A floral arrangement featuring purple orchids and spindly green foliage, in a clear, rectangular vase

Recently the deYoung had their annual Bouquets to Art exhibition. The gist is that floral artists in the Bay Area (and I think abroad as well?) are encouraged to pick a piece from the deYoung’s permanent collection that speaks to them. Then, they make a floral arrangement that is inspired by the piece. The floral arrangement and the artwork sit next to each other for a week. It’s the deYoung’s blockbuster event, drawing crazy crowds every year.

Unsurprisingly, their programming moved online this year, which allowed me to peruse some names and images I wouldn’t have come across in an in-person exhibition. Here, I discovered Soho Sakai!

Soho Sakai has been teaching ikebana in the bay area since 1997. She runs the bay area chapter of Sogetsu Ikebana, and teaches my own ikebana teacher!

Her work is incredible. I thought I’d share a small set of images I found online. Perhaps I’ll find more ikebana artists and share their work through this blog, while my own studies are on hiatus?

A floral arrangement comprised of three tubular, clear glass vases holding purple orchids and baby’s breath

A floral arrangement that uses a clear glass spherical vase, with an assortment of wildflowers emerging from the top

A floral arrangement made from two red vases, tree branches painted red, orchids, and red flowers

A floral arrangement made from a tree trunk, sunflowers and draping red flowers

A floral arrangement that uses a striped vase. Yellow flowers and green foliage come up from the base, while wooden bars are staggered horizontally across the foliage

A floral arrangement made red flowers standing vertically, with their leaves crossing them at a 45 degree angle

Image credits: One Two Three