Isabelle van Zeijl is an established mid-career international acclaimed artist. Recognized for her mastery to create striking self portraits (with orchids) with depth and meaning who enriches life, possessing lasting and impressionable depth and value. We spoke to her about her passion for the orchid and more. Read the interview below. 

Flowers are a source of inspiration for you. How did that come about?
The first flowers appeared on Earth some 114 million years ago. Much later flowers would play an essential part in the evolution of human consciousness. People felt very attracted to flowers. Flowers were the first thing that they experienced where there was no link with survival, but that offered inspiration. Seeing the beauty in the flower would connect people to their true nature.
Beauty is very important in my work. I believe that if you surround yourself with beauty – and that can be done with art, but also with other objects or with flowers, for example – it has an enormous impact on people’s well-being, increasing their resonance and energy. I mainly find this beauty in nature.

And what do you specifically like about the orchid (Phalaenopsis)?
The most highly coveted of ornamental plants, the delicate and graceful orchid represents love, femininity, beauty and strength. Orchids have a magical quality. The genus Phalaenopsis was identified in 1825 by a Dutch botanist on the island of Java. The story goes that during one of his journeys he saw a group of butterflies practically motionless whirling by a tree. These turned out to be orchids. Like a metaphor for profound change in the cycles of our lives, moving from one state to another, the butterfly’s remarkable shape-shifting journey carries an important message. It’s an inspiring message that teaches us that growth and transformation need not be traumatic or painful, but rather liberating and joyful, a natural part of life’s continuous unfolding. I was also looking for butterflies when I found orchids. My series of photographic self-portraits show me wearing an extraordinary headdress woven from the flowers. The original idea was to use butterflies. It was during a difficult period for me. I was cut off from the world for about six months, going through difficult times. And when I came out I wanted to make a headpiece out of butterflies. For many reasons, butterflies were not suitable for making the piece. So then I was looking for a flower, and intuitively I chose orchids. I always pick the elements and materials on an intuitive basis. Later, when researching the significance of the chosen material, I discovered the botanist’s similar journey. “I thought: I have chosen butterflies!”

What are you most proud of and why?
I am proud when my collectors tell me that they want to surround themselves with beauty and choose my work. That it helps them to become better or to heal. That not only makes me proud, but also intensely grateful.

Your floral artworks are featured in international media. How did that come about? 
The work has appeared on the cover of Harpers Bazaar, but also extensively in Forbeswhen I started working with the orchids from growers’ dumpsters because they had to destroy 80% of their flowers.
At Harpers Bazaar they embrace my art because of its authenticity and multiple layers: the work is not only beautiful to look at, but also contains a meaningful message. I am my own model – I am a woman with a life, not a model onto whom the fashion world projects its unachievable beauty ideals and saddles (young) women with an impossible ideal of beauty, but a woman who shows a new ideal of beauty: be yourself and show who you are and what drives you.

What do you think of the Dutch floriculture sector?
We have an enormously rich culture and history in floriculture, and this abundance of beauty is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me. Flowers are perhaps appreciated even more internationally than here.

What can we expect from you in the future?
I’m currently working on a series of flowers with healing properties. A series that again shows that nature contains all the answers; an intelligent system from which we still have a great deal to learn.

Do you want to know more about this talented woman or do you want one of these beautiful artworks at home? Visit her website for more information.

Images: Isabelle van Zeijl

The wedding season is almost upon us. Time to spot the wedding trends for 2014 and to inspire you with subtle and lavish orchid inspiration!

Wedding Trends 2014
Romance dominates. A combination of love, rustic elements and a hint of vintage as a finishing touch. Conviviality, unforced and atmosphere are the esential key words this year. Bohemian weddings are mega-popular. Close to nature, food that is both honest and delicious, celebrating with friends and family, colourful and above all love-filled weddings.

The bouquet
Larger lavish bridal bouquets that resemble still lives from the Dutch Golden Age. The bouquets each tell a story of their own, and are a very valuable addition to the bridal dress and wedding atmosphere. We see (and are delighted to see) that brides are opting for loose, asymmetrical bouquets and table displays instead of tight, round arrangements.

