i wanted to take a moment, and rewind a tad...because i wanted to [once again] discuss the maestro of sugar flowers, and basically lavish some attention on the gorgeous arrangements that i witnessed unfold before me in class.
leading up to this discussion on flower arrangement, we had a practical exam. we were required to make a full rose, a half-rose, 2 buds and 6 leaves. we had to dust everything, arrange everything and compose it together in a pressed sugar vase that we created in the weeks prior.
one of the many disadvantages to missing a class with Chef Ron is that i missed some very important details about coloring flowers, dusting leaves and petals, even how to compose leaves together and learning (and practicing) how to arrange everything in a way that is beautiful and in a way that makes sense.
while i was basically satisfied with my roses, prior to dusting them, i fell seriously short when it came time to dusting my roses and leaves. i didn't have any notes on the process (thanks LIRR), i didn't have an photos (thanks again LIRR) and i didn't have any experience based on the teachings from that monday night (thanks LIRR)... [once again, never forgive the train or the clouds]... so i felt an immense pressure to perform.
having studied classical performance of flute for 20 years, i understand that sometimes, you must do what is called "sight reading." it involves looking at a piece you've never seen or read or heard before, often it's very technical and difficult, and you must take 1 - 3 minutes (depending on the test) before you are required to perform it for evaluation. it's intensely difficult, your mistakes are counted heavily, even for the most seasoned of musicians. it tests your technical ability and strength of your playing "chops." no one likes to sight-read.
well i felt the same pressure during the practical. probably even more so, because i hadn't been taught how to dust the way Chef Ron does it. i can't say i was pleased with the flowers i produced. and i CAN say i wasn't pleased with my final product - especially the way i misunderstood the objective of how to arrange the flowers in the vase. i left a lot of open space because i thought we would get to add some of my other sugar flowers to the vase. so...that meant where i should have simply arranged JUST the roses, i arranged them with the intention of filling in more with our other flowers. of course, this was incorrect and caused me to look a bit incompetent. never a good thing when you are being critiqued by the man who redefines sugar flowers on a daily basis. especially when you missed his class [even if it wasn't your fault, it doesn't matter. perhaps a more resourceful student would have just hitchhiked??]
BUT that being said, when i look at my few roses, i'm reminded of how far i've yet to go. which would explain why i've since made and plan to continue to make roses at my kitchen table, with my cats watching me late at night wondering what i'm doing. the ONLY way to improve is to practice. that's something i've known since my classical performance days - i've played for so many hours that my lips would go numb and the sun would be rising again. trust me, i know all about dedication and practice!
my favorite part of the evening was [no, not when the evaluation was over *smile*] when we got to watch Chef Ron demonstrate his talents. and all you have to do is sit there, really just as a witness, and watch him nimbly and confidently manipulate flowers, press and bend, pull and push, twist and hug all the flowers. they just dance for him. it's a lot like watching ballet. and i guess that makes sense, given his background. it's really no joke when i use words like symphony, maestro, grace and ease... it's all very fluid - not unlike a performance one might see on a stage somewhere with Sergei Prokofiev's or Peter Tchaikovsky's wonderful orchestrations shimmering across your ears and eyes. now that may sound over-the-top, but i assure you... i'm being nothing more than completely serious. having studied classical music [remember my carrot video??] i feel, see and hear the world in a very musical, synesthetic way. so watching Chef Ron build and create right in front of me...well it's been a gift. it's all just very Chopin and Bach!
anyway, here are a few of his arrangements...
the beginning:
as well as one of my favorite photos!
when he posed for it, he said "hello blog readers!!!" love him!
more to come!
xo
m
1 comment:
It's obvious that both teacher and student share one important quality, passion for your craft. I love your blog and I love reading about people who love what they do. Keep it up and keep writing!!!
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