Janneke Luursema

Flower designer

©Eva Luursema

©Janneke Luursema

From humble leaves to striking art

Janneke is a photographer and flower designer
She enjoys working with simple and humble materials
She is influenced by ikebana art and Dutch painting

It is not easy to decide whether Janneke Luursema is more of a photographer or a flower artist. Actually she is both, making beautiful arrangements with the plants she grows in her own garden and taking pictures of them that she sells online on her website. “At the beginning, shooting house plants was just an exercise to improve my technique” she explains. “Nowadays most of what I do, from brand collaborations to freelance photography for books, websites and magazines, is plant-related.” Her passion for nature dates back from childhood, when she enjoyed lying in the fields and making daisy chains with her friends. “Connecting to nature has always been vital to me. I find it soothing to capture its fleeting moments and contemplate them frozen in time.”

Interview

©Eva Luursema

©Eva Luursema

What’s the “wabi sabi” philosophy you follow?: It’s the Japanese way of seeing beauty in incomplete, humble and imperfect things. I use flowers but also weeds, wild grasses, damaged and dead leaves: all stages of life are interesting to me. When snails eat the foliage, I am grateful for the fascinating holes they make.
Does it mean you don’t have a favourite season?: Exactly, I love them all. I like spring when everything seems to be possible, summer because it is always full of surprises, autumn for its glorious decay and winter for the much-needed rest it brings. It’s the circle of life.
Did you learn floristry from a master?: I had no formal training, but I’ve learned from books, social media and the internet. I am greatly inspired by the Japanese art of ikebana, in particular by master Toshiro Kawase: even though I’ve never met him.
How did living in the Netherlands influence your style?: I only take photos with natural light and grow all the plants for my arrangements, so of course Dutch weather and the changing seasons play a central role in my work. I’ve also been influenced by the Dutch still-life painters of the 18th century and their use of light.

Janneke Luursema is a rising star: she began her career in 2016