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Embrace the Imperfectl
 Here beside, you’ll see a painting I’ve attempted several times. Capturing a scene on paper is always a challenge, and sometimes it feels like other artists create nothing but perfect works—while I often struggle and collect many failed attempts.
But this particular attempt taught me something important. I had already abandoned the thought of it turning out well. The paper I used was even damaged—there was a missing piece in one corner. "What does it matter?" I thought. "This won’t amount to anything anyway." But I was wrong. Despite everything, the painting actually turned out well!
And that missing corner? At first, I felt it was a shame, but soon I realized it didn’t matter at all. Perhaps it was precisely the lack of perfection that allowed me to paint more freely and expressively.
This has become an unexpected technique for me: sometimes, I tear off a corner of the paper before I start painting. It lowers the stakes and lets me focus on creating instead of pressuring myself to make it “perfect.” And the result? Often better than I could have hoped for.
The painting you see here shows two people and a bicycle on Strandvägen, just as the tram is passing by. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on this one—and perhaps this can inspire you to embrace imperfection in your own art.
On Saturday, February 15, I’ll finally get to showcase this and many of my latest watercolors at Nordic Art in Stockholm. For this event, I’ve painted over twenty large new watercolors featuring Stockholm as the main subject. It’s going to be an exciting opening weekend, with hours from 12 PM to 4 PM on both Saturday and Sunday. The exhibition runs until February 20.
The address is Birkagatan 28B. Welcome! |
