Column March 2005 

Positive stimulance

Holland has developed itself recent years as the world champion in tolerance. By itself a good thing in many areas. Often very good rules are agreed, but even often many people do not care about it. Unfortunately the same is the case in the flower art world. Rules and targets explains students what to do and to learn and hopefully why! Reasons can be found in how to become competent for a specific job.

Reality in many cases is that targets will not be reached. Besides objective assessment and judgement is of course very difficult. But all of us will hand over students a diploma. And let us be honest, students do want to receive the diploma either. Quite some prefer not to work very hard for it. Why should they ? When it is easy to get?
If the quality and input is not adequate, the result will be devaluation of skills and the knowlegde and quality of the student and finally devaluation of the profession.
All around we notice a excuse culture. People are quickly satisfied about their arrangements. Oh so beautiful? But is it so?
And how can we judge the work in a objective way? It is very easy to end in an excuse culture as well for the student as the teacher or coach or judge.

And if we reflect accurate, we soon receive the message that we are too clear in our opinion. You recognize this? (I do!) Is it not be better to be pro active and trying to find a positive stimulus. To be able to grow and explore our selves, our talents.

A positive and critical attitude often is seen as negative. But I suppose it are just soft and weak persons who will not accept a positive critical opinion. They go for the easy way. They think you are a difficult person.
To be critical is essential to come further and make progress. But always with a positive stimulance of course!

We better challenge our selve and our surrounding, our students. To activate them and help them to make their own decisions.
Why should you go along in the wave of copying, in an endless repeating your self or others work. In shops and even in magazines you see more and more of the same ideas. Followers, there are many of them.

My message is; take the challenge, grap the positive stimulance, develop your own form- and colour view in your designs. Give your shop a fresh, bright and shining face. And create challenging designs with a message, an extra value, a little more, a surprise!
Together collecting knowlege and share it, to come further, the best there is.

Much success with your inspiration and strive to bring your profession or hobby on a higher level. Be proud and show it. Make something special of it and please do not join the excuse culture!