Brandy Kraft (b. 1984) is from South Florida and currently works in Stockholm, Sweden. Kraft is an artist focused on the subject of florals—inventing species of her own and bringing them to life via photography, paint, and sculpture. In order to dive deeper into the realm of flora, she returned to school in 2019 to become a certified florist. Currently, her work is focused on bringing new, imagined species of flora into the real world. Her creations are further anchored into reality via scientific-style documentation, with each being assigned new, invented binomial nomenclature.
Kraft’s technically realistic style combines with imaginative vision to create works that are intriguing and relevant today. Her work touches on themes of climate change, fake reality vs. reality diversity, and is a celebration of nature. Kraft lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden, with her husband and two children.
Artist Statement
Mankind is destroying the planet. This destruction has made me fascinated with preserving nature. I started with painting flowers—thousands of flowers in all states of life and decay. I wanted to preserve their beauty and prevent their extinction. Then suddenly, in my dreams and in my subconscious, I started having visions of new flowers. Non-existent flowers. I started piecing these strange new hybrids together and realized I was creating not only new species of flora but I was building a new world of my own. Flower by flower, petal by petal.
Equally inspired by the nature of Sweden and one of its most famous scientists, I left life in New York City to move back to Sweden. Now I follow in the footsteps of Carl von Linné by naming and officially documenting each new hybrid flower species I create. I am building a new, magical hybrid world, and this is just the beginning.
The year 2023 has been about change and 3D development for my practice. I am moving away from a 2D focus and embracing new ways to create sculpture. I am excited to reveal a 3D printed garden I have been working on for months in the spring of 2024. My hope is to inspire and aid people to see nature in a different way. We must cherish and celebrate her resiliency.
Interview with Brandy Kraft
What inspired you to focus on florals and invent your own species?
I became fixated on flowers about eight years ago. I saw beauty reflected in them. Then one day, I couldn't see beauty anymore. I looked and looked and had a studio full of flowers in all states of decay, and I just couldn't see beauty anymore. I had to create something new in order to find it again.
How has becoming a certified florist influenced your artistic practice?
I studied floristry to become closer to flowers, to touch them and smell them, and to learn what's out there in the world. There are so many species to discover!
Can you share the process of creating and documenting your imagined flora species?
I start out by collecting lots of flowers and then take them all apart. Once they are in this deconstructed form, I can see them as material for creation. Then the process of the sculpture happens organically. I let the petals guide my hands. Once I've tweaked it enough, I photograph it. Sometimes I paint it, and sometimes not. Then they are named according to their mashup components.
How do you balance technical realism with imaginative vision in your work?
The imaginative part happens when the flower is created, and the realism style, well, that's just the way I like to paint. :)
What message do you hope to convey about nature and climate change through your art?
I would like to inspire people to look twice, look again. Things, even as small as flowers, are not only beautiful but important and deserve respect.
How has living in Stockholm and being inspired by Carl von Linné shaped your work?
I feel close to history here. I showed at his home museum a few years ago, and it was so wonderful to feel the atmosphere there and to see his study. It's a feeling of connection.
What excites you most about moving into 3D development and creating a 3D printed garden?
I would like to see my flowers grow up to be larger than me. I hope to one day soon be able to cast them in bronze and make a magical outdoor hybrid garden.
