Flower Artist

One day in 2017, artist Raku Inoue (ee-noh-ooh-eh) noticed that strong winds had shaken dark pink petals off a rose bush in his backyard in Montreal, Canada. He had an idea: He arranged the petals in the shape of a beetle on a piece of paper. He used thin green twigs for its legs. “It was so fulfilling that I just kept on going,” Inoue says.

In the months that followed, he created more insects using leaves, seeds, flowers, and other plant parts. He took photos of his creations and posted them on social media. Soon, people began noticing his work!

Since then, Inoue has created sculptures of all kinds of animals, from sloths to tigers. After he’s finished a piece, Inoue races to take photos of his artwork before the plant parts wilt. Then he usually tosses the sculpture in a compost bin, where it breaks down into nutrient-filled soil.

Photos of Inoue’s animals have appeared in books and magazines, and even on clothes. Many people see his artwork as a reminder that we should enjoy and respect nature. In the following interview, Inoue shared how he approaches his visually stunning work.

I grew up in Japan, where there’s a huge variety of insects. My mother and grandmother would bring me to the local park, and we would search for butterflies, cicadas, and beetles.

Insects have always had a symbolic meaning for me. My grandfather passed away when I was young. Every time a dragonfly would come into the house, my grandmother would say, “Oh, that’s your grandfather visiting!”

It depends. Sometimes, I find a flower or a stem I like while cleaning up my garden. Other times, I walk around the street and see something interesting, like a pinecone. A local flower shop also gives me flowers that aren’t fresh enough to sell but are still beautiful.

I prefer to work with flat petals, like rose petals. Those are easier to shape than curvy petals from lilies and orchids. Over time, I’ve had to learn about the materials I’m working with. Some flowers, like gerbera daisies, will last longer than others. Heat and humidity, the amount of moisture in the air, can also damage flowers. There are many things I need to consider.

For insects, I make a rough sketch of the animal. Then I arrange the plant parts flat on the paper, and that’s it.

For more complex animals, like a tiger, I first study the animal’s anatomy, or body structure. I make a skeleton out of plastic foam. I cover the skeleton with a layer of a sponge material soaked in water. Then I stick the flowers and plant materials into the sponge. That keeps them fresh for longer.

I love the freedom of creating my own artwork. The most powerful thing for an artist is to be able to create and sell your art all by yourself.