Merry christmas and happy new year to all of you from Stella mag!

Connected to the painting and feeling uplifted

Meet Fern Choonet - A freelance illustrator originally from Bangkok, Thailand saying it all with a thin pen and and a cool feminine expression. 

Ever since she was little she has loved to draw and doodled in between classes. She moved to Canada to continue her education and studied illustration in Toronto. 

Currently she lives in Japan. In her own words it's one of the places in the world with the best designs. 

Just like any good song, Fern believe that great art should make audiences feel connected to the images. She loves to create illustrations that can relate to people and make them feel uplifted. 

One of her favorite illustrators once said, "Illustration doesn't always have to be serious. It's okay to make images that make people feel happy!"

And so they do....enjoy!

Go to Ferns website to explore more of her universe. 

Raw beauty

Just recently we saw Janne Kruse - a Danish artist - present her work. It is both raw and beautiful and we are blown away. Here's for sharing the impression wider. 

In search of temporality

Janne Kruse (b. 2979) uses hard materials. She folds (sculptures) sheets of steel by using her body as the tool. 

In search of temporality

All of the pictures are from her exhibition in Oslo (where she is currently living). It is called Behind silence. 

In search of temporality

All photos taken by Siri Leira

Coffee Art. Double up on love

Have your coffee (Art) with Dirceu Veiga. He is a Brazilian artist doing it all different. With coffee and art worked into one craft he was able combine two things he really loved as Coffee Art. 

Portrait of Audrey Hepburn

Coffee Art is a painting technique that use only 100% coffee instead ink to paint. How about that for breakfast? 

Portrait Elvis Presley

Dirceu Veigas own website here.

Storylines

Alright Alright it's a photo book - but as we show you a few more photos from "Alle er kommet - Portraits & Parties 1983-2013" (UK: Everyone has arrived) a few things must be said about the words in it as well (because, well, we like (the) words).

Thomas, Claus and name unknown. Hotel London 2007 

In the back of the book we find stories evolving around some of the pictures. For all of you Danish Speaking readers the stories contribute to a new layer in the life of the artist Sigrún Gudbrandsdóttir and the portraits and parties. As the parties probably were fun - so are the stories. 

Mathilde & Karina. New York 1999

Read about the love of the indieworld, who is Sanne Gottlieb and and what's the link between The Olsen brothers and circus horses? Warning! Once again it's underground. You may learn about bands that no longer exist or if you know (knew) them feel like taking a listen for old times sake.   

Kira Skov Heinrich Prisen 2010
(Bonus for you = This is not in the book. Kira just released the album When we were gentle)

Words by Sigrún Gudbrandsdóttir, Benn Q. Holm, Klaus Lynggaard, Torben Sangild, Diana Tørslev Møller and Signe Høirup Will Jørgensen. 

For more about the book.

It all comes from within

Christine Ay Tjoe (born 1973) is not exactly up-and-coming but an established and very talented artist who left one dream of becoming a fashion designer to go all in on her dream of becoming an artist. 

She is an Indonesian contemporary artist originally from Bandung. 

We read the nice interview from Luxury Insider, by Eugene Quek, from 2012 and were inspired to share Christine Ay Tjoe's abstract, fascinating and recognizable artworks. 

"All of my art comes from here (touches chest). My art depicts the right path, the strong path, the path I believe in. I guess what I’m trying to say is I want to convey kindness, fatherly kindness." she says in the interview. 

(The quote is not related to the pictures on this blog. Read the interview in Luxury Insider for the 2012 art)

Pictures are copyright Christine Ay Tjoe

Everyone has arrived

We all do it from time to time (well, maybe mostly us above thirty (B.I. = Before Instagram)). We open the photo album and dive into the past by watching old memories unfold. 

We remember emotions, friendships, relations and people that have passed away. It’s somehow the same feeling with the new book "Alle er kommet – portraits and parties 1983-2013" (UK: Everyone has arrived) by Sigrún Gudbrandsdóttir.

Palace Pier , Brighton 1993. Camden 1992. Symi 1990.

The pictures are portraits and party photos in the timespan 1983-20013, mainly with Sigrún behind the camera. Weddings and friends goofing around, backstage giggling and night swimming. What is not to like? Almost 400 pages. 

Jim & Sigrún Prague 1990

You may not know the people on the pictures except the few ones you've seen in the media - and so Sigrún's story becomes the story of the reader. The story of you. Years and places that have made a mark, places and people you knew during the same years, clothing trends or stereotypes you’ve meet in the street. Atmospheres... Lovestories. You name it.

