Meet Nell, a Florist and Artist

For Nell Henderson, a florist and artist based in Berkeley, California, the sudden halt of the flower industry caused a shift to her normal daily hustle, making trips to the flower market or fulfilling normal orders nearly impossible. But this change bolstered a new way of thinking about creativity. It pushed her to start her own floral design studio called Brute Botanical, and explore how her love of plants could intersect with her other creative projects – like making Rice Krispie treat towers donned with seasonal flowers for special occasions, or using unexpected materials in her arrangements like dried grasses from the side of the highway or ripe citrus from the grocery store. 

Read on for Nell’s take on style, grandma icons, the trick of convenience, and how taking time brings warrior focus and deliberate thought to each next step. 

What people call you: Nell

Where you live: Berkeley, California

What you do: Owner, Brute Botanical Floral Design

 

How would you describe your style?

Utilitarian with Montecito aspirations.

 

Who are your icons? What is it about them that inspires you?

My grandmothers are my icons. Both early widows that did whatever the hell they wanted.

 

When do you feel most confident?

In low lighting.

 

What’s your daily routine?

David Lynch weather report.

 

Describe a time in your life when you felt like a modern warrior.

Dealing with blatant misogyny on a daily basis.

 

How do you relax and unwind?

Bills paid.

 

What keeps you going?

Daria DVDs.

 

Something you’re obsessed with right now:

Oh, Hello: the P'dcast

 

Words to live by:

“Convenience is the quickest road to the devil.”

 

What’s your hype up song or anthem:

"Yamaha" by The Dream

 

What does Warrior mean to you? 

A calling I must continually suppress due to my Scotch-Irish lineage and its associated combative inclinations