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Meet the Curator

Dear Bloomers*

This artisanal market place has been curated from the heart, so I'd love to share a bit about what keeps my heart beating.

The home is a special place for me because it's where my family and I get to spend time together in a space that represents each of us in some way.  Floor cushions, a big window that lets the light in and a stack of story books form a favourite nook in our home.

I spend a lot of time outdoors, in nature with my family.  In the past we've spent many weekends exploring the mountains and coastlines of South Africa, where the smells of fynbos and salt air are infused with the energies of diverse cultural communities.  Both then and now in NZ, we love discovering all sorts of natural elements; plant off-shoots, interestingly shaped rocks, funny insects and anything else that my children bring to my attention.  Their curiosity reminds me how important it is to practice being in a state of childlike fascination with everything, so I can remain in conversation with my creativity.

In New Zealand I find myself most creatively inspired when among the trees and their ever changing colourful leaves.  My husband and I were also married under a ring of trees on a national heritage site that sits below a mountain range in the Drakensburg in South Africa.

While in Africa I would always surround myself with turquoise, reds and blues, in New Zealand I find myself being more drawn to greens and soft pinks.  I see colour as a way to express feelings and enjoy experimenting with it to create the visual mood of a room.  My attraction to colour and what it can do for the psyche, along with my passion for imagery have translated into this online store where both mediums serve their highest purpose; to inspire creative freedom, evoke emotion and to capture the essence of human culture.

love Susie

*an endearment I give to all my customers, as I like to think of them as blooming brightly upon receiving an artisanal item from Africa