black and white world

- soft - silent - flakes

time to workshop

Last week I was at Nyckelviksskolan, teaching simple bookbinding techniques for 3 days. It's fun and intense, so I'm usually exhausted afterwards.






We all sat around one big table – nice, cosy and sticky.


Nice paper for covers; sewing patterns.

memories

first snow!

View of the Lake Mälaren from Kulturgården Gallery.

It snowed yesterday – great, giant snowflakes!

For a while the ground was covered, but it's still too warm out, so it all melted away after a while...

I'm involved in a local gallery, Kulturgården, here in Sigtuna. Before the gallery started in 1995, the beautiful old building once housed the tinsmith. There are two floors and a little shop that sells handicraft products, many of them locally made. The gallery's only open on weekends and we take turns guarding the exhibitions.

Drop by if you're in the neighbourhood :)






I just discovered Stephanie Levy's blog. I really enjoyed reading the interviews she does with artists who blog – inspiring! Through Stephanies links I went to Lisa Solomons blog. Just can't get enough of her drawings/embroidery.

inspiring on a Saturday

Yesterday we went to Edsvik Konsthall, to see "Höstsalongen"; the Fall Exhibition, featuring works selected by a jury. Here are some of the art works that I found especially inspiring.


A whole bunch of wonderful little "art-pillows"! Unfortunately I forgot to notice the name of the artist. Maybe someone knows and can enlighten me?


Tin-art made from food and beverage cans, by Catarina Sandberg.


Beautiful prints (etchings) by Joze Strazar Kiyohara.

All in all a really nice and beautiful exhibition.

valkyrie in green wellingtons

Here's the self portrait I did yesterday. With sturdy green rubber boots and gretchen-braids I felt like something out of a Wagner opera! Took a photo before I started with the shadowing. Comparing them now I'm not sure which one I prefer. It's not relevant to me if there's 100% likeness or not. Which one is more interesting? What's your opinion? I'd love to hear!

There's an interview with my husband Mattias here, take a look!

And have a pleasant weekend.

illustration friday: wise

Wise cat and zebra crossing is my contribution to this weeks Illustration Friday.

Running a bit late, but I managed before the deadline at least. Now off to bed, yaaawn. Good night.

life in low gear

Usually I go by bicycle, but today I took the car to the studio... luckily. Outside it's the dark ages; cold, wet and dark, the photos are taken at 3.30 pm (!), can you believe it? And we still haven't reached the darkest day of the year; Winter solstice occurs on December 22nd.

I wish I could hibernate until spring.



Another self portrait today at the studio, and I started on some new drawings.
At home I'm working on an update of my web site. Hope to have it up and running by next week.

her face had a vacant expression

This weeks Illustration Friday is vacant.

Acrylic paint and lead pencil on recycled paper.

300 grams less of dog

There is an eye in there somewhere.


Hairy and proud, and still unknowing of what will happen.


After the hairdressers (she looks traumatised)! She now weighs 300 grams less.





The weather was horrible today. It was humid and a couple of degrees below zero, so it was icy cold. Later on the rain poured down and of course I had chosen this day to do errands in the city. On top of this I feel a cold coming on, my voice is going.
But the forest is beautiful whatever the weather.

drawings

Medusa

Bill


Pierce


Scarlett


Barbara

I haven't posted for a while, here come a whole bunch of drawings.
I wanted to draw people; portraits – sort of. But once I get started on a character, it comes alive and ends up in a totally different way than I had in mind.

slow work

Cellula I

Cellula II

I've been working on two large (50 x 70 cm) drawings for the past few weeks. Small, small circles, drawn together, slowly taking form.

I call them my "cells". They are part of one of my projects at the studio at Sigtuna Folkhögskola. Very meditative to work on, I lose track of time after a while. Can't work too long at a time though; the small circular movement makes my hand and back ache and my eyes water.

Now I want to do several more, a whole series with organic forms!

They can't be rushed though, it'll take time...


I've forgotten to post this link, but better late than never; I'm featured in Design this design that online magazine, page 15.

inspired by red

Fall is here all right, hardly any leaves left on the trees.









My self portrait project at the studio continues. I still consider it a "morning exercise", and try not to get stuck with it too long. There are other projects I want to do afterwards. But it's fun and really good for me, so I find it difficult to stop. Inspired by all the red around me I tried out a red pencil this time.

goals in life

Lately the mornings have been shrouded in fog. Slowly, slowly the fog lifts and the sun finally comes out, at least for a little while. It's getting colder and colder – there was even frost the other morning.

On my way to the studio by bike, I had to stop several times to photograph – it was so beautiful!







This weeks only self portait. That means only one day in the studio.
At least I've started on a new project, which feels really inspiring. It's a series of portraits and for the time being I call it People I never knew I knew. How many can there be? Lots and lots I hope.





Have a nice weekend!