The Fairytale of the Little Boy

Once upon a time there was a little boy living in Northern Europe. This Santa Claus Land was full of forests and tens of thousands of lakes.
The Moon and The Northern Lights gave light in the dark, cold winters, illuminating his school paths. In summertime the Sun shone continuously and made Mother Nature green and rich.
The Little Boy lived with his grandmother, two aunts, uncles, parents and three little sisters in the small farmhouse which was surrounded by small fields. The Family was poor, but it gave a strong foundation for the little boy to use his imagination. Later the little boy realized that perhaps the missed material richness in childhood had enriched his adult life, filling him with a wondrous perspective.
In a nearby field was a small valley with a tumbling brook. This small valley was one of boy’s favourite places. In summertime it was awash with the vivid colours of blooming flowers and darting butterflies. ”Is there anything as wondrous or more beautiful in the world?” he wondered. ”Life is like a fairytale, full of stories written by Mother Earth,” was the little boy’s last thought before he fell asleep in the flower field.
After 27 years of wonder, The Little Boy is ready to tell his own tales with flowers.


The Story behind the Stories

I’m a little boy no longer, but I do hope to have this childlike wonder the rest of my life. Without this I fear it would be difficult to create new stories.
The foundation, the idea of this book has been the culmination of many questions, but primarily the question of:” How to use single cut flower?” Shall I use it with a stem? Shorter or longer? Shall I use here only a singular blossom? Many or Few?
I always try to listen to flowers’ own language to find the answer.
I try to find an answer to the question:” What is important for me to show in this design.” Is it the colour or form? Is it movement or texture? What are the best techniques, materials and structures should I use to make this flower, stem, or vegetation last in an appropriate manner? A natural bouquet for every day uses completely different techniques and has a different purpose than a bridal bouquet. The need for material to last, the amount of time the bouquet is in use all affect the choices I must make in handling the material I am working with. This book focuses on flowers being used close to the body, bridal bouquets, and decoration. This is therefore the reason why I must ask myself,” What is the best way to present this material? Does it enhance a face, a hairstyle, a fashion?”
The results are my own stories.
I hope you enjoy my flower stories and please do remember that every day is a fairytale.



FLOWER STORIES
ISBN 90-5856-191-7
Publisher: Stichting Kunstboek, Oostkamp, Belgium
Published: 2006
Hard cover
Size: 33,5 x 24,5 cm
Pages: 144
Photographs: 112
Price: 69.90 € + postage - ORDER THE BOOK HERE