art requires lot of persistence: Expert

International floral artist Tomas De Bruyn recently installed one of the largest floral installations -- a 30-feet ‘Tree of Prosperity’ made with 3,00,000 flowers -- at Phoenix Marketcity, Mumbai.

Metrolife got in touch with De Bruyne and he talks about his journey as a floral artist, his first attempt and more.

According to you, what exactly is floral art?
To me, floral art means having the ability to combine botanical flowers in an attractive order.

How did your interest develop?
At the age of 17, I experienced the urge to pursue a career with flowers. As I started putting flowers together, I learnt that they are more than just coloured petals; I started sensing the beauty of the stem, its leaves and texture. That is how the interest developed.

Tree of Prosperity, an arrangement by De Bruyne.

What was your first design like?
My first arrangement was primitive as it focused only on colours, shape and visual impact. These three elements are still visible in my works, however, they are now far more

refined and balanced and use other elements like line, form, space, texture, rhythm, contrast, harmony and unity. Also, the growth process is all about falling and getting up, it always involves risks. Initially, I did not know my medium quite well as I wasn’t comfortable with using withered flowers.

Where do you take your inspiration from?
Nature is my biggest muse. My architecture-focused way of working, not only in natural surroundings but also with humans, gives me lots of ideas and insights on how elements and principles of design can work aesthetically. I also take inspiration from different forms of art, including painting, sculpting and even music.

Your advice for youngsters who wish to take up floral art.
Trial and error is the best way to learn. Besides, you will grow faster by learning from your own mistakes than reading about someone else’s. So, my suggestion to you is to get on the field and work.