Table dressing
Flowers and plants create atmosphere and emotion. So don’t forget to have flowers and plants included in the various moments and locations. In the church or registry office, and during the meal and the evening reception. A fun idea is to mark the place settings with mini orchids. Place a plant in a matching pot beside each plate and write the name of the person sitting there with white chalk. An original way of organising the seating plan, and it provides an instant colourful table dressing!

Where are the orchids in your house? Not just on the windowsill, are they? The versatile orchid can easily brighten up any room and there is a perfect orchid for every room. Orchids provide fresh air, a great atmosphere and a good dose of happiness in every room of the house! There are plenty of ways to use vibrant looking orchids all over the place to decorate your bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and even the hall.  The ultimate finishing touch for every interior!

Like many plants, orchids also provide oxygen in the bedroom. And you can decorate a festive table with orchids. It’s not a boring plant for Grandma! Where are you going to put it at home? Let us give you some inspiration.

Orchids in the bedroom

Extra oxygen, a bit of colour and some calm? The orchid is the plant for you! Orchid enjoy being the often-cooler bedroom!

 

            

Orchids in the bathroom

Put your plants in the bathroom! Why? The golden rule for almost all plants is that you should try to recreate their original climate. That is why cacti, which grow in the desert, love dry potting soil. And orchids come from the tropics, which means that they like to live in humid environments. Put your plant in the bathroom and you no longer have to think about soaking it every week. If there are no windows in the bathroom, then you should put it somewhere where it will get indirect sunlight.

          

Orchids in the living room

Don’t just keep orchids on the windowsill. You can also put them on the coffee table, the cupboard or next to the sofa perhaps? Whether you like an industrial, romantic or simple look, there is an orchid for every living room. Which type suits your living style the best?

        

        

The kitchen and dining table

Orchids like to steal the show at the table! Choose a simple base and style with your favourite orchids. Combine low plants and tall plants to give more life to the overall look. Perfect for the holidays or that special dinner with friends and family. And after dinner, you just leave them where they are. You can give the kitchen a little more colour with a cheerful orchid on the counter. Watering has never been so easy.

           

Orchids in the corridor

Are you finally getting to grips with the messy hall? Create a calm place with plants and orchids. So coming home is a moment of pure happiness!

          

Art of Life wants to inspire visitors to FLORALIËN. FLORALIËN is a unique global event. It’s the leading international flower and plant expo which attracts more than hundred thousands of visitors abroad.

Art of Life has asked Pim van de Akker, an internationally renowned floral artist, to create an ‘orchid omniverse’: an immersive orchid experience in which orchids can be seen, felt, smelt – in other words, experienced – as never before. Cut cymbidiums will also feature in the orchid omniverse at FLORALIËN. Visitors can be photographed in a living orchid painting, a painting of which our famous Dutch painters would be envious. By being photographed they are entered for the chance to win a lovely orchid arrangement or cut cymbidium bouquet.

Experience it for yourself between 9 and 18 May 2014 in the Brabanthallen in ’s-Hertogenbosch
Hall 5, stand 523

Today, 4 September, is the International Day of the Orchid. Orchids, the most diverse natural beauties amongst plants, will literally and figuratively be in the spotlight today. At the request of the pot orchid growers that our country can boast, the internationally renowned 3D Artist Janne Kyttanen has created a remarkable artwork consisting of150 orchids in 3D pots. This 3D Orchid Cloud, which is5.1metres long and 1.5 metres high, was presented at Felix &Foam – a temporary collaboration between the Foamphotography museum, Frame and restaurant Foyer. The artwork is on display until Sunday, after which it is expected to tour international museums.

