Book Roses for Hay Festival

So much folding

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Now on to this week’s musings…

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This is a short one. My last few weeks have had one, single-minded focus.

Sometimes, as an artist, the most random and wonderful things come your way. They come totally out of the blue, and the joy of getting to use ones hard earned skills in unexpected and new ways is brilliant. During launch week of A Spy Like Me, Kim did a fundraising event for Hay Festival. At some point of the course of the evening she discovered that the woman who has historically made the gorgeous paper roses Hay gift to every artist who steps on stage wasn’t able to make them anymore. The festival organisers were incredibly sad as the event was only weeks away and they hadn’t found anyone else who could step in.

They would be without roses.

Kim, wonderful sister that she is, promptly said “My sister could make them.” A short video call later and I found myself making hundreds upon hundreds of paper roses from old book pages. Many long days and late nights followed. Much hot glue and endless folding was accompanied by five audio books and two seasons of Gilmore Girls.

Roses in progress

I was so incredibly excited to be making the roses for Hay that it wasn’t until the festival was underway (and I was still folding and glueing and posting box after box) that I fully realised the roses weren’t just for Hay – they were for the incredible array of talented people who grace the stages of the festival. The realisation came when I spotted one of my flowers in a photo with George Monbiot, who I admire, respect, and whose writing changed my life. I will admit to being a little overwhelmed. After that I kept an eagle eye on Hays Instagram feed, every photo of my roses spurring me on until the festival came to an end.

Vases of roses

I want to thank Hay for trusting me to step in and allowing me to become part of the festival. I can’t wait to make more for Hay in Winter.

If anyone has any old books (hardback sized or larger) that they want turned into roses for Hay let me know!

Book roses among the spring blooms