“Colour, to me, is everything we see. It’s mood, politics, intuition, memories, symbolism, and approach. It’s space, something pleasurable and often accessible. My work moves through these ideas, circling around spatiality, accessibility, frequency, friction, composition, and finish. I often start by building patterns with tape, paint, and scale, a process that feels infinite, like rhythm or repetition.
To be almost forty and in the middle of life is to be on the move, rarely stopping. There’s so much to carry, fix, listen to, learn from, and teach. Rest is rare, but the pauses and spaces exist in the doing, in what I call my work.
I’m awake and here, sometimes distracted, but I listen when I want to. And I have a self-image of being lazy, though I’ve picked up the pace again. Life is too big, too fun, too sad — and the big world, unbearably hopeless. You can’t sit still; I don’t want to.
One of my very first game memories must have been Memory. Speaking of memory — mine isn’t what it used to be, but I think I remember it right. All those proud, happy feelings of winning and understanding what the game was about, instantly giving in to the sad, angry feelings of losing. That I remember more than the game itself.
And those summers in the archipelago with Mom — all the Vändtior and Go Fish. Dad close by with backgammon.
Then, a bit older, playing Mastermind with friends at after-school care — master minds, we really were.
My top three games are Scrabble. The Balloon Game with Miffy — that’s more about the company than the game itself. And all of Meg’s homemade games. The rules keep changing; you really have to be there.
I dress to feel comfortable and put a lot of my identity into it. Aesthetically, it’s not far from what I do as an artist — fashion, for me, is freedom, a living dialogue between mood, place, and self. It’s an expression, a natural extension of who I am. To hold back would be to dim that voice.
I dress as I am, where I am, and how I feel. I decided long ago not to follow conventions or trends, but to ask instead: Who am I today? Every outfit is a reflection, every choice a moment of play. Clothes should feel good — they should let you breathe. When I work from home, I rarely get out of my pajamas. I get up, have a coffee and a snus, and get started. My work clothes are my normal clothes; I don’t get changed for an after-work, if you know what I mean. Needless to say, countless favorite pieces have been beautifully stained along the way.
My favorite dish is kimchi. It’s a dish, but also many more, so it’s practical that way and never gets old.
I’m reading now — quite a bit, compared to the last few years. Maken for the third time — it’s a great way to get back into reading, and fascinating to read at different ages and stages in life. Read books with your kids! Talk about the books, the pictures — with the kids. There’s so much good stuff out there!
I’d really like to recommend my own exhibition at FLD Gallery — that’s allowed, isn’t it. And Skissernas Museum, I recently went there for the first time and wasn’t disappointed. An artist I always want to and always will highlight is my ride or die Siri Carlén.
Judi and Meg.
Judi is raw power, sees and hears everything, the funniest person I know.
Meg is the sun. Open, happy, and secure. Empathetic and brave. Meg dresses by theme, right now, it’s the “city girl” era. Judi likes soft, simple, and pink.
Favorite spots around Bandhagen where our home is are Älvsjöskogen, the tadpole pond, Amo Falafel in Rågsved, Snösätra, and Ica BEA. But mostly I’m at home or on my way somewhere entirely different.
The kids climb, draw, build, jump. They craft, sort, and dress up. They like watching TV, and they’re allowed to. I love TV myself, so why not?
We have no real traditions — mostly by choice. We laugh the most at Judi’s long, vividly told stories.
A perfect Saturday includes a long breakfast, a bit of nature, and some kid activity. Lunch on the way to the store. Wine! Dinner! Dancing! Friends of all ages who stay late — maybe till the next day. A perfect weekend? Same thing, twice over.”
’All those proud, happy feelings of winning and understanding what the game was about, instantly giving in to the sad, angry feelings of losing. That I remember more than the game itself.’
