Inspiration and finding your style

Inspiration and Finding Your Style

Taking time away from work to immerse yourself in nature will help you find inspiration for your arrangements.

While apps like Instagram and Pinterest are great for exploring different styles, it's when we step away from our screens and connect with nature that we truly discover new ways to create.

Observing the daily changes in the natural environments around us, from the bark of a tree to the changing tones of autumnal light, will help us to discover new ways of working and new materials to work with.

Getting Inspired by Nature

Moving to a more rural area and spending more time in nature helped me to develop work that is more wild, free and natural. Take a look around you and discover what natural spaces are in your local area, and then visit them at different times of the year and see how they change.

Try exploring:

• forests
• parks
• nature reserves
• coastlines
• hedgerows

Exploring the same area at different times of year will help you to live seasonally and enjoy what each particular month offers.

It's also important to accept that we never stop learning. Your style will continue to evolve so there is no end point. Just do what makes you happy. While I love autumn and the more muted tones that it brings, you might prefer flowers in the height of summer. Explore the seasons and find out which colour palette you are drawn to.

Other Sources of Inspiration

While I spend the majority of my time working with dried flowers, I find that channelling my creativity into other art forms too helps me discover more about my style, as well as new ways of working with colour and texture.

My other main sources of inspiration are:

• pottery
• art galleries
• oil paintings

Your list may be different depending on what art forms or other things inspire you.

Developing Your Own Style

As you begin to develop your own style, keep certain questions in mind that will gently challenge your choices. This self-questioning process will help you to discover your likes and dislikes and how you best work.

Some sample questions could include:

• do you like to create arrangements that are close and compact or that are free and open?
• do you like loose, textural materials in your display, or do you prefer structure?
• do you like cool or warm tones? Block colours or gentle transitions?

If you're creating work for yourself, it's also important to consider what will work in your home environment.

Getting Started

When you first start working with dried flowers, or any new art form, it's easy to get frustrated that your work doesn't look like the vision you have in your head.

This is why perseverance is key. Remember, you will always get better at something if you put the time and effort in.

And if you're getting particularly frustrated by a piece of work, take a step away from it. When you return, you'll be able to see it with fresh eyes and often you'll find you can solve the problem quite quickly.