Me:
What is your essential food/item that made it on top of your quarantine list?
Catherine:
Pink roses. I am looking at them now. they make me so happy!!
Me:
Oh I love that! That's such a great answer. I haven't thought about getting a flowers!!! I always see your beautiful ikebana photos on social media, when did you start?
Catherine:
About three years ago. It just sort of happened I didn’t plan it. I’ve always loved making flower arrangements but I got interested in approaching that in a different way. In other words, not just putting flowers in a vase like a bouquet. I have been gardening as a volunteer in riverside park for many years, and also have a plot in a community garden nearby. I love using herbs, vegetables, discarded plants, weeds. Anything to create interesting textures and unexpected combinations.
Me:
Wow that's amazing. I would love to visit your community garden. It must be so beautiful now that spring is here. Ikebana feels so hard to do. Did you go to school for it?
Catherine:
No I didn’t. I didn’t even want to look at other ikebana for fear of being influenced. Because I was really exploring something new to me. I studied Fine Art and Illustration. Once you have an artist’s eye and training you can apply it anywhere.
Me:
That's true, classical training can give people a limitation. So your ikebana really come from inside of you! Impressive. I also love the vases and pottery you put those flowers in. Do you have a collection?
Catherine:
Oh yes! That too grew out of my desire to have a variety of vessels to use, and then I got a bit carried away. I have al lot of pottery including mid century modern, vintage studio pottery, some Japanese ikebana pottery, Italian and lots of American regional pottery.
Me:
Nice. I do enjoy every time you post your ikebana. Because it's always really different and nothing I have ever seen before. What flowers, vegetables, plants do you like working with when you are making ikebana?
Catherine:
I like to use elements that don’t normally go together. For example common weeds with cultivated flowers, old overgrown radishes I find in the community garden, plants that have been uprooted and thrown out. I like using roots, rocks, sticks, sometimes fruit and houseplants.
Me:
Oh that reminds me of the word "wabi-sabi" in Japanese. Appreciation and beauty of imperfections . Where does the inspiration come from?
Catherine: Everywhere. I really have a voracious eye and see ikebana materials wherever I go. So in the park, the garden, the grocery store, the farmers market. I once used nopal which is a popular edible cactus in my neighborhood. I plan on using some weeds next that are popping up all over the place now- giant wild rhubarb, dandelions and curly dock. My husband goes crazy every time I go out for a walk I come home with bags of vines, branches, seedpods , whatever I can find.
Me:
Ha! That's really cool though. Go out empty handed and come back with bunch of nature in the bag :) Thank you so much Catherine for this interview. And I wanted to share a photo of her newest creation! She made this ikebana for this interview. I am so impressed and happy. I love it so much!!!
Hyacinth, oak leaf hydrangea leaves, green hellebores, NYC stones.
instagram: @catherine.lazure follow her ikebana posts here: #catherinesikebana
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Project Note:
The idea of “ My friend’s quarantine shopping list” started when I was peeking at people’s shopping baskets during the COVID-19. What are their essentials? Is there a one thing they can’t live without? I was curious about my friend’s shopping baskets. Everyone’s list was unique and I enjoy talking to them about it. I hope this brighten your day and maybe those items will make it to your next shopping list :) Have a nice staying home day!