In the early months of spring the cottages are always filled with displays of Daffodils, scented Narcissi and Anenomes. Contorted Hazel and Tulips are one of my favourite combinations, a perfect expression of Nature as Artist. The flowers used in the cottages come from a long established supplier to Kettle’s Yard on Cambridge Market, oftentimes they are grown by the people who run the stall, or are sourced from the fields of the Fens. We always try to buy local.

Doing the flowers in the cottages at Kettles Yard, is an absolute treat, I love doing it and consider each flower display to be a piece of living artwork. In the sanctuary of the Kettle’s Yard cottages, it is one of my favourite things to do, particularly now as it acts as a counter balance to my work with ‘Drawing Connections…at the edges’, my project running art workshops in prisons. My mother is a florist and I did my work experience in a florists back in the 90’s, but never made it a profession. Growing up on the Dutch border gave me lots of inspiration and I love Japanese ikebana, like Kettle’s Yard it encapsulates balance and harmony.

Doing flowers at Kettle’s Yard all came about following some work I did for Karen Guthrie and Nina Pope for their Past, Present, Somewhere exhibition in the main gallery as a volunteer, back in 2014. Following my work for them I was invited to be a Visitor Assistant and worked in the House and the gallery, assisting with the flowers before its closure in June 2015. Having got a job with the Institute of Criminology since the closure, I was unable to return as a Visitor Assistant, but jumped at the opportunity to continue as a volunteer doing the flowers, alongside Sabrina and now Susy, who both work as Visitor Assistants. I also now do them for the Garden Kitchen Cafe, in exchange for delicious food and great coffee!