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| Sunday, 5 October 2003 |
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Blazing new trails in floral decor by Carol Aloysius Multi-talented young beautician cum floral and cake decor specialist Ramanie Arseculeratne, who in recent years has been responsible for some of the most unusual ideas in floral and cake decor, is now poised to create a revolution in the field of cake decor when she introduces an entirely new concept in cake decor. "Gelatine flowers will be the newest technique in cake decoration which I shall be demonstrating to my pupils at my Academy at Bambalapitiya", says this versatile young woman, who plans to showcase this new economical technique in cake decor for the first time at an exhibition on October 19 at the Hotel Galadari Meridien. The exhibition which will be held in association with the Industrial Development Board (IDB) while giving Ramanie the opportunity to display her newly acquired skills in cake decor, will also highlight another unusual craft which Ramanie introduced - namely Fish- techno craft. "The IDB which is collaborating with me to hold this exhibition, wants to promote this craft among people who live in the coastal areas particularly since the raw material needed for this craft is freely available in these areas", Ramanie explained at a recent interview with the Sunday Observer."I will be demonstrating to them, how to transform fish waste especially fish scales and fins into beautiful ornaments and even utility items at a very low cost". Since the IDB has organised the exhibition with the intention of helping the fisherfolk to set up their own businesses, she hopes that the exposure to this new technology will encourage fisher women to turn entrepreneurs, setting up their own fish craft businesses by making use of fish waste. Alongside the wide array of ornaments made with fish waste at the forthcoming exhibition, Ramanie will demonstrate and display the art of making gelatine flower - a craft she has mastered after attending a recent workshop organised by the British Sugar Craft Guild in London. " According to her, this new method in cake decor will help to preserve flowers used on a cake structure even under changing climatic conditions- unlike the normal sugar flowers now used which are difficult to preserve under humid/rainy weather. " It is also a very easy simple method involving very little expense," she adds. Making the flowers also involves a quick and simple procedure. " First you have to make a frame for the petals with thin gauge wires following the same method as you do for making sugar flowers. Next, melt the gelatine with water until you obtain a thick consistency and add food colouring keeping to a pre-planned colour scheme. Then dip the wire frames into the gelatine mixture and you will have your gelatine flowers." Not only are these flowers easy to make, they come in different sizes, colours and shades. The end result is an incredible wide range of transparent, matt finished, crystal and shaded flowers. Besides their exquisite appearance, they are also multi-functional and can be used for different purposes,such as head dresses, bouquets and floral arrangements at weddings. " It is the ultimate dream of the budget conscious bride to be", says Ramanie. Twelve years in creative arts and crafts has clearly not dulled the imagination and creative skills of this self-taught artist, who beginning with sugar craft has progressed into vegetable and fruit carving, dried flowers, pebble and sand craft, patchwork and painted pottery among other things. She is also a beautician and hair dresser par excellence - all of which roles has given her a great deal of satisfaction. As she observes. " Being a creative person, each craft I have mastered (she is self-taught mostly) has been a rewarding experience, not only for me, but for my pupils as well who have learned how to transform ordinary raw materials into something exotic and exquisite. As a housewife I have been particularly interested in helping women on a low cost budget. Hence many of my crafts have been made out of waste material, such as scraps of cloth, beads, bits of mirror glass,fish scales and fins, old clay pots, pebbles, all of which are cheap and easily accessible. Any housewife with time on her hands can harness these materials to produce beautiful ornaments and utility objects that could also help them to earn some pocket money as well". Ramanie is looking forward to attending two craft workshops in Australia and California shortly where she will share her skills with other like minded women. |
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