Hello my lovely followers,

Hope you are all well and healthy and not drowning in all these Christmas preparations?

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF
I was born in Östhammar/Sweden, a small coast town and the sea coast actually always had a great impact on my life. I’m currently living in Västerås/Sweden directly at the shore of Lake Mälaren- as close as you can get. I need water to feel good. I am mother of four and my family is very important to me. I would say that my life is mostly about family, art and water.

YOU ARE DOING WATERCOLOUR AND CERAMICS, RIGHT? PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR ART JOURNEY. HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AND HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
My grandparents from my mother’s side met while they were both studying at Konstfack, a university college for higher education in the area of art, crafts and design in Stockholm. Therefore art always had a special place in my life and the idea of becoming an artist myself was present at a very young age. I started to do oil paintings but in my twenties I came upon a watercolour painting that I instantly fell in love with. I was in awe of the colour, the transparency and the simplicity of it all. I decided that this was something I wanted to do and that I had to master myself. The ceramics had the same effect on my but later in my life. I took evening classes about 10 years ago and felt the passion through the clay that has not stopped since. Throughout the years I have met people who helped me forward in different ways. I managed to get my own ceramic studio when moving to the countryside and that further helped me developing my skills. I’m happy and proud to say that I’m autodidact in both of my fields.

WHEN YOU WERE FIRST GETTING STARTED, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST HURDLES YOU HAD TO OVERCOME?
To have self confidence and to believe in my art. I used to question myself a lot and I cared too much about other people’s opinions. But nowadays the process is way more important to me- to feel satisfied with what I am doing, and to have fun while I am creating. My goal is to create art that means something to me and I am of course happy if people appreciate my work. But I don’t depend on that as much as I did before.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ART ETHOS / STYLE?
I would say that my style as an artist is rather minimalistic and semi abstract. I mostly paint landscapes and I am quite obsessed with the horizon line. I look for simplicity and seeing things in a new way. At the moment I am exploring the collage technique and I’m using my previous paintings as material for that- fragments of previous work in a new and wider context. While doing this I am realising that my work is kind of holistic- in fact my work mirrors me.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
The Scandinavian light and nature are a dominant source of inspiration.
WHO ARE YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS?
There are so many good artists out there and as an art teacher I strive for and aim to ensure that my students will have the possibility to experience a diversity of artists in order to be able to identify with. Especially as women are missing in art history. For example I admire Lorna Simpson and her work. She is a role model in her work regarding identity and intersectionality. In my work as a teacher I often use her as an example for my students in order to encourage them to find their own voice. For me personally the Norwegian singer Susanne Sundførs had and still is having a big impact on my art. Her music has helped and inspired me to explore and express my own artistic voice.

WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM COMMISSION BE?
To be represented at The Nordic Watercolour Museum ( Nordiska Akvarellmuseet). That would be a huge acknowledgement .
WHAT ARE 5 THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT RIGHT NOW?
My kids, my partner, my cats, coffee and art.
WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED?
The best advice I ever have received comes from my grandmother. Her name was Ingrid and she has been such a role model for me. She identified four things to be the most important for a good and healthy life: Drink lots of water, be nice, laugh a lot and be sensible with what you think. This is simple but very significant and it has become my philosophy of life.

WHERE IS YOUR PLACE TO HIDE AWAY?
Right now I am between studios, therefore I would say I hide out in my home on the balcony. I like to sit there with a cup of coffee, watching the birds in the sky.
WHAT IS COMING NEXT FOR YOU?
I’m currently working on an exhibition that will take place here in Sweden in January next year. I just got the message that this one really take place. I’m also on the last steps to get my degree as an art teacher. I will graduate in June next year. Furthermore I will turn 40 in February. I enjoy being older and I look forward getting to the next chapter of my life!