150 orchids from all Dutch growers
The 3D Orchid Cloud was spectacularly unveiled in front of an invited audience at Felix &Foam, where the orchids merged in a natural way with the hottest ‘tech trend’ of the moment: 3D printing. The ‘Orchid Cloud’ is a co-creation by international 3Dartists led by the Finnish 3D guru Janne Kyttanen and the practitioners of the art of growing pot orchids united under the banner of ‘Art of Life’ (all the Dutch orchid growers). The 150Dutch growers each sent their finest orchid to the Keizersgracht,after which floral artist Pim van den Akker was responsible forstyling the 150 orchids featured in the artwork. He allocated a position in the Cloud to the Colour of the Year 2014, Radiant Orchid. Anyone wishing to be inspired by ‘Design meets Nature’ can do so at Felix & Foam until next Sunday.

Dutch growers are Europe’s orchid champions
Following in the footsteps of designers such as Jan Taminiau, Jan Jansen and Philip Treacy, the British milliner who was responsible for the design for the Day of the Orchid 2013, it is now the turn of the Finn Janne Kyttanen to work with Art ofLife: the association of orchid growers in the Netherlands. Every year Art of Life invites an internationally renowned artist to be inspired by the versatility of the orchid and to create a design specifically for 4 September. Many people are unaware that Dutch growers are Europe’s orchid champions. Every week the growers deliver some 1.5 million mature orchids, which make their way to the consumer via auctions or contracts. 90% of all the orchids in Europe come from Dutch greenhouses. There are currently enough greenhouses filled with plants in Holland to cover some 500 football pitches.

Looking for inspiration for your home office?

Decorate your home with orchids to bring even more atmosphere
to your home.  Orchids not only provide the finishing touch in your interior,
but also boost your health. The more greenery in your home,
the better the air quality! So don’t forget to include an orchid in your next shop.
With over 25,000 different varieties There’s one to match every taste.
Which orchid suits you best? Check out the inspiration for your home office below!

Unveiling of new interior accessory for orchids

Inspired by Salone del Mobile, international designer Roderick Vos presents a style guide for interiors in collaboration with orchid growers from Art of Life. The images each combine modern design, on-trend colours and orchids in their own way. Roderick Vos, known for the Bucketlight plant light, is also launching his limited edition new interior accessory: the ORQUID. This is yet another design with which he approaches plants in the interior in an unusual way: “An orchid hanging at eye level gives the most viewing pleasure!”

The style guide

“‘How do I get that orchid off the table?’ That was my first thought when I was asked to design an exclusive interior accessory for orchids. This inspired me to develop a complete style guide for orchids in collaboration with Art of Life,” says Roderick Vos. The interiors images in the style guide are grouped into three trends: ‘The Reformer’, ‘The Architect’ and ‘The Expressionist’. The online edition of the guide is available in four languages and is inspired by Europe’s leading interiors trade show: Salone del Mobile. The versatile and multicoloured orchid plays the lead role within each trend.

Plants in the interior
Plants make a positive contribution to the living and working environment. They emit oxygen, keep the air clean and improve productivity, according to Roderick Vos: “That’s why you will find an enormous vertical wall of plants in my design studio in Den Bosch; it creates the feeling of a sheltered courtyard garden. It’s amazing to surround yourself with nature. Orchids are perfect for this. They are unique and remarkably diverse plants. The multicoloured nature attracts attention in any interior. Particularly if you take the time to put different orchids together; that shows the plants at their best. They then act almost like a painting in the interior.”

From Jan Taminiau to Roderick Vos
Following in the footsteps of designers such as Jan Taminiau, Jan Jansen and Philip Treacy, it is now Roderick Vos’s turn to work with Art of Life – the association of orchid growers in the Netherlands. Roderick has previously worked with companies including Linteloo, Designonstock and Moooi. This collaboration did not come entirely out of the blue. Roderick Vos lived and worked in Indonesia for a long time. “In the jungles of Irian Jaya the tiger orchid with its raceme of flowers up to 3 metres in length made a massive impression on me. But I’m also affected by the fact that you can find more than 2,500 species of orchid there, and that those plants have been around for 80 million years. Isn’t it fascinating that we still have the descendants of these plants in our homes and offices?”

Pressroom
View the online style guide and the image material online in the Art of Life press room: www.artoflife.pr.co.

