Abeida (Magnolia Collection)

Rishita Monga comes from India and has made a new home in Nola. She has always been an artist and expressed herself through various mediums such as music, writing, vocals, acting, modeling, painting and dancing. For most of her life her art was the only expression she knew and kept it within the doors; until her 20’s when she recognised it to be the only eloquent language for the world to know her by. Rishita’s flower work is merely an evolution of the first pink flower she drew in grade 2 which she was mesmerized by and thought of it as the greatest work she ever produced. 

My floral creations are not new to me; in actuality my flowers have only evolved. I used to doodle and paint and photograph flowers since childhood. It was only in the lockdown period, when I found a beautiful human online who was willing to teach me how to express my flower work in 3D. These resin flowers are inspired by the rare ancient Japanese Kanzaashi art and it is a new take on the technique using resin. My first tryst with New Orleans’ spring happened in 2021 and I started to replicate the flowers I found here. You’d see my renditions of Magnolias, Jasmines, Cherry Blossoms, butterflies, wild flowers and many more. This is just an aspect of my story of falling in love with this city which gave me flowers, acceptance and love. These flowers feel like holding a little cloud, so light and delicate; I often ask the bearer to treat them like real florals.