Floral Atelier Australia in the Royal Adelaide Show's Prestigious Floristry Competition

2019 Theme: Celebration. World Celebration

I am a student. While studying Floristry 2 and Floristry 3 at TAFE SA, I had the opportunity to participate in a student competition specifically for those studying floristry at TAFE. The Royal Adelaide Show TAFE SA student competition 2019 was my first time participating, and it was a fun and first trial for me. Participation was optional, as it required courage and confidence, and our teachers never forced us to join. They left it up to those who wanted to challenge themselves. I have always loved overcoming challenges, a trait instilled in me by my grandmother, who taught me to be first in everything, to always step forward for exams without waiting to be called. Naturally, I agreed to participate.

The theme of the competition was "World Celebration." Each student interpreted the theme in their own way, as it was not just about flowers but about art and flowers. The first idea that came to my mind was to create a composition. We all had different conditions. We were given a pedestal 90-110 centimeters high and 50 centimeters wide.

My explanation of the world celebration: My composition featured a table covered with a white tablecloth, set with a plate and utensils. On the plate lay a fish wrapped in plastic bags and trash, symbolizing the pollution our modern society dumps into the sea. Before me was a glass, representing a choice: would I, as a person, choose a pure water for this celebration, or would it be the runoff from humanity's industrial waste polluting rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans?

I was faced with a choice: would my future celebration in 2030 feature a blooming, green, and lively planet, or one filled with heaps of waste, emissions, and chemical pollutants? Would it be a planet cracking under the pressure of chemical emissions and incapable of sustaining life? The menu on the table indicated it was for 2030, symbolizing my vision for the future—a dish of fish with remnants of production waste, pollution, and plastic, or a choice for clean food and a beautiful planet.

My composition was crafted with fresh flowers, featuring orchids, broken tiles, and fluffy elements instead of clouds. The broken tiles and plastic were central to the piece. As a student, I did not win a prize, but the experience was exhilarating, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

2020 was canceled to Covid-19

2021 was canceled to Covid-19

2022 Theme: Showcase a Country. Ukraine.

It was an early start to the Royal Adelaide Show to set up my floral display. This year's theme was "Showcase a Country," and of course, I chose my home, Ukraine.

I selected colors to represent Ukraine, with the sunflower, our national flower, becoming a symbol of resistance against the country's invasion by Russian forces and blue-peacful sky.

 

 

Attached to my flower pedestal was a piece of text that captured the essence and beauty of the Ukrainian spirit:

According to one legend, a willow was a young girl who hid her heavily wounded beloved man who warned her about danger. When she turned into the willow, she became unrecognizable to the villains, she began to mourn her beloved. So there appeared a pond. And so the saying goes - where the willow there water is.

Sunflower is an official symbol of the Remembrance Day of the Defenders of Ukraine, who have been killed fighting for the country's independence and territorial integrity 2022.

Glory to Ukraine!

#FloralAtelier_ #SunflowerWillow #StandWithUkraine #Floralatelieraustralia

 

During the first two days of the show, everyone got to vote for the best floral display. I received numerous comments praising the story and my arrangement.

Finally, on Sunday, the awards were announced, and I was thrilled to receive the FIRST PRIZE!

 

 

I was delighted to meet the Honourable Frances Adamson AC and her husband at the show. They were photographed with my display and my first prize ribbon, a moment of immense pride and honor for me.

 

 

 

2023 Theme Carnival. My work: The Venice Carnival

In 2023, I returned to the Royal Adelaide Show with even greater enthusiasm. The theme that year allowed me to explore new creative directions, pushing the boundaries of my floral expression. The first thing that popped into my mind was Macau and Venice, especially the grand Venetian hotel I had visited countless times during my work while living in Hong Kong. Venice, the birthplace of the first carnival, served as my main inspiration.

 

I decided to focus on a black and white color scheme with a touch of antique, reflecting the very traditional roots of Venice. This theme resonated deeply with me, drawing from my personal experiences and feelings. In Ukraine, we say "Вихор, клубок," which translates to a "whirlwind of a ball" in English - a fitting description for the blend of music, masks, fans, roses, mystery, and the essence of Italy that I aimed to capture in my display.

 

 

My display was over two meters tall, light, and designed to move gently with the air, making it visible from the entrance of the pavilion. It featured a 360-degree view with integrated light and music, creating an immersive experience for visitors. The music I chose was from the Niccolò Paganini - The Carnival of Venice mixed to evoke the spirit of the celebration rather than realism.

The central element of my display was a whirlwind of masks, accompanied by antique notes printed on fans. I used a similar color scheme of very light antique fans, mandel-palms, black roses, quicksand roses, and new antique Ecuador roses. The entire setup took me six hours to complete, during which I walked ten thousand steps, ultimately losing two kilos in the process—a testament to the physical effort involved in creating my work.

 

As you can see from the image, I like to fill the entire limited space with my display. Similar to the aroma of baking bread filling a house, my display lit up the room and played music, taking maximum space to capture attention. The display was 360 degrees, which didn't limit it to a front view. Creating such a large-scale work required a significant amount of product: at least 75 black roses, 50 quicksand roses, and 50 antique bronze roses.

Just look at the back, and you will find how much smaller the other works were. It was epic, honestly.

This year saw more entries compared to the previous one, with around twenty or more florists participating, making the competition even tougher. I was confident that I would win a prize, although I wasn't sure which one, given the high quality of the other entries, many of which I admired.

To my surprise and delight, I won the third prize. I felt proud and deserving of this recognition, and I am grateful to those who chose my display. It was a moment of happiness and validation for my hard work and dedication.

 

 

 

 Bearded Flowers Event Royal Adelide Show 2023

 

The excitement didn't end there. I was invited by Julia Rose of "Flowers by Julia Rose" to take part on stage the next day. They had a Zoom session to introduce basic skills, techniques, and tools. Unfortunately, I missed that meeting because I was installing my display at the venue the entire day, jumping straight into that rolling adventure.

 

The next morning, I arrived at 10 AM to be on stage with other florists and Julia Rose. We were able to select flowers from shared baskets, get some tools if needed (of course, I didn't have any), and bring our own models to create bearded flower arrangements within one hour on stage. I had an interesting feeling that I was about to make something absolutely new, with no prior experience, and had to find a model. Luckily, there was a young man who accepted and trusted me.

 

 

It was an exhilarating experience. The event was hosted by the most well-known bearded man in Australia, Costa Georgiadis.

 

 

 

 

The 2023 Royal Adelaide Show brought me new adventures live on stage and a lot of fun and proudly received third prize!

 

 

 

 

2024 Theme: Nautical

The Royal Adelaide Show 2024 will take place from August 31 to September 8, with the floral competition held during the first two days.

 

In 2024, I look forward to participating again, armed with the lessons and inspirations from previous years. This year's theme promises to be another exciting challenge, and I am eager to create a composition that will captivate the public and judges alike.