On November 3, the promotion “Winterest orchid info’ will start at pinterest.com/orchidsinfo. Create an inspirational mood board with orchids and lovely interior accessories. The board must contain at least 5 photos of orchids, but more is, of course, also allowed! The participant with the most beautiful and inspiring board wins an orchid arrangement.

Participation
How can you join the give-away promotion?

1. Follow us at pinterest.com/orchidsinfo
2. Make your own pin board with at least 5 orchids. Fill your pin board with other images that serve as an interior design inspiration for you, such as nice interior accessories.
3. Create your board using ‘Making a make a pin board’

• Give your board the name ‘Winterest orchid info’
• Fill in the description of the board at: #orchidsinfo
• ‘Repin’ the pins (items) from pinterest.com/orchidsinfo that you like on your own
  pin board.
• Tip: Also pin items from the site: https://orchidsinfo.eu/nl/consument/inspiratie-orchidee/
• Share your Pin board with other social media such as Twitter and Facebook with #orchidsinfo to generate more likes and prominence.

4. The promotion runs from Monday, November 3, 2014 until Sunday, November 23, 2014 at pinterest.com/orchidsinfo

Announcement of winners
The participant with the most beautiful and inspiring board wins an orchid arrangement.
On Monday, November 24, 2014, the winner will be chosen by Orchid Info and published on facebook.com/orchidsinfo and pinterest.com/orchidsinfo.

Still no Pinterest account?
Create an account in 5 simple steps:

1. Go to www.pinterest.com
2. Choose whether you want to create an account via Facebook or your email address.
3. Enter your details and click on register
4. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email that you must confirm via the link
5. Pinterest now gives you a tour of the site, and then you can start pinning!

Join in and vote, and stand to win a beautiful arrangement of orchids.

From 1 December, you can vote for the most beautiful and most extraordinary Phalaenopsis orchids on our Facebook page. These orchids have been specially selected by the orchid growers. By ‘liking’ your favourite photo in the relevant album, you are casting your vote. You can ‘like’ several photos, but only the photo that has received the most votes will be crowned Phalaenopsis of the month. Cast your vote and stand to win a beautiful arrangement of orchids.

Click here and cast your vote.

On Monday 22 December, we will announce the winner who has received the most votes. We will also select a winner for the arrangement of orchids.

In December the Phalaenopsis Orchid is the Houseplant of the month. This delightful orchid with slender stems, shiny leaves and butterfly-like flowers brings style, class and a touch of Asia.

Flowers like butterflies
Phalaenopsis comes from the Greek ‘phalaina’ (moth) and ‘opsis’ (like). The flowers do actually look like flying moths, which is why it is also called the Moth Orchid. The flowers can be found in purple, pink, salmon, white, yellow and even blue and often have creatively spotted or striped patterns. The heart of the flower also has a protruding ‘under lip’.

All the way from Asia and Australia
The Phalaenopsis Orchid has lots of travel experience. The plant was discovered around 1700 in the tropical rainforests of Asia and Australia and explorers brought it back with them to Western Europe. The orchid naturally grows in trees or on rocks, but is equally happy on your window sill or desk.

Enjoy your Phalaenopsis Orchid for a long time
This is how you can enjoy your Phalaenopsis Orchid for longer: place the Phalaenopsis Orchid in a position with enough light, but avoid bright sunlight between April and October. Submerge the pot once every 7 to 10 days, for 1 minute in (rain) water. If you have the central heating on, spray the leaves with water regularly. In addition you can add orchid fertilizer to the soil once a month from November to February and twice a month for the rest of the year. Your Phalaenopsis Orchid will love this.

Houseplant of the month
The Phalaenopsis Orchid takes centre stage this month as Houseplant of the month of December 2014. Houseplant of the month is an initiative of the Flower Council of Holland. Each month the Flower Council, in collaboration with representatives from the horticultural sector, chooses a plant which is well liked by the consumer, or isn’t known very well (yet) but has the potential to do well in the living room.