Some illustration work I've done includes a podcast cover, tattoo design, avatar and header for Twitch and Youtube, as well as portrait commissions and custom paintings (a few of which can be seen on the art page). I have also created cover illustrations for several issues of Texter om våld, an academic journal about violence and abuse, from Örebro University. In the future I would love to illustrate books, in- and outside. Just putting that out there!
Every month since may 2019 I create videos, stickers and small art prints for Patreon supporters! Patreon is a subscription platform, where a monthly cost gets you different rewards depending on the amount. You decide the amount yourself and you can cancel at any time! This is my favourite work I do, because I have so much creative freedom here. Please head to my Patreon page to see everything I offer there!
So you know how most people draw and paint as kids, and then stop at some point for a myriad of reasons (none of them good honestly)? I did too. My first depression hit same as puberty and I was like "alright, everything is pointless, I'm out". Sometimes we make mistakes when we are sad. Fast forward to my 20s - I was studying literature as best I could with my strange health issues, and I started to wish I knew how to draw. But it was too late, wasn't it? I had better focus on writing, which I had done more of. At age 27, I took a plunge and applied to a year-long writing education that accepted me. That was a turning point.
Practicing and learning writing as my main occupation meant that I was taking creative work seriously. Shortly after I started there, in the beautiful month of September, I decided it was time to learn drawing. I wanted to be able to draw fanart of my favourite book characters, and create pretty things, and express sentiments I didn't have words for. So I started practicing.
The following spring, a friend of mine on Facebook posted that his art school had extended their time for application, and encouraged everyone to apply. It had never occured to me that I would go to an art school; it seemed scary and elitist and like I wasn't ever gonna be good enough. But that's how I had felt about the writing course, and they had wanted me. So I put an application together and sent it in. Just daring to apply made me feel so brave and badass! A couple of weeks later, I got a call from a very excited teacher, telling me I had a place if I wanted to go. I thought it over: should I really go to art school when I know an economic crisis is around the corner? Is this going to negatively affect my political level? But also - my health being what it is, do I have a better option?
Going to art school was my best option then, as ridiculous as it sounds, just like doing art professionally now is my best option despite the challenges that come with it. I'm forever grateful that I got the chance to do it.
Some would consider it blasphemy to say this when you're an artist, but art is not the most important thing in my life. My politics are. I'm a revolutionary marxist, and the time and energy I can spare when the basic necessities are taken care of, I use to help build a revolutionary international capable of overthrowing capitalism.
You don't need to agree with any of this to support my art or work with me as an illustrator, of course. But I do need you to know, because I'm not going to self-censor on my own platforms in the hope of being more employable. It's a matter of political integrity as well as artistic. As a marxist, it's my duty to share my views and recruit people to the struggle for socialism. As an artist, it's my duty to be honest when I create.
Sincerity is one of the things I value most in art. If you don't care about what you do, what's the point? What is it good for? Why would anyone else care? Bullsh*t is already forced on us constantly through both mainstream and social media. I try not to add to that. People are smart and they can smell insincerity from a mile away.
I've referred to health issues a few times, so let's talk more about them, because you should have realistic expectations of me. You wouldn't be able to tell from my output how hard I actually work to keep this little operation going.
I'm disabled. I say this not with an official, state-sanctioned diagnosis, but with the experience of struggling and failing to manage daily life for my whole adult life. Without a family able and willing to help me out of tight spots, I would be dead or on the streets by now. Such is capitalism.
What exactly is wrong? Many hypotheses have been explored over the years. I've fought a long battle against bureaucracy and overworked doctors and psychologists to have my issues taken seriously. The current theory from my psychologist is that I have c-PTSD. In short, this means that my body is constantly in crisis mode, which is exhausting. My biggest obstacle to living a "normal" life is the fatigue. Other symptoms include sleeping issues, digestion issues, and more fatigue. I have better and worse days with this, sometimes weeks.
I am of course working with my therapist, and doctor when I can get hold of her, to find ways to get better. But meanwhile I still have to bring money in somehow, and monetizing my art is the least miserable way for me to do that. My ups and downs in fatigue don't allow for a "normal" job. Being self-employed is a lot of work, but it's work I have complete control over. It allows for more flexibility than any employer would. Since I took the leap to doing this full time, I've started being able to do laundry without being knocked out for three days! It's the best option for me, as long as our current form of society prevails.