Sunaroun on fresh flowers, dried materials and the beauty of fading

I am a Korean flower artist working under the name 'Sunaroun.' I explore the combination of lines and space, Eastern and Western styles, and mixing dried foliage and fresh flowers to create a harmony with various vases. I share my love for flowers through my artworks, classes, altar flower arrangements, participating as a member of a flower association, and by running a small business selling beautiful vases.

I loved flowers since I was a child and always kept them close, but at first, I only enjoyed them as a customer. Then, I unexpectedly learned flower arrangement through a Catholic diocese. This led me to take professional courses, get a national certificate, and become a flower artist. In 2025, I had a meaningful moment showing my flower artworks in my solo booth at a flower exhibition.

I focus on finding new and unexpected sides of common flowers, trying new shapes and color combinations that go outside standard ideas. Working with flowers has given me great comfort and helped me discover new parts of myself. To give this love back to society, I volunteer by doing flower donations, classes for teenagers, and altar flower arrangements for the visually impaired.

Instead of staying in familiar formulas, I try to forget my past works and pursue something new. Because there is no single right answer in flower art, some of my bold attempts end in failure. However, I accept reality as it is, keep working on and fixing the mistakes, and finally finish the work. For me, every work is a new challenge, a test of responsibility, and a journey of discovery.

I am interested in mixing fresh flowers with dried materials aged for three to four years. This shows the harmony of life and death, and the beautiful changes through time. I also try to create straight lines and curves, sometimes using just one material and other times mixing different ones together. In my work, I try to bring together the bold curiosity of an amateur and the skill of a professional, order and irregularity, and stability and boldness to create a unique sense of depth.

I get inspiration by visiting museums and galleries to see classical and contemporary art. I also observe the unexpected shapes in nature and the beautiful harmony of contrasting colors. Sometimes, I even get inspired by the bold fashion and color choices of elderly people at a local market. 😊

Watching fresh flowers from the beginning to the end teaches me that life is limited, which makes every single moment very precious. Just as a flower does its best to be beautiful until the very end, I try my best to live my daily life authentically. Accepting the beauty of fading flowers rather than throwing them away helps me think about human life, as we also go through times of being bent, withering, and aging.

In nature, all plants live together by harmonizing their unique shapes and colors. Similarly, flower professionals around the world fill the world with beauty through their own styles. I hope we can keep a beautiful flower community where everyone respects each other’s unique style and coexists together.