My name is Alex Narramore. I own The Mischief Maker in Lexington, Kentucky and I’m a botanically accurate sugar flower artist. I grow all of the flowers in the garden that we later use as live references to sculpt our sugar flowers. The sugar flowers later adorn the cakes that I design. Each sugar petal, stamen, and flower part is made by hand and each finished bloom is hand-painted. The cake designs are retired immediately upon baking and are never recreated. Very low volume, only one cake per month is ideally accepted, as the detail work for each cake can take many weeks of preparation. I work with my mother on the sugar flowers at my grandmother’s house in eastern Kentucky. Tucked away in the mountains, we do some of our best creative work with our sugar flowers. Whether at Mamaw’s or at home downtown in Lexington, I can always be found somewhere between the garden and the studio, usually with my Irish Setter, Mocha, on my heels.
Q: How long have you lived/worked in Lexington?
3 years.
Q: What led you to your current career and why do you love it?
I went to school for art and am a self taught baker. The sugar flower wedding cakes have been a perfect way to channel sculpting and painting into my cake designs. Gardening too has been the greatest influence since. Growing the flowers I need to sculpt and study has made the biggest difference in the accuracy of the work. I love the garden as much as I love baking.
Q: What would you like for people to know about your job/business?
That nature is observed in every detail of the finished sugar flowers and eventual cake designs. That the sugar flowers are made and constructed in micro pieces from stamens in their centers to every petal to have emotion, life, and movement. That the designs are all original and are retired immediately after they are made.
Q: What or who has been your biggest inspiration?
Flowers and capturing them in sugar as realistically and accurately as possible.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Lexington and what is your go to item on the menu?
Pearls. The Hell Babe pizza and broccoli salad. The catfish supper salad at Smithtown Seafood too with ginger soy vinaigrette.
Q: If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
There are too many places to name! I couldn’t possibly. I often think the imagination of a place (even without going) sometimes idealizes the fantasy of it. But I’d love to travel anywhere and preferably with my dog Mocha in tow!
Q: What is your favorite thing about Lexington?
I love the community. Walking. Talking to my neighbors and getting to know so many different people, their experiences, and stories.
Q: Where do you take friends and family from out of town when they visit?
To eat and drink! Pearls. SRO. Dudley’s for brunch and Bloody Mary’s. Italx. Our local bar… and I love to entertain at home.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Oh who can say! I hope I’m still improving my garden and trying to make new and original work.
Q: If you could have lunch with any living person, who would it be?
I’m fascinated with so many people… living got me. Anyone to do with flowers, gardening, or art. Can’t choose.
Q: Where can we find you on your day off?
In my garden or traipsing up the street for a cocktail with a friend!
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Travel. I feel like Paris will happen at some point.
Q: What is something that most people don’t know about you?
I love listening to music. From Nina Simone to Disco, to everything current. I’m obsessed with books. They come in the mail every week and I pick them up and read parts of them at random. I occasionally bake tarts and pies for friends and for fun.
Q: What is a topic you wish you knew more about?
I want to know about almost everything every second. I think having the garden bloom in absolute succession is my current… but that being said I also love learning more about interior design, personal styles, etc.
Q: What is your favorite movie or TV show & what are you currently binge watching?
I don’t watch TV at all actually. But I did just recently watch all of the first Nigella Bites season.
Q: What do you feel that is an essential part of your daily or weekly routine that contributes to your overall well-being?
I think it’s important to be active when you can. Walk and move.
Q: If you were cast in a movie, who would your co-star be?
I think that would be best for you to decide!
Q: Who is your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to?
Louis Armstrong when it rains. Otherwise, I start with something 70’s, 60’s, a song I like, or disco and let Spotify play a mix based on where I started.
Q: If you could give advice to any group of people, what would it be?
Do more than less.
Q: Who would you nominate for us to interview next?
Val Schirmer
