Joy Bloom - Gerbera Daisies; Joy in Living Colour

There's something wonderfully unpretentious about Gerbera daisies. They don't demand attention with heady perfumes or intricate patterns - instead, they charm us with their simple, open-faced beauty and kaleidoscope of cheerful colours. They're the kind of flowers that seem to say, "Hello! Isn't it wonderful to be alive today?"

When creating the Gerbera daisy for my Joy Bloom collection, I found myself captivated by their perfect symmetry. Each petal appears to have been carefully measured and placed, creating a natural mandala of colour. Working with my linocut tools, I wanted to capture that sense of joyful precision - the way each flower seems to radiate happiness from its centre outward.

What I love most about Gerberas is their democratic approach to beauty. They're equally at home in a crystal vase or a jam jar, in a cottage garden or a city window box. They remind us that joy doesn't need to be complicated or costly - sometimes it's as simple as a bright bloom on a kitchen windowsill.

These sunny characters have a particularly endearing habit of closing their petals at night and reopening with the morning sun, as if they too need their beauty sleep. There's something deeply comforting about this daily ritual, a reminder that each day brings fresh opportunities to bloom.

My interpretation in the Joy Bloom collection celebrates this straightforward approach to spreading joy. My linocut captures the Gerbera's honest charm - those perfectly spaced petals, the strong, upright stem, the sense of a flower that knows exactly what it is and is perfectly happy being just that.

Despite their exotic South African origins, Gerberas have made themselves thoroughly at home in British culture. They're the flowers we buy to brighten a friend's day, to add colour to our homes when skies are grey, to celebrate life's small victories and everyday moments of joy.

Like a Gerbera daisy, joy can be simple, bright, and wonderfully accessible. It can arrive in any colour, fit in any space, and bring light to any moment.