STORY BEHIND THE ART OF SUSAN SAPANARA 

18th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at The Horticultural Society of New York

Gladiolus 

Gladiolus hortulanus

I am captivated by the breadth of rituals exhibited throughout the world and how ancient rites have adapted to become relevant to modern societies. Rites mark beginnings, endings, transitions, completions and connections. Recently, I’ve been exploring the use of botanicals in the celebratory rite of human coupling. From the use of garlic and herbs in hand fasting ceremonies of ancient times, to the modern rustic life style wedding trend, we have come full circle. In the glamorous era of the 1930’s, arm sheaf or presentation bouquets were all the rage and along with the Calla Lily, Gladiolus had its moment to shine in the arms of brides and starlets alike. Sarah Bernhardt was often presented with armfuls of flowers after her performances. I have always loved gladioli; they remind me of my childhood and the awe I felt in their presence as they reached for the sky in their ascending grandeur. 

My husband and I decided it would be wonderful to grow them. I wanted white but we found a mixed collection. We were sure we would have a white flower among the group and planted them all. As the summer went on, one after the other, spikes bloomed. All were magnificent, but no white. Finally late in the summer, the last spike to appear was this beautiful pink tipped white bloom. At last!

I decided on the diagonal layout to make the composition dynamic and also to represent the position of the flowers in a presentation bouquet. I worked the flowers from bottom to top as they bloomed. As always, white flowers have their challenges but the pink tips made it much easier to define the petals. I especially loved the ruffled buds just opening near the top. 

I believe that sharing our stories, traditions and rites through the vehicle of nature brings people together and aids in our awareness of the connections between us all, the environment and the lives we live. I plan to continue to pursue stories I can tell through botanicals.

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Read more about this artist's work: 17th Annual International