Finding Inspiration in Flowers: An Interview with Katerina Shukshina

Flowers have the power to inspire, create joy, and transform everyday life into something truly magical. In this interview, we speak with Katerina Shukshina, a passionate flower artist from Russia who has embraced floral creativity as a way of life. You may already be familiar with her work via her instagram account @shu_katerina, where she shares her work which is loved by people all over the world. Through her love of nature, she crafts stunning floral works, shares her journey on Instagram, and collaborates with brands. Though she considers her artistry more of a hobby than a business, her deep connection to flowers is truly inspiring.

Join us as Katerina shares her experiences, favorite floral tips, and the joy of working with flowers.

How were you introduced to the world of flowers? I have been familiar with the flower world since childhood. I grew up in the countryside, so I have been in contact with nature since an early age. Together with my sisters, we wove wreaths of dandelions and made manicures out of flower petals. We collected chamomile and made a decoction for hair from it. We went to the forest for mushrooms and berries and collected wild bouquets there. Nature and flora have always been a part of my life.

Why do you love working with flowers? Flowers inspire me. Each flower is unique, with its own character and mood. This is well demonstrated in the book Les Fleurs Animées or The Flowers Personalized by J.J. Grandville.

What is the best advice you have received through your floral arrangement journey? The best advice is not to postpone the implementation of an idea for later. Flowers are a delicate and fragile material. Right now, I’m thinking primarily as a garden owner. Because it often happened to me that I planned to create a product from flowers, but I couldn’t do it because of the weather conditions (frost or hail destroyed the flowers, a strong wind blew away dandelions, and the like). It happened that I was very delayed with the implementation, and the plants had already changed their shape and texture.

Therefore, as soon as an idea comes up, you need to implement it immediately.

What inspired you to turn your passion for flowers into a business? I would say that my creativity has not completely turned into a business. It’s probably more of a hobby, which sometimes develops into collaborations with brands. I’m still at the very beginning on my way to business.

Are there any artists who you look up to or inspire you most? I follow the work of florists such as Hamish Powell, Polina Chentsova, and Maria Supinatra. I am also inspired by the work of the Marie Lennox studio, the Centá creative agency, and the Gosha floral & botanical design brand.

Where do you source your floral materials, vases & tools? I mostly buy materials from online stores.

How would you describe your style of floral art? I would describe my creative style as an “inner child having fun” 🙂

Do you have a favorite material or season? My favorite season is the spring-autumn period. I love spring for its awakening and growing inspiration. This is the time when I am actively engaged in planting flower seedlings, returning to my garden after a long winter. I associate summer and autumn with abundance (flowers, plants, vegetables, and fruits). This is the time when my creativity is at its peak.

My favorite material from last season was dandelions, garlic arrows, amaranth, and wildflowers.

What is the advice you would give to someone who is studying or wanting to study floral arrangement? It is difficult for me to answer this question because I have no floristic education. I’m new to this field of art, so I need some advice myself. I am self-taught and create my works based on intuition and observation, but I feel that I need to learn the basic basics of floristry, so I plan to start studying soon.

Do you have any good floristry secrets or tips to share? When I was making ballet flats and a bag of dandelions, I sprayed these flowers with hair spray for better stabilization. It seems to me that this secret has been known to everyone for a long time 🙂

What’s been your best “I LOVE MY JOB” moment? It was at that moment when I spread a blanket on the soft green grass in my garden, laid out flowers, and got to work (I needed to create floral decorations for one project). I felt so good and calm—the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and my cat was lying right next to me.

What are the biggest challenges you face working with flowers? Sometimes I want to stop time so that I can enjoy the beauty of flowers for as long as possible. Fading, fragility, and changing the original shape of flowers are minor difficulties for me, so sometimes I have to improvise. But I wouldn’t even call it difficulties; rather, it’s certain features that are interesting to work with.

For flower lovers—where would you recommend they visit in your city in a 24-hour visit? Gardens, shops, markets, nature walks, etc.? Since I live in a small village, I would recommend nature walks. You can go to the forest and pick mushrooms and berries, have a small picnic in a flower meadow, hug trees, drink spring water, collect fragrant herbs, and make delicious tea from them.

What is ahead in your flower future? First of all, I’m going to study floristry. And, of course, I expect a lot of creativity, online and offline projects, and collaboration with artists.

Thank you, Katerina, for sharing your passion and journey with us. Your story is a beautiful reminder of how nature can inspire creativity and joy in everyday life. Whether you’re just starting out with floral artistry or have been working with flowers for years, there’s always something new to discover.

For our readers—no matter where you are in the world, take a moment to appreciate the flowers around you, let them inspire you, and maybe even start your own floral journey!