Smultronställe Illustration
Watercolour, gouache, gel pen and ink
152 mm x 252 mm (2019)
Smultronställe is a Swedish word which literally translates as 'place of wild strawberries', meaning somewhere that refreshes the soul; a place of personal peace and relaxation.
It could be in the forest, beside a mountain stream, a summerhouse next to the ocean, a walled garden, a tree house hideaway or a log cabin in the snow... anywhere that soothes and revives the inner spirit.
Where would your 'place of wild strawberries' be?
I've used this image as an online avatar, and developed a floral pattern to accompany the motif for producing printed artist cards (see below). The pattern was named, 'Petal Blossom' and featured floating blossoms in ice cream colours.
Just for fun
Some more inspirational words...
- Gökotta (Swedish) - the act of rising early to hear the birds sing
- Hygge (Danish) - quality of cosiness that engenders a feeling of contentment or wellbeing
- Komorebi (Japanese) - the effect of sunlight filtering through the leaves of trees
- Lagom (Swedish) - not too little, not too much, the perfect balance
- Psithurism (English) - the sound of the wind in the trees and rustling leaves
- Mångata (Swedish) - the road-like reflection of the moon on water
- Meraki (Greek) - the soul, or essence of yourself, that is put into your work
- Petrichor (English, from the Greek) - the earthy scent created by rain falling on dry ground - Kintsugi (Japanese) - the art of repairing pottery with gold lacquer, understanding that the piece is beautiful despite having been broken - Ma (Japanese) - the space between two parts, the silence between the notes that make the music, simultaneous awareness of 'form' and 'non-form' - >Wabi-sabi (Japanese) - the appreciation of simple beauty in a naturally imperfect world