Jockum Nordström
by Maria Molin
With paper, pencil, watercolour, chalk, scissors and glue Jockum Nordström builds a world of images where childhood memories meet the adult world, imaginations and dreams. Lately he has been preparing collages for an exhibition at Galleri Bo Bjerggaard in Copenhagen. The title is borrowed from a poem about longing: To The Moon by Erik Johan Stagnelius. when making collages he oftens starts with many variations in different colour themes. The image is divided into several levels where he can place figures to create a story. He might paint dull backgrounds for some months before starting to cut out figures and forms to be combined with the backgrounds. He is inspired by many artists, among them James Ensor and Léon Spilliaert from Belgium, Josabeth Sjöberg from Sweden and Mark Rothko. Initially Jockum Nordström painted with oils but due to an allergy he changed to watercolour and other media. Turning to collages was a means of stille being able to create large-scale works. He uses all sorts of materials from expensive paper to cardboard pieces and watercolour paint from all over the world.
Martin Ålund
by Ida Rödén
Martin Ålund does not use his art to discover the physical world. Instead he approaches the world in an emotional, bodily and spiritual way. He delves into his creativity the same way Alice in Wonderland fell into the rabbit hole. Painting becomes a borderline experience where he constantly balances on the edge of the unknown – or even steps into the wonderland. Martin Ålund is open to the inexplicable and during a trip to Goa watercolour became essential for him, since the medium both is mobile and fragile. Some of his paintings seemed like field studies, others were inspired by photos, but the photos can never catch the light in Goa, so he uses them more as a bank of facts to choose from for composition. He isn’t striving for a realistic rendition anyway. For years he has been gazing inwards in his paintings, but in Goa he felt like the world opened to him. The inner light that he had been studying, emerged from the surroundings in Goa.
Storm P. (Robert Storm Petersen)
by Marianne Gross
The signature Storm P. was used by the Danish humorist and satirist Robert Storm Petersen (1882-1949). His works spanned many art forms but he is mostly famous for his humourous drawings which often included tramps whom he would depict as wise philosophers who make the best of life in spite of their apparent misery. He would use whichever medium he found suitable for the job – including watercolour, but much of his work was published in daily newspapers which at that time were printed in black-and-white. However, he could use color with great effect in his works. He was inspired by many great artists: Edvard Munch from Norway and Ivar Aronsenius from Sweden, and he would create both gloomy and experimental paintings, perhaps hoping to be recognized also as a “serious” artist, not only a humourist. In his works it is also obvious to recognize elements inspired by emerging art movements at the time such as cubism, impressionism, and symbolism.
Carina Köster
by Anna Sörensson Rydh
Since 2023 Carina Köster has been vice president of the Nordic Watercolour Society. She has always worked with art, interior decorations and design, and she has been painting and drawing since she was a child. During her studies to become an interior designer in Copenhagen in the 80ies she learned to create meticulous watercolour project illustrations with realistic renditions of various materials and textiles. Later in her career she produced illustrations for napkins and postcards in a more loose manner which suited her well. At this point she became aware of the Swedish artist Lars Eje Larsson and signed up for one of his courses. She was very inspired by his free and intutitive approach to painting. She also mentions Lars Holm and Hasse Karlsson as inspirators. She has begun to work in a more abstract manner and to work more minimalistically. Most of the time there will be a recognizable figurative subject, but her emphasis is on colour, mood, and contrasts. Carina Köster prefers to paint in a spontaneous and free manner – capturing the moment.