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Kent Tan

Singapore born Kent Tan went from teaching and reincarnated himself into the hottest floral designer in Asia.

FMCS: Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your work.

Kent: I went to the Netherlands to study floral design and earned my Diploma from the Dutch Professional Floral Design College.

After that I had a chance to work in Edinburgh with a top city florist, specializing in Weddings, functions, and all kinds of occasions & corporate displays. This greatly enriched my experience.

After that I decided to travel the world and visited Europe, the USA and Asia. This gave me great confidence, and I gained experience in freelance floral design with different cultural and ethical backgrounds inter-mixed.

FMCS: Where do you currently live and work?

Kent: In late 2001, I moved back to Singapore and start my own floral design business, and in 2002 I decide to move my business to Beijing where I believe my designing philosophy and artwork would be appreciated by a much larger and diverse population.

FMCS: How did your involved interest in floral design manifest?

Kent: I have been passionately involved with flowers and fabrics my whole life. Starting from childhood, I had a distinguished obsession with flowers and colors.

I first entered the fabric industry and developed a great sense of sensitivity of texture and color. Some years later, I had a chance to work for a flower & gift company in Singapore as a floral designer and within a year, I was promoted to head designer.

FMCS: What motivates you?

Kent: It’s the artwork possibilities of the flower itself. The beauty of creating something touching and special which makes people happy is my motivation.

The challenge of China’s flower markets and limited stocks of unique, high quality flowers are thrilling and are a huge motivation to finally have the output I want to see.

I like to keep moving and always challenge myself with new ideas. I see myself as a collector! I’m not a tough business man. I don’t do what I do for money but for the beauty and happiness!

FMCS: What’s your favorite flower?

Kent: It’s the blue colored MUSCARI ARMENIACUM. It’s a small and very delicate plant.

FMCS: Any hints for what’s hot in spring 2007?

Kent: Pink as lead color in addition to a rainbow of flowers! Delicate diversity, and a big portion of individuality.

FMCS: What is your current project about?

Kent: The decorations for the spring festival at the Pacific Plaza in Beijing City.

FMCS: What are the artistic intentions within your work?

Kent: It’s very much about the customer’s wishes. According to their needs I can plan and come up with ideas which fit into their events – a challenging task!

After SARS in 2002, business started to run really well, this gives me freedom to appreciate requests for smaller arrangements besides the corporate ones.

FMCS: What inspires you?

Kent: Europe is an amazing place to absorb ideas. London and Amsterdam are great places to visit and get input.

I love to read Books, visit flower fairs. Modern art and fashion trends are inspiring too.

Friends and young people are always a good source for fresh ideas.

FMCS: What keeps you busy besides work?

Kent: Relaxing with friends, quiet places and a bit of cultural sightseeing in Beijing.

I like to ‘study’ people – what they do in their lives, how they talk at public places like markets… the perfect beauty of imperfections in old faces, wrinkles…

FMCS: Shout outs or add on’s?

Kent: Thank you FMCS for this interview! Shout outs go to my family and all my friends from China and Singapore.

Special thanks to my brother Terry Qian and my sister Margaret Tan who care, and supported me from the start.

And thank you to A lian too.

Thank you very much for this interview!

www.kentstudio.com

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