Come along and meet the artists behind our stationery collections! Today we are saying hello to the brilliant Monika Forsberg, whose work you might recognise from our Birdsong and Honey stationery ranges.
Q&A in Monika's words:
I was born and brought up in Swedish Lapland but moved to the UK many years ago and now live in Gospel Oak, North west London with my husband, two kids and an assortment of pets. I work from home. I've got a very tiny studio space that I share with the cat. Or the dog.
What is your process?
I draw (or paint) a big pile, then scan it all in and put things together in photoshop. Because what I see in my head never correlates with what I actually draw I tend to not think too much, just let it happen. Or I just get disappointed. Favourite media changes weekly. I will paint with water soluble gouache one week and say to myself "this is the ultimate paint" only to next week exclusively use colour pencils (and say THIS is the ultimate medium), and so it goes on, round in a circle.
Where do you find inspiration?
I have no idea. I think if I’m not drawing or making things I get itchy fingers and I get so bored I will get an idea (or be inspired by something... a thought, something I've seen) and then I make something. To alleviate the itch. When working to a brief, I draw the reflection of what I understand the brief to be. One things lead to another, it’s always hard to know how an idea came about, how a drawing came about. Boredom might be the source of inspiration? Drawing keeps the mind calm and also keeps one from doing boring stuff (such as cleaning, washing up, empty the laundry basket).
Which is your favourite design from YOUR Roger la Borde collection? What’s it like to see your work translated into stationery?
There are so many, I think RLB translates my pieces into lasercut cards and notebooks so beautifully. I do like stationery sets, so the Writing Paper Sets with envelopes and stickers are a joy, and and I love all of the lasercut cards too.
WOULD YOU RATHER:
- Lined journals or blank journals? Blank journals
- Creative process: digital or analogue materials? A mixture with emphasis on analogue
- Writing inside a RLB lasercut card or on the back panel? Back panel
- Tea or coffee? Coffee in the morning, tea the rest of the day
See Monika's work for Roger la Borde here.
Visit Monika’s website here.
Thank you so much, Monika!