Ren MacDonald-Balasia is the owner and creative force behind Los Angeles and Honolulu-based floral design studio, Renko.

Blurring the lines between the florist and forager, the everyday and the exotic, fantasy and reality, Ren and her team incorporate a dramatic scope of flora and botanical elements, imbuing her sculptural works with surreal textures and vibrating color hues. Her fantastical sensibility is intentionally grounded by locally foraged, seasonal, and unexpected materials.

Drawing upon her Japanese heritage, connection to both Los Angeles and Honolulu, as well her 17 years of experience in the floral industry, her work primarily focuses on provoking viewers to think and react to the world she's creating. Through her work, Ren invites us to challenge our expectations of beauty, not by sacrificing pleasure, but by simply expanding our said notions of it.

From weddings to editorial projects to corporate events, Ren's work has been featured in T Magazine, New York Times, Vogue Weddings and Domino Magazine among others. As she continues her practice, Ren's goal is to be a voice and protector of the natural world, emphasizing designs that encourage new ways of experiencing and appreciating nature.