Olga Prinku’s delicate and innovative technique involves spinning preserved flowers into a tulle canvas. Dried flowers, foliage, herbs and berries are all present in her work. These plants become the common thread of her art. From graphic designer to artist, Olga Prinku shares in this interview her experience and the creative process that led her to the adoption of dried and preserved flowers.
SecondNatur : Hello Olga, can you describe your background?
Olga Prinku : I was born in the Republic of Moldova and now live in the north-east of England. I’m a graphic designer by profession. I started crafting as a hobby a few years ago when I took some time off work to start a family.
SN : Can you tell us about your work, your creations?
OP : They evolved from making wreaths. One day I wondered if it would be possible to embroider using flowers as my thread, and I started to experiment. It took a lot of trial and error to get results that I was happy with. Everything I do is still an experiment to see, first of all, if an idea will be technically possible, and then if it will look good.
SN : Where do you get your inspiration from?
OP : I first got the idea of embroidering with flowers in a dream, after I’d been working on a wreath using a garden sieve as a frame. The idea of combining flowers with mesh must have been in my mind. For each new piece of work, the inspiration usually comes from spending time in nature, whether in my garden or walking in the countryside.
SN : Why work mainly with dried or stabilized flowers?
OP : When I first tried to embroider with flowers, I used fresh flowers. But I soon discovered that you can’t always predict what shape they will take as they dry. I found I was getting gaps and holes appearing in the work, which looked unsightly. Working with dried or stabilized flowers, I know their shape and size is not going to change.
SN : How do you experience ecology through your work?
OP : The experience of creating artworks with flowers makes me think constantly about how different kinds of plant fit together visually, and I find that sharpens my observations of how they interact in nature – I notice many more details on walks than I used to before I started creating with natural materials, and I’m more alert to the changing of the seasons. In particular, I’ve also come to appreciate that each stage of a plant’s life has its own beauty, from bud to bloom to seedpod.
SN : What is your favorite color? Your favorite flower?
OP : Each time I start a new piece I usually have a colour palette in mind, and I’ll arrange materials that fit with that palette and choose from them as I work – but I don’t have a favourite colour, I enjoy varying the palette from one project to the next. In terms of flowers that are easy to create with, I would say strawflowers, acroclinium and cornflowers in particular. My favourite flowers to grow in my garden include poppies and delphiniums, but I also find beauty in many common flowers that are often overlooked, such as daisies, dandelions and forget-me-nots.
SN : What do you think about making floral art accessible to as many people as possible?
OP : I personally find it very therapeutic to create using flowers. The process is intricate and I can get into a state of flow and lose myself for hours at a time, and then it’s always satisfying to see the result and every piece is different. I’ve heard from other people who have found the same thing when they’ve given it a try, and I would love to help the technique spread more widely. The skill is easy to learn with a bit of patience and practice so there’s no reason anyone shouldn’t give it a try.
SN : In your opinion, what role should plants play in our society?
OP : I’m lucky enough now to live in a village where I have a garden to grow plants, and a variety of walks close by, including moors, fields, hills and woods. But I’ve also lived in cities, and I find that when you don’t have nature on your doorstep, it’s so important to have plants and floral creations around to give you that sense of connectedness with the living world and a reminder that we are all rooted in nature.
Pinterest // Olga Prinku
Instagram // @olgaprinku
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Youtube // Olga Prinku
Site Web // www.prinku.com
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