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It began with a kaleidoscope - the old-fashioned kind that you held up to the light and turned with your hands. I got it as gift when I was only four or five years old and I was amazed at the swirling colors, patterns, shapes, and the endless little details. It was my first experience with light and lens - and it was magic in my hands!
And the elements were already there - character, color and composition - the three “C’s” that represent my work.
When I was nine, our school teacher, the very stern Miss Tengroth introduced us to a way to “take pictures” without a camera by giving us some photosensitive paper, a piece of glass with backing, a pressed flower and four clothespins. I placed the flower on the photo paper, betwween the glass and the backing, which was held together with four clothespins at each corner. It was exposed to sunlight for a short time. I’ll never forget the feeling that came over me, when I saw the image of the flower on the paper. I was hooked!
All of this was replaced by a new fascination. The microscope! In class we looked at insects, beetles and other objects - and again I loved the light shining through the glass, making the smallest colors, shapes and patterns enormous - so big and bright to the eye.
At 16, During my school years I also worked as a model and at the age of 16, Jan Andersson, a well known photographer, introduced me to the "world of the darkroom".
He strongly encouraged me to, as he put it, "Follow your God-given talent for photography," which I did when 5 years later I arrived in America at my first job as a governess in Portland, Oregon.
I began shooting everything in sight - children, trees, leaves, mountains and landscapes with and an old box camera that finally died of exhaustion.
After meeting and marrying my husband Hal and raising our daughters Lisa and Annika, I took a class in photography that opened up the floodgates of emotions, and with a new camera, and later a darkroom I set out to “capture the world “ my way. Courses in Photography and Graphic Design at the University of California (San Diego), enabled me to widen my photographic skills and sense of design to a point where I was ready to expand my vision.
The result was a series of photographic travels. From this came a successful line of photographic cards and enlargements that are sold both in this country and abroad.
My work has been shown over many years at the International Photographic Exhibit in Del Mar, where they have won several awards, This led to gallery exhibits as “Artist of The Month” at City Hall in Solana Beach, and the design district of Cedros Avenue as well as other showings.
Today, my journeys have included trips to some of the most romantic and picturesque parts of Europe, charming scenes of the Caribbean, Latin America and many everyday images that speak to us visually of life in the Orient. I derive my greatest satisfaction from the pleasure that my art gives to people.
