When I worked in Falköping and did decor painting, I came into contact with Spångsjö Libergs' painting. They had started renovating Slöta church and needed someone who could gild the orbs that sit on the roof. And isn't it great that I work with gilding now as well? So I joined them and had a look at the church. Luckily I could take the globes off and bring them home with me.
This is how they looked before.
There wasn't much gold left.
Once at home, I cleaned them and primed with järnmönja (Because that's how they were treated before). Then I painted a layer of yellow linseed oil paint before it was time to add the gold leaf.
And this is how they turned out afterwards. Think what a little gold can brighten everyday life?
They look so tiny up there!
Beautiful church! Thank you for this time!
As you may know, I illustrate some for Nordens Ark. For the fifth year in a row now, I illustrate limited edition motifs every year that are printed on lots of different products in their own store in the park. I am so very proud, happy and grateful to be a small, small part in their hard work to save endangered animals! This year I also illustrated pictures for their large information sign outside the turtle ark and last Thursday it was finally time for the inauguration! And what a lovely day we had! The sun was shining and they had arranged everything so incredibly nicely for this big day! The Crown Princess Victoria, the postcode lottery, radio and television and everyone who has been involved in some way were there.
This is what the invitation looked like that went out to everyone involved. A snake-necked turtle that I drew for Nordens Ark.
The day started with a lovely lunch outdoors with live music.
Then we walked over to the ark.
A little speech before the opening (with Ellen Ljungqvist's fantastic mosaic turtles in the foreground).
Mats Höggren (CEO), Crown Princess Victoria, Jimmy Helgesson (tortoise expert) and a Greek country tortoise ensured that the ribbon was cut and the ark was inaugurated.
Our daughter Ebba thought it was very exciting with the turtles.
And here is the sign that I've been illustrating pictures for. Happy girls!
Illustrated a turtle how it looks inside (It can't crawl out of its shell like in the cartoon!).
As well as some line illustrations.
So fun to bring Ebba on this! She was so happy!
The best supporters were there! <3 (Mom, Dad and Ebba)
My own little corner in the shop.
Tomorrow the new motifs will be released on lots of different products! I wish I could have stayed another day so I could see them for myself.
A small draft from Bohusläningen where Ebba and I got to be in the picture.
Thank you Nordens Ark for an absolutely fantastic day! So cool to finally see this live! If you want to read more about Nordens Ark, the turtle ark and their hard work to save endangered animals, you can do so HERE.
It has not only been marbled in the property in Falköping. It has been veined a lot too! There are three floors in the house and 3-5 large double doors per floor. Almost all of them were previously grain painted, but unfortunately all of them were also quite badly worn and needed to be repaired in several places. So I've also dabbled with that. Fixed a lot of doors! It's probably one of the hardest things to do, I think. To first repair and then find exactly the right color so that the repairs are not visible and at the same time paint in the same way/technique as someone else. But it went great! I won't bore you with pictures of all the doors, but here are some pictures of some of them.
Here is one of the first pictures I took of the doors on the third floor. The left one should be painted and imitate the right door.
The door lining and also the door on the right must be painted the same as the middle part. I use the "salmon pink" color as the basis for the wood grain. The working sample on the floor shows a little how the layers are built up step by step.
And this is how it turned out afterwards!
A new floor has also been installed here, the walls have been painted and the chest panel has been put up. As well as some lighting.
Fixing another door on floor three.
This is how it turned out afterwards. Here, parts of the old grain painting remain and so I have painted only the damaged parts that were painted white in the previous picture. The floor molding and door lining have also been grain painted and color matched.
Here is an example of another repair on the second floor. The painters have prepared the damaged parts and now it's up to me to try to make it dissapear with paint.
There is a lot to work with.
I build it up layer by layer.
A little worse light in this picture, but this is how it turned out afterwards. The pilaster on the right has also been painted as Carrara marble.
Beautiful floor plan!
On the other side of the floor plan we have these doors. There I repaired some boards on each door and colored in the door lining.
Inside one of the apartments, I also colored in the window moldings and the door lining and repaired small holes.
And this is how it turned out afterwards. I would love to have a hall like that!
There were some examples from the doors but I just have to show some glimpses from the great hall also in this apartment where I repaired some damage in existing murals. Such a beautiful "room"!
Here you can see some before and after pictures from the murals.
This is one of many apartments that you can rent from Sekelhus. With tiled stove in almost every room. So beautiful! Now I have finished painting for this time. Thank you, Bosse, for allowing me to be with you and paint a little bit of everything possible this spring. It's been great fun!