Redlands Floral Art Club Takes Top Honours at the Ekka
Redlands Floral Art Club recently entered the Queensland Exhibition, better known as the Ekka, in the Floral Art Feature Class, “Fireworks Night Show”.
A team from our club spent many hours deciding on a concept that would meet the requirements of such a large installation. The completed design could measure up to 2 metres high by 150 cm wide and would be viewed from all sides.
The mechanics needed to be easy to transport and assemble at the venue. We also had to consider the weight of the completed floral designs that would be attached to the structure, along with how we could create rhythm and mimic the way fireworks explode into the sky.
Our mechanics began with a heavy, round piece of timber with holes drilled into it. These held aluminium tubes that had been bent to create a flowing effect. The openings at the top of the tubes allowed spider web structures to be inserted.
The aluminium tubes were covered in coloured raffia and wool to complement the colours used throughout the design.
Once the structure had been decided, our next decisions involved the flowers, colour scheme and style needed to represent the fireworks. Because the installation would remain on display for the entire Ekka, the flowers and other materials needed to withstand ten days.
We chose to use dried materials, including a few that were painted. Agapanthus stems with seed heads attached were painted and glued to one of the spider web frames. Yellow paper daisies were glued onto another frame, while chillies were threaded onto wire and arranged to branch out from the daisies.
These dried combinations worked well alongside our fresh flowers and foliage.
We chose the bright colours you would expect to see in a fireworks display, with a different colour scheme used for each aluminium tube.
We were very excited to take out first prize in our category and then win the overall floristry prize for Best Floral Design in Show. It was such a fun event and was enjoyed by our whole team.
About Redlands Floral Art Club
Redlands Floral Art Club Inc. is located in the Redlands area, east of Brisbane. The club meets at 9.30 am on the second Friday of each month at Cleveland Scout Hall, on the corner of Bainbridge and Gordon Streets in Ormiston.
We are a friendly club of approximately 30 members who enjoy arranging flowers with an artistic flair. Each month, we work with a different theme and bring along arrangements we have created at home for the competition bench.
We also hold a demonstration or workshop each month, giving members the opportunity to learn new skills and share their love of flowers.
Annual registration is $20, with a $10 attendance fee for each monthly meeting. We are always happy to welcome new members.
Find out more about the club on their FB page - Redlands Floral Art Club Designs
