Pieces of me: Frieda Hughes

Frieda Hughes, poet, author and artist Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"My problem is that I am the daughter of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, but I wanted to be an individual. But we are, of course, a product of our parents. In denying them, you deny part of who you are. It’s taken me years to be ­comfortable with that" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"I’m confused, happy and overworked, and that’s expressed in the painting on this table. It represents dual purpose: my version of ­giving something new life, being constructive. It’s such a throwaway society; I’m somebody who used to darn her own socks" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"I’ve treasured this mug since I was 14. It ­represents becoming aware of wanting your own space, your own stuff" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"This is the last packet of cigarettes I smoked. I have a problem with anything ruling an individual, such as an addiction. I went round the world on a Dutch freighter once, but my whole life was spent thinking, ‘Where am I going to get my next cigarette from?’ I thought I’d wait until the stress was over before giving up smoking, but stress is never over. Life is stress. When I gave up, my rage and despair were unbelievable. I cried for weeks" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"This painting of my husband Laszlo captures his combination of being masterful yet soft" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"I love being out in the landscape on a motorbike. As I get older and everything goes south, this helps: you sit on the bike, and everything gets pulled back by the wind" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"The moment I met Laszlo on a garden path, we fell in love. He gave me a hug and he smelled right; he smelled clean. We moved in after our first date without knowing each ­others’ surnames. This painting is about that explosion, like being in a bubble of light" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"When I was young, I thought this jacket was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"This is a piece of dolorite from the Australian­ desert. It started off the size of my house but, over the years, it sheds itself. I’m fascinated by the way nature works" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"I love rescuing animals. They are a reason to get up in the morning. I have a nap in the ­afternoon and the dogs all line up on my tummy" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"I like glamour. I love working on this beaded dress, which represents my inability to watch TV without doing something else. I can’t waste time. In 1992, I took a week off and burned out. I got chronic fatigue after having a holiday" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"These two paintings represent my inner and outer landscapes: the turmoil as we were preparing to move to Wales, and my love of nature" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"I have a double life. I spend the daylight hours in my wellies in the garden, but I feel great in heels. I’ve always been both a city and a country girl" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance

"The garden keeps me fit. Without my ­cement mixer, I wouldn’t have built it. I have loved plants since I was a kid. I overwatered them and killed them with my love" Photograph: Andrew Fox/freelance