January 2002 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.
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. 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.
Website
At my website, you can follow my artistry as a bird painter and read more about me. The site includes sections as: gallery, sketch-book, guest book and links to over 70 different artists who have specialized on birds and nature: www.nevala.nu
Blue day
I drive down to a small fishing village a few miles from Visby. There I can park my car just by the sea. Without the car as a studio it would be impossible to sit and work for a longer period during present weather conditions. Days with thick fog vary with days with strong winds. Days are random when the light breaks through and the surface of the sea is as smooth as glass. But since a couple weeks the winter has arrived and the snow lies in huge drifts along the fields.
Today, the sky is blue and the temperature bellow zero. When I arrive I have luck. The small road to the fishing village is cleared from snow, probably a local farmer who keeps the road open. A group of gulls has taken their positions not far from me. At first glance, they look like ice sculptures caught by the icy wind and water. However, the telescope reveals a life that would be difficult to see with the naked eye. The buildings and sheds that stand in the village are grouped in the same way as the gulls out there. Close to each other and the front turned from the wind side. After a couple hours sketching I start to freeze and it reminds me how vulnerable we are. Especially in comparison to the birds and animals that live up here in wintertime. Driving back home I keep thinking of this, at the same time the sun starts to go down and one of the few blue days disappears.
