End of a year, a new studio and Helene Schjerfbeck.

Lilla Mona by Erica Stenkrona

Pastels on brown paper, 2015

Inspired by Helen Schjerfbeck

Another year has gone by. I have finished my fifth term at Farigh Ghaderi´s Art Studio. Becoming an artist is hard work. One day a couple of weeks ago I felt overwhelmed, I wanted to quit. I convinced myself that I had learned enough (sic!). It was so stressful to juggle all the responsibilities in my life and at the same time focus on my art education. 

I came to my senses and I decided not to quit. I told my teacher I needed to take January off to organize things at home and at work and do some recuperating. I will continue my art studies in February. Wasn't it Winston Churchill who said "never, never, never give up"?

Plaster cast of David´s lips by Michelangelo

This is my first charcoal drawing of a plaster cast. I worked

on it for three months. (the picture above is not the finished drawing). It´s exciting to learn a new technique and I really enjoy working with charcoal. I use Nitram charcoal.

My work space at the studio.

For 8 half-days I worked on a portrait in charcoal of this gentleman,

Zagros Ghaderi (our teacher´s cousin).

When I had one hour left with the model, a small mishap occurred. 

I accidentally hit the easel and

since I had forgot to secure the drawing on the easel 

it came flying down on the floor, smearing off

the charcoal on my back on its way down. 

So I have some restoring  to do before the drawing is

ready (besides fixing the anatomy around the root 

of the nose and the eye socket). Fortunately I have a new studio at home to work in!

Welcome to my new and improved studio!

Galloping horse made in papier-maché by Åsa Canbäck, 2007

"Våga ge sig i kast" by Shirley Tommos, 2013 (detail)

My favorite artist is Helene Schjerfbeck (July 10, 1862 – January 23, 1946), one of Finland´s most beloved artists. Throughout her long life, her work changed dramatically. Her works span 19th-century historical paintings and naturalistic subjects, as well as 20th-century modernism.

Her work starts with a dazzlingly skilled, somewhat melancholic version of late-19th-century academic realism…it ends with distilled, nearly abstract images in which pure paint and cryptic description are held in perfect balance. (Roberta Smith, New York Times, November 27th 1992)

If I could choose any artist that has ever lived to be my teacher I would chose ms. Schjerfbeck. She has an unfailing sense for color and form. She describes form and volume with masterful brushwork. In her later works she simplifies her motifs without losing in color, depth and volume. 

Below is a selection of her paintings and drawings that inspire me and help me to focus on my goal to become a skilled artist. Which of her works inspire you?

All the pictures are from the book Helene Schjerfbeck 150 vuotta (150 years)

Huivipäinen tyttö,  approx. 1878

(Scarf-headed girl)

Haavoittunut soturi hangella (Kuoleva soturi), 1880

Wounded soldier (Dying soldier)

Tanssiaiskengät, 1882

Tanssiaiskengät, 1939 or 1940

Silkkikenkä, 1938

Tyttö (Punatukkainen), the early 1890s

Bretagnelaistyttö, 1883

Koulupoika, approx. 1885

Poikia St. Ivesin rantakukkuloilla, 1887

Leikkivät pojat (St. Ives), approx. 1888

(Playing boys)

Tytön pää (Punaposkisen tytön sivukova, St. Ives), 1887

Toipilas, 1888 (The convalescent)

 (Listen to Ateneum´s audioguide, 

you can choose Swedish, English, Finnish or Russian)

Toipilas, 1927

Toipilas, 1927

Toipilas, 1938

Toipilas, 1938-1939

Tyttö veräjällä I, 1897-1902

(The girl at the gate)

Tyttö veräjällä II, 1943-1944

Tyttö veräjällä IV, 1943-1944

Katkelma, 1904

(Fragment)

Tyttö hiekkakuopassa, approx. 1912

Sisarukset, 1913

(Siblings)

Kuvakudos, 1914-1916

(Tapestry)

Sirkustyttö, 1916

(The circus girl)

Tytönpää (Katri Sahrman), approx. 1921

Punainen pää I, 1915

Omenatyttö, 1928

(Apple girl)

Karin, the 1930s

Helene Schjerfbeck, Paris, 1884

Omakuva, 1884-1885

(Self-portrait)

Omakuva, 1895

Mustataustainen omakuva, 1915

(Self-portrait with black background)

Omakuva, mustaa ja roosaa, 1945

(Self-portrait, black and pink)

Viimeinen omakuva, 1945