the title

The school kids came with several suggestions for the title last week. There was one very obvious winner: Snow White talks to the Phantom while Batman is disturbing and the Wolf is howling. These days (or actually nights) it's all about putting together materials applying for public commissions, creative school projects and grants. I try to limit this work to nights only - as my autumn was reserved to studio time only. This is the reason why I'm blogging less; I basically try to get rid of all that kind of work before the end of the month. It's part of my all present "cluster cluster" strategy. In October I'm planning to be more interesting here on my blog ...

drawing for fun

Sometimes I feel it has all gotten so serious with my art - it's my livelihood and all my life. What about sometimes doing things just for fun and no other purpose? So - when Pikaland announced you could win a participation in arthousecoop's sketchbook project I decided to take the chance and gamble. And I won. The other day I got my sketchbook with the theme Grey side of life (perfect for me). Anyone - from anywhere in the world - can be a part of the project - so what are you waiting for? In 2008 I participated in another of Art House Co-op's projects: the scavenger project.

some flow

painting.

concrete cake ready

While waiting for the watercolour to dry I've been unwrapping and checking my little concrete samples in the studio. Now they've hardened enough and can be let to dry.  I was a bit worried when turning my "cake form" over to get the simplified Snow White out. But it went without any problem! I had made an experiment mixing concrete with different pigments for a painterly effect. It worked on one side only. So it was no big deal I got that crack... The good thing is that I can reuse my form as planned for trying out variations.

this is that horrible horrible concrete dog I wrote about earlier. Good experiment though; I made a quick kind of relief drawing/shape in soft clay, put plastic wrap on top (so the clay wouldn't suck the water out of the concrete). then put concrete with brownish pigment as dots for nose and eyes, then added normal grey concrete on top. When the dog had hardened for a day I removed it from the form and painted it with yellow brown clay water which reacts in a way with the not yet dried concrete. (if you wanted to know how it was done) It turned out my son liked it so much better than Snow White above ...

getting the floor dirty

Yesterday I felt a bit lost, I didn't really know where to start. It's been 3 months without painting. I looked at the paintings I made in May in Skärhamn. Ok, but now what.? I felt blank, I feared a block.

This morning when I came to my studio it was bathing in light (good thing I painted the floor white) and I knew exactly what to do. I have a feeling this is going to be a great autumn.

white, white, white

After spending a couple of days in the studio fixing those last things I didn't arrange in July (putting up shelves, sorting drawings and prints) I'm now ready to start a period of just studio time. I've prepared some papers, my mind feels utterly blank Tomorrow I'll start

the angry farmer's houses

I don't want to let go of that summer feeling yet ... Next to the school of Gerlesborg there's some very interesting looking worn down buildings. Perfect motives. But you shouldn't venture too close. The angry farmer - the owner - might come bursting out screaming it's private property and wave with a shotgun. Some people said they've seen dead cats lying outside the barns. Others said theres' a tragic family history behind his crazy behaviour and that the farmer hasn't always been like that. But first when I came there I didn't know this and went close to take photos to show you. Luckily the angry farmer didn't show up ...

The Tempest exhibited

The installation/exhibit took place by the old Fortress Älvsborg (ruins). First we had been thinking about using the whole place, but decided on mostly being under the roof protecting what's left of the fortress wall. Great place for exhibiting pieces loosely based on the Tempest! What I love the most about screenprinting is the possibility to mimic the expression of other techniques and the possibility to be applied to almost any kind of flat surface. You can do almost anything with screenprinting, a point proven by my students in this exhibition. I so enjoyed teaching this course - Thank you girls!

Moa Sundkvist

Maria Kultala Maria Kultala

Elin Engström

Kerstin Färlin

Milena Karlsson

Tina Damgaard

Tina Damgaard

Vicky Lagsten

Julia Brynielsson

installing the exhibit

The sky was partly covered with dark clouds when my students installed their exhibition. Everything moved in the wind; spinning, banging - or flying away. But by 17:00 when we had the première/opening it was sunny and calm. They made a great exhibition! Tomorrow I'll show you the results.

last day printing

Today we printed the last frames on the summer course I've been teaching. On Wednesday 17:00-20:00 we'll present the results: Shakespeare's "the Tempest" as an outdoor installation.  Here you can read about it on HDK's website. We'll put up posters [Stormen] everywhere around KKV so you'll find you way if you're interested in coming. Map Cross your fingers we won't get rain.  Welcome!

printing with style

Only use silver cutlery to mix your screenprinting inks. (Does it make any difference when it comes to the results? No - but you feel so much more elegant.)

big format, colour, black and white

I've been in the past here on my blog lately, but that doesn't mean I'm not in the present...  Last week, the HDK (design school) summer course in screenprinting big format restarted after summer break. After several days of printing we start seeing more and more results! Next week on Wednesday, my students will present their interpretation of the Tempest at the ruins of Älvsborg's fortress. I'll be back with details!

concrete; my cake form

My idea here was to make a form that I could reuse like a sand cake form; when you turn it over and bang it a bit with your plastic spade -  you get your cake out. I wanted to have this form to make different tests and variations in concrete in my studio.  After making it I gave it all sorts of love, care and attention,  I waited three days for it to dry before using it.  But that wasn't enough ...  I knew I was pushing it...  ... the plaster hadn't dried enough  ... and because of that the shellac (lacquer) didn't stick properly  ... and the plaster sucked all the water out of the concrete over night  ... and I got a "nice crack".  (This might also mean that the concrete got stuck to the plaster and I can't reuse my form, but I won't know until I have the time to go to my studio in two weeks) Shit. Patience is a virtue. Hopefully I'll not make the same mistake again ....

concrete: getting more ambitious

baking a little cake

cutting away

Ready for the Owen

... and then some cream [no - it wasn't cookie dough and cream]