In the garden with Sophie Steengracht

In 2021, artist Sophie Steengracht laid out her garden, The Arched Garden. ‘It’s my pigment garden, domed by vaulted willow branches. My studio is near there, in the attic of an old haystack surrounded by soil filled with memories.’ It is where she grew up, “where I used to climb trees and talk to plants and animals,” she says. ‘The garden gives me colors and shapes and smells and shelter and magic, and I give it seeds and compost and sometimes water when I need to.’ Adjacent to the garden is a nature reserve; Little Sterkenburg, I’m here as much as I can, preferring to wander off the path and look at everything around me; the mud, grasses, all the plants and animals, bones and moss and molds on branches.’

Steengracht works with pigments she makes from her own plants and paints beautiful natural patterns with them; underground root systems, tree bark and starry skies. “Motifs and lines,” she says, ”that reflect the mystical connection between man and nature.

On April 20, we will visit Sophie Steengracht’s studio and garden. There will also be an opportunity to purchase some of her work.

Note: to visit the studio you have to go up a steep staircase + keep in mind that it can be soggy outside.

Morning edition:
10.30 – 13.00: reception in studio by artist Sophie Steengracht and plant expert Anke Riesenkamp of See All This. Tour of the garden followed by a Q&A.

Afternoon Edition:
1:30-4:00 p.m.: reception in studio by artist Sophie Steengracht and plant expert Anke Riesenkamp of See All This. Tour of the garden followed by a Q&A.