Morten & Jonas Skindergade 1991

During the two next Fridays we’ll be presenting a few of the photos and stories from the book to light your fire.

Read more about the writer, photographer and artist Sigrún and her book on her website (DK). You may even want to get your own copy. Last but not least, stay tuned here on the blog You’re invited. 

All pictures are copyrighted Sigrún Gudbrandsdóttir. 

Wings to fly

The paintings by Amy Judd capture women and birds, feathers and bodies. All in all they host a very special sensual atmosphere. Is there a distance between the woman and the bird or are they one and the same? We are (almost) lost for words by the amazing paintings by Amy Judd.

Reborn

Don't ask me why

Amy was born i 1980 and is currently living and working in London (UK). Go to her website for more paintings and further information.

Draw with silk

Today it is up to you. We have stumbled upon this app that makes it possible to create your own silk drawings with awesome and simple effects. Dig in and make your own. It is kind of meditative with the sound effects and all. 

Art as a 3 sec. shapshot? 

Try it out yourself here. 

3 sec snapshot

Make a difference with craftivism

Ever heard of craftivism? It's neat and also the center in a new and very illustrated book from author Sarah Corbett. For many years Sarah was an activist ... who ended up being a burned out activist. 

Changing her perspective she still wanted to make a difference but by using a different voice. The voice of craftivism (Originally Betsy Greer's term which means activism through craft). It became the heart and drive behind The little book of Craftivism.

It seems to me...

The little book of craftivism is a small how-to become a craftivist guide and also the story of Sarah making a difference herself and telling her story. 

Sarah hosts an online community - Craftivist Collective - and updates the blog.  

In the mood for Autumn blues...

Ditte Breineberg is a Danish multi artist from Copenhagen. Besides her mix media art and drawings, she plays violin in her band LittleBird. You have the opportunity to experience the band LittleBird, at RUST on the 25. 10.13.  

                      Mixmedia by artist Ditte Breineberg - See more of her work at nonessentials.dk And more music on Itunes




                                                   
                                                                 / Line Jarde  /

Flesh by Cath Riley

It's experimental drawings according to Cath Riley. Very large scale drawings based around the human body. 

They are wonderful!  It's even hard to see they are drawings. A tribute to art, shapes, expression and the human body. 

Dig in "the flesh" and have a great weekend. 

Copyright Cath Riley

Come on in

Come on in and experience the appartments of Inge, Tena, Veronik, Loke + Nathan and more. Photographer Mieke Verbijen is taking simplistic pictures of apartments; interiors. Furniture, windows and soul...

Mieke was born in 1984. She is a belgian photographer living and working in Antwerp. 

Sigh. Simplicity and light.

Spanish portraits you can't get you eyes off

Turkesa is an spanish artist from Barcelona. She loves to get her hands dirty from the painting - and thank God for that. 

Besides from painting Turkesa does tattooing, illustration, some photography, mural art and graffiti. Go to her own website and refresh your Spanish. 

Turkesa also have a Facebook-site if you like to follow her for more news.

Constant euphoria

Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) was a French artist and cultural critic. Along his lifetime he said some great things about being and living like a creative person. 

We salute him with this blackboard with some of his words. 

picture source: http://dailydoohickey.blogspot.dk/

Marcel Duchamp is good for more than this quote. Find more of them here. 

Honest Heart

Sofie Olejnik is both very productive and a great german photographer and friend of Stella. 

Have a peek! Her newest editorial Honest Heart is quite an enjoyment to the eye. Experience her universe here on the blog and more on her own website. 

Photography : Sofie Olejnik
Styling: Christiane Schwambach
MUA: kim Keusen
Model: Sophie Gehrmann @ Model Management

City scenes - taxi taxi

Today we are hooked on the amazing art of Susan Cox. Taxi taxi! Cox was educated in Fine Arts at California State University and lived in England for 14 years. These paintings are only some of her work fascinated by the big city scenes. Give in to your New York heart. Go to her website for more.

Taxi taxi

Susan Cox has painted and exhibited in galleries in the London and Oxfordshire areas.  

Her work has been featured in the Federation of British Artists, Britain in Watercolours exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries in London.

Wake up the subconscious mind through landscape motifs

Jung once said, 

“A dream that is not interpreted is like a letter that is not opened.” 

This could also be the opening line from today's artist on the blog. Mia Nelle Drøschler is a Danish contemporary artist creating paintings and collages referencing to the subconscious mind through landscape motifs. 

