Evelina Flodstrom – bursary winner 2016
I never dreamed that I would get a bursary, especially SWLA and Seabird Drawing Course. And to my great surprise and happiness I actually won it along with two other artists for 2016!
A little tense and nervous about the week, I had no idea what to expect. Thought I would have prepared myself better before I left for the week, I wanted to get out as much as possible during those days. But once in place, I began to understand that it had not mattered in any great significant way, when everything was new and impressions came in a constant and intense flow. For me, just the language was a challenge and it took a few days just to get into the spoken words. Then all the great meetings with like-minded and creative people were an experience I never encountered before, and that was just as interesting and giving as any seabird. Besides that, the extremely beautiful and for me completely new environments in which we worked during the days was a challenge that I had to face. In addition, trying to perform and express myself artistically during very intense days, it was easier said than done.
It became just a couple of fantastic days all thorough!
Wonderful tutors! Fantastic participants! All incredibly talented artists that during the week contributed with themselves in an amazing way. It all created a mood in the group that I have not experienced anywhere else. Everybody gave of themselves and contributed in a way that created a feeling that everyone was equal before the daily tasks we had before us. For me this meant that it was easier to ask and show my problems (which were many) to get guidance on how to develop and take on the struggles when I got stuck. And I got stuck, I did! Continuously! Absolute blockage at the bare sights of all the great impressions that nature offered. The big question, how will I be able to capture something as big and beautiful as this on a small piece of paper?
Sure, it took a few days to start releasing old structures, but when it started to happen it was a sense of awareness and fascination. A combination of the intense explosions of impressions and actually getting to socialize with peers (artists with a passion for nature) made sure I got completely different ways of thinking. To see how others did work, to hear other thoughts and to get to know the struggles others had gone through to get where they were, was nothing short of wonderful, perhaps especially for me who always worked alone.
I learned so much and I am very grateful that I got the opportunity to go on this week. What I brought from the week will be with me always and I strongly recommend John Busby Seabird Drawing week. And apply for the bursary! Quite clearly, you never know, but suddenly, you can get it!
It feels like I´m now beginning the real journey to discover the wildlife within me, and I can´t wait to find out just how my expression of the feeling will come out on that little piece of paper when I get that fantastic impression of the nature exploding in all it´s fantasticness that only nature can do.
Thank You!
