At first glance at Kay Kai’s beautiful landscape and botanical-themed artworks, one might make the assumption they are simply beautiful paintings, but take a closer look and the exquisite beauty of nature is truly revealed. Kei’s detailed artworks are not paintings at all, but rather pressed flower artworks (known in Japan as Oshibana), using only dried, pressed flowers, leaves and other organic materials to compose these miniature snapshots of nature.

Kay Kei describes

“ I think that it is so amazing, because you don't need any colour from paint. You just need to collect plants like leaves, flowers and petals and then you can transform them into a new art form, using  the colours and the materials from nature. It's all natural.” 

Kei was introduced to this traditional delicate art-form over 18 years ago while accompanying students on a farm field trip during her time as a high school art teacher in Hong Kong and instantly became fascinated with the process, collecting flowers and leaves from all across Asia, enamoured with the extensive palette of colours, patterns and shading captured in floral varieties.

“I just love it. Because it's a whole process when you collect these  plants and flowers... then you need to really dedicate- what is your material? And then you have to collect it, press it, dry it and then once you have a large collection, then I start to work on my art. And recently I do a lot of mountains from my hometown”

After moving to Calgary less than a year ago, Kei faces new challenges in her creative practice, with the climate so vastly different than Hong Kong- she has been limited in her access to a wide variety of flowers, especially in the winter months- but she shows off how she’s even incorporated some dried leafy vegetables such as lettuce and bok choy into her background textures and some recent flowers she collected at the Calgary Farmers Market. 

And despite Calgary’s dry climate, pressed flower artworks can last upwards of ten years if prepared and stored properly as Kei holds up a work she made 18 years ago, still pristine and vibrant in a glass frame. She describes the specific process she uses, with special Japanese paper she uses to layer the flowers, wrapping it with plastic and applying weight for several days to press the flowers and remove any moisture. Carefully controlling both the humidity and UV exposure for both storage of materials and the exhibition of final artworks ensures the pressed flowers and leaves retain their true vibrant colours and don’t break down physically.

After finally beginning to settle into life in Calgary, Kay Kei is excited to share her artwork with Canadian audiences both with her exhibition works and through teaching others. Check out more of Kay Kei’s work on her website.