The Freestyle Ikebana Workshop in our space in Basel is getting closer and closer! With the support of our dear Friend Julie, the flower designer Anna Kloss will introduce you to the art of Japanese-inspired flower arrangements. We are glad to let you have a closer look to Anna Kloss, through this interview conducted by our Julie!
Happy reading and see you at the Workhop!
Julie: What is your connection to By Adushka? Tell us the story of how you met and what you love…
Anna: I have learned about By Adushka thanks to my friend Julie, who invited me to make floral arrangements for her pop up store in Basel. I fell in love with the clothes, the way they are designed, and how they are produced. The whole team of By Adushka is always full of good energy, and very inspiring, it is a pleasure working with them.
Julie: A ritual you relish or ways to keep yourself grounded?
Anna: A good book, cup of tea and the mountain view.
Julie: Which books you are currently reading/music you are listening to?
Anna: The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
Julie: A wish for the next generation?
Anna: Take time and admire the beauty around you, slow down, many inspirations will come unexpectedly.
Julie: A prized possession from your travels? A ceramic, talisman, beauty product, textile, object, artwork…
Anna: I brought a lot of beautiful vases from Japan, which I’m using for my floral arrangements.
Every one of them is special and tells a different story.
Julie: Tell us about yourself?
Anna: Proud mum of two awesome boys, native Polish, living since many years in Basel and for some time in Tokyo. Flower and nature enthusiast, enchanted by Japanese culture and traditions. Sogetsu Ikebana School student. A constant seeker for ways to run and enjoy slow life and simple things.
Julie: What led you to floral design and more specifically Ikebana?
Anna: While l was living in Tokyo, a good friend of mine took me along to one of the ikebana workshops she was attending. I was so amazed by the atmosphere, flowers and work of the Ikebana sensei (teacher), that I decided to join the class. Ikebana is something more than only arranging flowers. It is the philosophy and lifestyle, that helps you to find peace in the everyday life hectic, it teaches you to slow down and become creative.
Julie: How would you describe Ikebana? What are the virtues of this type of floral design?
Anna: Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arrangement, one of many traditional Japanese arts. It is also known as Kado-“the way of flower” and can be literally translated as “living flowers”. Not only flowers are arranged in ikebana, but all kind of branches, leaves and stems can find “new life” as materials for such arrangement. Ikebana intention is to bring out all the inner qualities of live materials and express its emotions.
I have been studying the Sogetsu school of Ikebana, which follows the four principles of ikebana these are; fresh approach, movement, balance and harmony. The three basic elements of ikebana arrangements are line, color and mass.
Following these principles and having the main elements in mind we can create some beautiful works which can be even compared to paintings or sculptures. All depends on our creativity.
For me personally it is a living art, a flower sculpture which everyone with a touch of creativity could learn and practice at home. There is nothing more beautiful than having fresh flowers with an artistic twist look at home.
Julie: Where and how do you find inspiration?
Anna: I usually find inspiration in the nature around me, in the changing seasons ,which I started to notice and appreciate its beauty while living in Japan.
What is important is that, beautiful flowers do not always make beautiful ikebana. While walking around the fields and forest which we have a lot in Basel, I find a lot of natural materials: branches, grass, interestingly shaped stones which I later use in my floral projects, not all of them look beautiful at first sight.
Julie: What influences your creative process?
Anna: I totally agree with the fact which states that, flowers can induce creative energy and positives vibes ultimately making us feel better. That is why on my Instagram profile I use the quote of a Japanese art critic Okakura Kakuzo which says “ In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends”
Walking around the fields, parks, gardens, watching seasons changes it colours, as well as visiting art galleries or seeing floral designers works is what inspires me to work constantly on developing my floristic skills.
Are you curious to see more of our Anna's creations? Have a look at her Instagram profile.