Hi, I'm Trish Nishikawa, owner of Project Fleur Floral Studio in Naglee Park. This Sunday, 10/9, 11am-5pm, stop by my booth at Naglee Park Open Studios event. I'm #4 on the map.
This Saturday, 10/8, the day before Open Studios, I'll be hosting a floral program. This is a show where I'll be making the pieces for Open Studios (Sunday) live in front of the audience while talking about the techniques and inspiration behind each piece. Tickets and more info are available here.
I've had the wonderful opportunity to study floral arts with Hitomi Gilliam, Gregor Lersch and many other wonderful AIFD and EMC instructors. My artwork is inspired by European floral design which focuses on handmade structures, small details achieving a whole, evoking emotion, and the use of sustainable resources. You may have seen me this year and last at "Bouquet to Arts" Exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco, where together with the Floral Artists of the Bay Area, we interpreted a Mayan Stella, and last year the painting "Ms. John Rogers" by James Earl with flowers. You can also stay informed of my floral shenanigans by following me on Instagram @projectfleur and @trish.nishikawa
"Arch of Octavius" (Summer 2020)
Materials: Amazon cardboard boxes, leucosperum cordifolium (pincushion protea), scabiosa columbaria ochroleuca (pincushion scabiosa), Amaranthus caudatus ('Love Lies Bleeding' amaranth), dahlias, hybrid poppies, astilbe, David Austin Roses: Evelyn, Mustead Wood, Carding Mill, Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' (Succulent Black Rose)
In 2020, I was super excited to participate in the San Francisco De Young Museum's Bouquet to Arts exhibit representing the Floral Artists of the Bay Area. But the pandemic hit and the museum closed. But that didn't stop any of the designers from continuing to create. The painting I choose for 2020 was the "Arch of Octavius" (Roman Fish Market) by German-American painter Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902)
At first glance, I was attracted to the strong architectural feature, but later after reading the description of the painting, I realized it couldn't be more relevant to the mood of the United States at the time. Built by Emperor Augustus in 23 B.C., this ancient Roman entrance fell into ruin by the 12th century, becoming a smelly fish market littered with scales and shells. Bierstadt's painting depicts the decline and ruin of one of the world's greatest empires, a sentiment that currently ran deep at a time of global pandemic, political divide, economic depression and racial oppression. The week I made this piece, cities across the US burned in protest to the death of George Floyd, and small businesses remained shuttered- a decaying empire. In this floral sculpture, I threaded pieces of an Amazon Prime box together to create the brickwork and to represent the demise of small business to internet behemoths and big box stores. While the colors choosen, represent the terracota brick, they could also be interpreted as flames of the rebellion. Stay tuned! I'll be back for the San Francisco De Young Museum's "Bouquet to Arts 2021" this June.
"Leave the Weeds" (Spring 2021)
Material: Balsa wood, acrylic yarn, midollino, hellebores, phaelenopis orchids, moss, hyacinth orientalis, passiflora vine.
This piece was inspired by the never ending spring battle to weed the yard and my fellow Naglee Park "Median Buddies." "Median buddies" is a group of volunteers in Naglee Park that sweep, weed and plant the medians of Naglee Park. Midollino extender tendrils, made with rattan, used plastic back and acrylic yarn creep out of the "planter box" with the powerful life force of spring. The beauty of extending outside the box is a constant reminder to try new things without the fear of failure or the need of conformity. There is beauty in the wild and uncontrolled.
"New shoots" (Spring 2021)
Material: Wax, green strawberries, purple hellebores, asparagus shoots, iris leaves
European floral design often incorporates the use of wax in their structures. Wax has a wonderful translucent magical and wintery icy look that lends to the idea of the first shoots of spring emerging from the grip of winter. Here I took cold raw eggs, dipping them in hot wax and removing them to form wax eggshells. I then placed green strawberries with the blossom still intact into the eggs, filled with water. In this design, I really wanted the viewer to explore through the piece at many different angles to discover the treasures of spring. The asparagus is an homage to my grandparents who were asparagus farmers in Northern California.
"Eternal Circle of Love" (Spring 2021)
Material: Acrylic yarn, Phalaenopis orchids, rice flower and jasmine vine.
This is a modern bridal bouquet for the bride that wants stand out and be different. The bouquet can be held by the top ring and later hung to dry and displayed in your home. The negative space lends to the light airiness of the bouquet and the flowers appear to be floating. Inspired by European floral design which often incorporates the use of textiles.
