October 2001 Sketchbook from Gotland
By Johannes Nevala
My artistry is a reflection of images of a shore where birds land, breed and leave their impression. I try to arouse associations with these places in a way that can be interpreted as real or fictious, often with the Nordic light as the central part in the experiences.
In my work, I have the ambition to create paintings which give the observer the opportunity to take part in the production. Where the shapes of the birds can be erased to appear fully abstract at a distance, but on a closer look, appear more real.
About myself
I was born in 1966 in Finland. Since 1992, I live and work on Gotland, where the shores that are rich in birds, give me a chance to find motives and inspiration. My artistry started during bird-observations where I made notes about their shapes, colours and behaviour. It all started with some text and simple sketches. Pretty soon, my interest led me into painting and after a few years of work I had my first separate exhibition 1993.
Exhibitions
Since 1993, I have had a number of separate exhibitions and some together with other artists.
Sketch-book
I just let the lines be there and mostly a sketch takes me just a few minutes to make. When I return to my sketch-book in my studio it´s almost always the quickest sketches with the less details that give me the inspiration to create. When I´m out, I work a few hours in a row with only a few pauses. Most of the time, I sit at the seaside near a place where a lot of birds reside.
Website
At my website, you can follow my artistry as a birdpainter. there you can find a gallery, sketch-book, guestbook and links to over 50 different artists who have specialized on birds and nature www.nevala.nu
Last waders - October 2001
At the same time as the rain increases, I pick up a tin riddled with bullets; someone has used it for practising. Maybe one of the local hunters who every season hunts seabirds along the seashore of Gotland.
The rain increases and my intention to do some more sketches rapidly changes. I put the sketchbook in the rucksack. The paper gets damp as the tin also gets unfit for use in the rain. The raindrops reduces the remaining sounds from the birds.
A bit frozen and waiting for something, I take a deep breath and close my eyes in order to travel to a time that has passed. For a short moment, I can see some of all the birds that have passed in front of me. Although my clothes keep the rain from coming inside, the damp gets into my skin and the bird's faiths away.
It's just as well to take the day as it is. Damp cold and raindrops that silence the last waders.