Eternal Bloom: Harald Altmaier

I have known Harald for over thirty years; the only person who could teach Joseph about flowers and who, if ever Joe was feeling down, would be able to transform him into a smiling joyous ball of energy with his magical flower arrangements, even a visit to Pulbrook (cigar in hand) would elevate the week. At Joe’s funeral we filled the house with roses, albeit against Jewish tradition, but Harald and I knew that was exactly what he would have wanted to look down on. My friend is an artist, a creator of beauty and mood with nature and colour and every Christmas he still decorates the Connolly shop for me. And so when he shyly showed me this beautiful image of an arrangement he had created and photographed at his studio, I was completely blown away and determined to hold his first show at the Gallery upstairs at Clifford Street.

- Isabel