The Struggle of Crescents

It took me three weeks to understand the crescent formation with flowers and stems. It is not an easy shape to form naturally even with all the props and videos. Yet the moon does it so elegantly, periodically. Maybe, it has perfected the shape over time.

I learnt the importance of sketching the design first before making the arrangement. My imagination was not enough. I knew the importance of hiding the mechanics in my floral design. My imagination was not enough. I learned the importance of knowing which flowers to use for a design. Just staring at flowers with the design in mind and using my imagination was not enough. However, even with all this, my design came out completely different than my sketch. My design will have to be tried again sometime later.

In my defense, I am battling high temperatures, and the practicality of obtaining flowers that are also budget-friendly and long-lasting in June, in the northern hemisphere. I thought arranging flowers is a pleasurable activity, but it is turning out to be a planned, meticulous endeavor that can only forgive mistakes so much.

I tried to bring the crescent shape, which originated in the French Rococo era of the 18th century, into the Art Nouveau or Art Deco era. I also tried creating the crescent shape in the Ikebana design of arranging flowers. Although both, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, were attractive to me, I felt Art Deco was very difficult to do. Art Deco seems highly stylized. It remains on my ‘to-do’ list.

I think I created a mix of Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs unknowingly. It has crescents and circles, and gentle curves that uses the natural curves of the stems, reflecting the Art Nouveau. But nothing can be more geometrical than a circle and geometry reflects Art Deco. Even crescents are a common area of overlapping circles, but they do not seem to be modern and are frankly overused.

Anchoring stems and flowers to their natural shapes to form a curve was difficult, especially in Ikebana. Hiding the ugly foam and kenzan was necessary and I used moss and overlapping leaves, respectively. I am pleased with the design. However, the actual design awaits.