Tulip & Roch. Art & Design by Chris Roch

I grew up in a small village in Wales, surrounded by beautiful gardens. My father was the gardener for a grand manor house, and my mother Iris was always planting meadows of wildflowers around our home. That early love of nature and plant life has stayed with me throughout my life and career.

After studying Illustration at Camberwell (University of the Arts London) and completing my MA in Printed Textiles at the Royal College of Art, I spent years working in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. I was fortunate to work as a concept designer and illustrator for fashion houses including Guess, Emanuel Ungaro, Liberty London and others, later designing homeware for West Elm and Pottery Barn. At Williams-Sonoma, I was given an art studio and the title of ‘Master Artist’. You can see some of my work on my Portfolio page.

Those years took me around the world on inspiration trips—from Hong Kong to grand palaces in India, spice markets in Marrakesh, and textile fairs in Paris. But flowers and foliage always captured my imagination most.

Three years ago, I married my New Zealand-born partner and we settled in West Auckland. I was drawn by the magnificent landscapes and the uniqueness of the flora and fauna here.

My exhibition Marigolds amongst the Ferns features large-scale paintings inspired by my garden near the Waitakere Ranges, where native Nikau, Ponga and Kauri stand amongst ferns, Camellias, and vibrant Marigolds. I’m fascinated by the layers of plants coming together—interwoven but each with their own story. It reflects this community’s diversity of culture and people.