Interview with Master Florist Bert Klomps
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Dutch Champion Floral Design
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First runner up at the Selection Competition
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Can you give us a short introduction on what you do?
As Master Florist, I work at the exclusive flower shop Louise Aalbers in Doetinchem, Holland. My daily activities include making and selling flower arrangements, styling the shop and I am also involved in purchasing flowers and other materials. Besides this daily routine, I give workshops and do the styling for photography.
Ever since I won the Dutch Championship, people know where to find me.
I receive a lot of requests for demonstrations.
You had to compete with two other Dutch Champions. How was the experience for you?
This Selection Competition was an unexpected extra event for me. Despite the very hectic period after the Dutch Championship, the busy period in the shop during Christmas and preparations for the contest of January 14th, I succeeded in presenting myself well at the Selection Competition.
It felt like extra pressure to compete as three Dutch Champions, but it had an excellent result. The runner up position is a great result when you have to compete with two more experienced competitors. Of course, it is a pity that the European Championship passes right by me, but only one can win. I wish Sjacco Gerritsen lots of success in Slovenia!
What inspired the arrangements you made at the selection competition?
The free assignment: Ode to Gaudi was a great theme; I saw many opportunities, all the more because it has many connections with nature.
My Ode was a free interpretation of the Casa Mila in Barcelona, one of Gaudis constructions with fluent brick shapes and balustrades in seaweed-like shapes. A massive form of piled bricks/layers was the surface to bring on the seaweed forms, with lots of brown, black and green shades. I also made accents in red and yellow; the colors of the Catalanian flag.
The two surprise assignments were not impossible to me at all! When I saw the assignments, the provided flowers and plants from Dutch Creations, inspiration came right away. I immediately felt that with these fine products I could make an appealing and creative design.
Dutch Creations is sponsoring this Championship by providing flowers, plants and sponsoring the winners ticket to Slovenia, what do you think about the Dutch Creations initiative? What do you think about the Dutch Creations products you worked with?
The fact that Dutch Creations represent so many high quality floral products and different varieties makes them market leaders. The cooperation with Dutch Creations is in my opinion a good possibility to enrich each other with knowledge of trends, the products and the way of working/processing by the end-users. As for the end-users, it is a fine way to get more knowledge of the products and varieties.
It is fantastic that Dutch Creations sponsored the trip to Slovenia for the winner; Sjacco Gerritsen. Besides this, they also pledged to supply the products for his free assignments and ship these products to the contest location in Slovenia. Participation to such an event requires lots of preparations for the contestant. Hence contributions like these are a boost and make it possible to portray the Dutch professional skills!
I got acquainted with the products and got impressed by their quality at the Dutch Championship 2006 and at the Selection Competitions for the European Championship.
Ive also seen and admired the Dutch Creations assortment at their stand at the International Horti Fair Amsterdam.
What is your favorite single florist article from Dutch Creations and why?
During the Dutch Championship 2006, I worked for the first time with it and since that moment I am a big fan of the red rose Red Naomi!. What a smashing hit! Velvety, blood red and scented, and she combines these fabulous features in with a perfectly shaped big head.
Which Dutch Creation varieties did you work with and how do you feel about them?
"For Two Friends" I used:
Spray Chrysanthemum: Feeling Green
Spray Chrysanthemum: Ibis
Anthurium: Verino
Anthurium: Presence
To be honest, chrysanthemums are not my personal favourite, but we had to use them in the assignment Two Friends. Interesting to note is that I am very satisfied with the end result! The varieties Ibis and Feeling Green are very suitable for contemporary arrangements because of the good colours and the compact shapes. However, the stems were a little bit too soft for the fast working that was needed during the contest.
The Anthurium Verino and Presence were magnificent, beautiful and extraordinary flowers on long stems. I had to handle the white variety Presence with a lot of care, as its commonly known that white Anthurium are sensitive and damage easily. On the contrary, Presence holds very well hence my arrangement represented perfect, serene white flowers, without bruises. What a beauty, this white Anthurium!
Party with Bulb flowers:
Anthurium Leaves
Freesia: Ancona
Tulip: White Dream
There is just one word for the White Dream tulips that were supplied by Dutch Creations: Stunning! These are perfectly white tulips with such an elegant appearance. I chose for the lilac freesias, Ancona from the assortment of the wide range of colours that were offered. They have just the perfect colour to make the right soft colour accent together with the white pottery and the beautiful White Dream tulips.
I used a lot of Anthurium leaves in the flower bulbs arrangement.
From these Anthurium leaves, I made a circle shape like a type of floral wreath. I folded the leaves round against each others direction.
I think the effect with these sturdy leaves was pleasing.
The supplied products allowed me to process the materials to arrangements with distinctive shapes and attractive flower choice. A visitor praised the straightforwardness of my choices and designs with the description as a matter of Dutch fact.
Is there a designer whose work you especially like, why?
It is a fact that whether you want it or not, the works of famous florists/designers influence you. Daniel Ost, Menno Kroon and Marcel Wolterinck are names of designers whose work I admire. Although I also think that my good friends and my colleagues are much greater support and inspiration to me!
Is there a design style you especially like, how would you use Dutch Creations varieties in it?
There are many styles that I appreciate. As long as it shows that the designer made clear choices in his work and that the pieces portray the real beauty of flowers. Personally, I do not like painted and pimped flowers.
Do you want to add on anything, do you have any suggestions for us?
We work with flowers: this means seeing, smelling and touching. In short: emotions. Flowers can do that to you. I cannot capture these emotions in words.
Furthermore, I want to wish the organization of Dutch Creations lots of success with the preparations for the European Championship in Slovenia! Please keep me posted and to Sjacco Gerritsen: GOOD LUCK!
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Master Florist Bert Klomps
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with the theme �Ode to Gaudi�
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with the theme �Two friends�
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with the theme �Party with flower bulbs�
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with Feeling Green�
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with Ibis�
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with Verino�
Bert Klomps�s arrangement with Presence�
Hand tied bouquet made at the Dutch Championship 2006 with Red Naomi!� rose, Bert Klomps
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