A Master Guide To The Art Of Floral Design

A Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design

From BooklistAn obvious love of the subject infuses de Jong-Stout's writing as she describes how shapes, forms, patterns, and textures found in the plant world reveal the key elements one calls upon when designing floral art. Opening chapters in this engaging manual of flower arranging expand upon the fundamental concepts and principles that guide all art making and design projects, and summarize the history of floral art. Compelling photographs and appealing drawings accompany instructive text that expands on an aesthetic approach to the finer points of composition. How-to guidance clarifies the mechanics of creating various bouquets, and a stunning array of contemporary arrangements from the simple elegance of a single stem perfectly paired with a vase to lavish centerpieces and Eastern-inspired associations of plant material. Alice JoyceCopyright ? American Library Association. All rights reservedNow available in paperback, A Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design is a fresh approach to an ancient art. Exquisite photography and illustrations join with a unique, comprehensive theory to reveal the beauty of flowers and their role as teachers of floral design. Practical, hands-on information about color, the science of lighting, floral care, containers, construction, and alternative techniques complements the concept. A wide-ranging photo gallery provides stunning examples of floral designs, from Continental to Asian to contemporary in spirit, and demonstrates great ideas for casual living, parties, and weddings. A visual delight grounded in practical understanding, this book is directed toward the advanced practitioner but is equally accessible to the floral designer who is just beginning.Review"Beautiful illustrations and excellent text. . . . One of the best books for designers with any degree of experience I have seen." -- Gay Estes, By Design, Magazine of the Garden Club of America, Fall 2002"Beautiful photographs are both inspiring and objects in their own right. A book to drool over." -- Ann Milovsoroff, Pappus, Fall 2002"Seldom have I come across such a fine guide explaining the important subjects for understanding the art of floral arranging." -- Els Hazenberg, Recipient, World Flower Council's "Floral Nobel Prize""The Year's Best Garden Books." Explains the basics of flower arranging without becoming too simplistic. -- Judy Lowe, Christian Science Monitor, December 4, 2002"The book is most profound. . . . [The] photography, style and technique, and [the] correlation of proportion, form and shape are excellent." -- Dean White, Chairman of the World Flower CouncilOne of the most beautiful books to come along as well as one of the best 'how-to-do" books. -- Floral & Nursery Times, May 8, 2002Book DescriptionDefines a unique and comprehensive theory, one in which the flower itself is the ultimate teacher of color, form, composition, function, environment, and every other aspect of design.About the AuthorLocated in the San Francisco Bay Area, Alisa A. de Jong-Stout A.I.F.D. is internationally acclaimed as a floral designer and horticulturist. European-trained, she is widely recognized as an instructor and exhibitor of unique and exquisite floral design and has been the recipient of numerous international, national, and regional awards. She has taught for many years, including five at Merritt College, and is the owner of It Blommenh?, a floral design and teaching studio.With Hannah Sigur, M.A., The Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. An educator and writer with an expertise in Asian art, she has lectured for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and elsewhere. She lives in Berkeley, California.Photography: Douglas Sandberg, with a twenty-year career as a professional photographer, was for eight years the director of photography at Butterfields Auctioneers. He is well known for his collaborations with graphic designer