Surrealist paintings come to mind when looking at her strong coloured work in which Drøschler seeks the idea of resolving the conflicting relationship between dream and reality by creating illogical scenes and strange creatures through painting techniques rooted in intuition and spontaneity that allow the subconscious to express itself.

In 2010 Drøschler traveled to the rain forests of Borneo, just a month after her graduation exhibition at Goldsmiths in London. This trip was a turning point in her art practice, where she, far from civilization and surrounded by the rainforest’s overwhelming chaos, for the first time understood the importance of nature as a motif in her works. 

Soon after her return to London, she was curated by Joanna Foster to create a major solo exhibition called ‘The Forest Within’, consisting of ten paintings and collages, all with the rainforest and the internal landscape as a motivation. 

Her most recent solo exhibition, ‘DreamEscapes’ was also a visual examination of the psychological landscape. ‘DreamEscapes’ was exhibited at the Danish Cultural Institute in Edinburgh earlier this year.

Drøschler is currently preparing her first major solo show in Denmark, to be held at Bie & Vadstrup Gallery in Copenhagen in May 2014. Stay tuned.

Bring it to the courts

Ward Roberts shoots only analogue and we are in every way fascinated by his project. He spent four years taking pictures of sporting courts and fields across the globe, allowing the peaceful setting to speak for itself. It's almost surreal! Dive into his in-captivating universe.  

Ward Roberts is from Australia is currently living in New York. He is 26 y.o. and graduated from RMIT with a Bachelor of Art in photography. 

STELLAQ&A met the Danish artist Maggie Kempinska, to a talk about chocolate, art, love and black humor

What’s on your mind to day?

It is Monday and my to-do-list is long and extremely boring. It has nothing to do with being creative and I have only practical issues to deal with. I am very disciplined, so before I can even breath or relax I need to get rid of that list. Cleaning up after a Trailer Trash Bash for 60 people in our garden is today’s task.

What are you working on at the moment?


I am in between exhibitions. That means: not busy or stressed. However I am always working on small collages and right now struggling with a big portrait painting for a client.

What inspires you and why?

People that stand out, pattern, graphic design, interior, décor, textures, fashion, artwork, travles, architecture, music. Music is a big factor. It can dictate my mood and color palette and the outcome of an art-piece completely. I love to work to classic music, modern jazz or lounge music. Not too much drama. Then I cannot hear my inner voice and miss the dialog with the other part of me.


What did you want to be when you grew up?


I chose my path in life in an early age. When I was 17 year old I had my interior design diploma in my hand, and worked as a visuel merchandiser in Magasin du Nord. Way back the decoration department and settings was a big deal. Like Harrods in London. Today it is mostly displays. After this I attended various art school but ended up working in fashion, photography, advertising, PR and similar creative industries for 20 years. However art regained my attention and focus after a period of depression and stress and saved me from loosing my mind.

Are you in Love?

Not IN love. But I LOVE by husband of 12 year and my two kids, age 7 and 11 enormously.  Being in love is like a virus. A disease. It will always pass.

What time of the day is your favorite?

Between 9-14. When I am all alone. I am a social person, but also an extremely private one. I need to maintaine that balance. If I neglect the anti social part of me. I get tired, aggressive, hostile and starts to cry. I know my limits.

What is your best summer memories from your childhood?



My childhood was shit. My mother has been married 5 times and engaged 7. Need I say more? I have no memorable child hood memories. However camping with my dad when I was 9 with a lot of kids comes to my mind. He divorced my mother when I was 1 and got him self another family after many years of being a women’s man and a player. But that summer he was present and felt like mine.

What is your favorite dessert and why?

I am not a dessert person. However I do like to sneak Dark Chocolate to bed.

Where do you get your energy from?

I am a fighter. A one-man-army. If I am turned on by a concept or an idea. I can move mountains and can work 24/7 untill the work is done. If not. I am pretty introvert and the action is mostly happening in my head. Very exhausting.

What do you dream about?

More time. Less routines. Not waking up to the same day every day. More options. More freedom. A freedom you cannot have when you have kids relaying on you. It’s a huge sacrifice becoming a parent when you never had the opportunity to be a kid your self. 

What makes you laugh?

Black humor. And people who fights in movies. Love the snappy dialog and the brutal honesty.

What is your favorite place in Copenhagen?

I love Copenhagen in general. There a so many magnificent sides and spots.  It would be wrogn to choose one. I love to  sit in my car and cruise through the city. The best moment is early early Sunday morning, when the city wakes up slowly. However I love to leave it again and head for the surburbs in North of sealand. 

Thank you Maggie. xx

                

        

                                                           - Line Jarde  -