Saskia de Valk | Vlinder en Vogel
In the Netherlands, we're lucky to be blessed with the abundance of beautiful flowers, year round. And, when you do a little research, you can find organic ones in the mix. These flowers are grown naturally without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. With a passion for seasonal and organic flowers, Saskia de Valk (1970, Venray) of design studio,
Vinder&Vogel
, creates bouquets that are quirky, lush and wild, almost like you’ve picked the flowers yourself. Her work with flowers and natural materials is marked by temporality, referencing her background in theater and exhibition design. We spoke to Saskia about her work and what continues to inspire her over a cup of tea in her studio in Amsterdam Noord as the sun set over the IJ river.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a designer. I studied theater design, and although I didn’t work too much in theater design and décor, a running thread in all my work is that I use natural materials. A few years ago I just happened upon flowers. I was buying biological flowers for myself and came into contact with great people. Friendships were formed. From there, everything just happened. I started to work more from the intersection between design and flowers. I’m not (and don’t feel like) a traditional florist since I don’t have my own shop. My work is also bound to the seasons since I work with organic flowers. In the winter it's quieter and I work on other projects like festival or product design.
Did you learn how to work with flowers, or did it come naturally?
It just kind of happened, really. I worked with a florist for half a year, one day a week, because I felt I had to learn the techniques. I thought to myself, OK, I need to do this if I want to work with flowers. It actually didn’t go very well at all! At that point, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue working with flowers. But I realized that I just had to do it my own way. I knew I had a feeling for it, just like people who can naturally paint well. It’s not far off from my creative background. And the ease of arranging flowers is just a matter of learning by doing. I have developed my own style, and I guess you can say my style is creating bouquets that are inviting. I use field flowers to create pieces that are quirky, lush and wild, almost like you’ve picked the flowers yourself.
What kind of projects do you do?
I work with flowers in commission. Projects vary from flowers for a wedding, or a bouquet, or flowers for mourning. I also work for large events. I think people come to me because they want something more natural, with a wilder aesthetic. I don’t have very unique flowers –they’re actually the ones you can find just about everywhere– but I think they're quite beautiful. I always buy organic flowers that have either been grown in a nursery or outside for that natural look. And as a designer, I like to work on different projects simultaneously. Recently I was very interested in different glass types. In February, I created small pots with bulbs sprouting the first green of spring for
showUP
, a trade show for home wares and gifts that took pace in Amsterdam Noord. The pots carried a narrative themselves: they gave you that winter feeling of the bulbs but signaled the start of spring with the first green.
And as Vlinder&Vogel you have you own project line. Can you tell us more about Bloemenlab II?
Bloemenlab II
, or Flower Lab II, was a result of working with flowers and always being left with the one or two flowers that had snapped off, and usually end up in the trash. I was also working with lab equipment and the two things just kind of came together, and I started using the glass jars for the leftover flowers. I noticed that the flowers were then given a stage to tell their own story, a platform from which to study them. An ode to the unused. I also dry flowers. I pick flowers myself, I tend to take flowers with me wherever I go. I was recently in Switzerland and brought flowers back with me pressed in my notebook. Dried flowers are delicate, so I sew them into linen cloths. This way, they become small miniatures, or paintings. These things just kind of happen naturally. On the one hand, I want to capture something, and on the other, I’m very drawn to temporality. In theater and set design you also have to create something that’s then taken down for the next show. Traces of this contrast between temporality and permanence can be seen throughout my work.
And do you always have flowers at home?
Haha, I often do. They’re usually the sad leftovers. I work with flowers so much that I don’t feel like I necessary need to have them at home, but I do think they’re very beautiful. Since I live in the city and don’t have my own garden, I really enjoy the warmth of flowers on the kitchen table. They draw your attention and can provide you with a sense of ease. I think greenery is important and it’s proven to be good for you! So yes, I do have flowers at home, but not an exaggerated amount. And sometimes I put together a bouquet just to see how a flower behaves and changes. Especially when I’m not familiar with a flower, I like to study it before I use it in commissioned arrangements.
Would you say that the city of Amsterdam inspires you?
Yes, definitely. What I like about Amsterdam is working with other designers and makers. I recently worked with illustrator Maartje van den Noort. We created small packages of seeds – she was responsible for the packaging. We have a similar interest in nature and flowers, and I love the energy that results from working together and the beauty of creating something out of collaboration. I also have that with food and flowers I work with studio mate, Tessa van Grafhorst of De Taartrovers/Keukebende, on interactive cultural projects for or with children. Together we’ve worked on projects for the Fantastisch Kinder Film Festival, Museum Beelden aan Zee and EYE Film Institute. Collaborations have taken on many different forms and have ranged from food to preservation to decoration.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A flower day starts early in the morning. I leave to buy flowers at the nursery of Jan Knook in Beemster. I then drive back to my studio, where I begin my day with the organizing and arranging of flowers for bouquets and orders. I bike all over the city to deliver the flowers. In between deliveriess I check my email and make phone calls. When I'm working on larger projects I need a lot of time to prep and work out my ideas and find inspiration in the world around me. I have a lovely family (my two daughters are already at school) but I love to begin and end my days altogether.
Can you name a few of your favorite places in Amsterdam?
A few of my favorite places include my garden and my ferry rides to Noord to and from my studio. I also love the city in the early in the mornings, and EYE Film Institute, where I can find myself just daydreaming when taking in the beautiful view, or where I can get lost in a film.
What’s next?
I hope to continue working with inspiring people, and to one day find a space where all my ideas can come together. I'm thinking a mix of a garden and a studio, a place for inspiration and the sharing of ideas amongst creative people.
Thank you Saskia for this interview! Find out more about her work on the
website
of Vlinder&Vogel. You can also find out more about organic flowers at
SIMPLY SLOW
's get together,
Scent of Spring
, with Saskia and
Isadora Lebouille
of
Annindriya
Perfume Lounge
on Sunday May 18th.
There is currently a waiting list but you can add your name in case a place opens up!