BRAISHFIELD Flower Arrangement Society welcomed Michael Bowyer to its April meeting. 

Michael is a past president of NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies), a national speaker, judge and demonstrator. 

He gave a talk on three women – Rachel Rugsch, Mary Delany and Clarice Cliff.

Rachel Rugsch was a Dutch still-life painter and worked in The Hague from 1701 to 1708 where she was the first female member of the artist’s society. She specialised in flowers, inventing her own style and achieved international fame in her lifetime.

READ MORE: Chandler's Ford girls complete Swimathon in father’s memory

Mary Delany, born in 1700, was an English artist, letter-writer and bluestocking, known for her ‘paper-mosaics’ and botanic drawing, needlework and her lively correspondence. At the age of 72 began producing a series of 985 detailed floral collages. The Delany collages can be seen in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum.

Clarice Cliff was an English ceramic artist and designer and was active from 1922 to 1963. She became the head of the Newport Pottery factory creative department. Today she is regarded as one of the most influential ceramics artists of the 20th century.

Braishfield Flower Arrangement Society meets on the fourth Thursday of the month from 7.30pm in The Church Rooms, All Saints Church, Braishfield. 

For more details, visit braishfield.org.