This time, I brought out this black-and-white glass vase. I remember purchasing it because I was drawn to the contrast.

I had in my hands two different colours of chrysanthemums, which I thought would look good against something black. I decided to use the mums as "colour" rather than as "flower". I placed them on the black side of the vase.

The yellow and pink against black stood out clearly enough...but, there was something lacking on the white side of the vase. I wanted to show contrast (as the vase dictated) but the yellow and pink against white was not strong enough. So, I placed dark purple statice in the middle to intensify the difference in space. The statice were made to look like the blooms were overflowing from the vase.

The next question was how to make use of the space on the white side. I needed lines to complement the mass on the black side. I stripped myrtle branches of all their leaves and fashioned them into circular shapes.

Black side = mass. White side = line.

Back view: did you notice my little eryngium helpers? :-)

Here is the complete arrangement. I hope you like it. --Miyako