Sofia Lind

Combining soft colours and intuitive motifs, the Swedish artist Sofia Lind has created a universe of charming characters.

From her studio in Stockholm, Sofia works mainly on paper with gouache and watercolour. She explores the way colours work together to enhance the motif in either a calm or enticing way. “I often choose a colour that I don’t like as a starting point and combine it with other colours to keep the process interesting and alive.”

With an education in crafts and design, Sofia’s artwork is also imbued with patterns. She explains: “I have worked with pattern and pattern design for quite a long time. The mathematical and repeated process in pattern making suits me well and I often try to integrate patterns in my work.”

Sofia actually started out studying engineering, but after finishing her exams she knew that it was not the right career path for her. “I started at HDK, School of Design and Crafts — and it felt like coming home. Everything started to fall into place, and it felt like I had the right challenges for the first time in years.”

The Art of Creating

Even now as an established artist, the fear of falling short can still lurk in the mind of Sofia Lind.

“I sketch a lot without letting my performance anxiety get in the way. I tell myself that I will throw everything away and not show anyone. This is the best way for me to start new projects.”

However, this does not slow her down. Instead, Sofia pours herself into her work and finds inspiration from this driving force. And it helps her push the creativity of her work forward. “The craft of painting is what inspires me, and putting my work into context is what gives my work meaning.”

Being in contact with art — whether creating it herself or viewing the works of others — is a way for Sofia to be social. It helps her gain perspective and understanding of the world surrounding her. When asked how she prefers to spend her free time, she refers to a painting: “There is this painting by Monet called Breakfast in the Garden. I have always aspired to start my Sunday like that. With a great breakfast in my garden. Preferably with family and friends.”