Recap
With a mother from Finland and a stepfather from Italy – My upbringing was very contrast like – which has strongly made me the diverse person I am today.
Born 1978 in the hoods of the Swedish capitol Stockholm. The childhood was a vagabond like journey where we lived in different cities, struggling through the restaurant business, all around Sweden. We even lived a couple of years in Spain where we had a restaurant.
In my teens I fled the hard working life of serving food and drinks to others and took off to USA. Where I lived in the outskirts of Memphis – studied and practiced in Martial Arts. Later on I got recruited to the Marine Corps, which I had to turn down since I was from Sweden. But my best friend joined the Corps. While he became a bad ass at El Toro Air Station (where Top Gun was recorded), I hung out by the beaches of L.A.
After a couple of years trippin’ between Sweden and the States – I came to and decided I had to do something with my life. But What was the big Q!?
All I knew was the business I grew up in and martial arts. Neither felt like a carrier I wanted to pursue.
So I joined The Swedish Military Forces – and became a Ranger in my own country. I was the smallest and shortest of all my mates at Ranger School. But I had one of the strongest fighting spirit. I became Ranger of the Year. After I graduated I realized I wasn’t a fighter – I was a lover – that always have had to struggle.
I felt lost. I felt like something was missing in my life. A true passion.
I had no regular schooling. Wasn’t feeling Swedish, certainly not Finish nor Italian. Didn’t want to live in USA or Spain. Been fighting all my life (mainly to survive). And a packpack full of adventures …
I took a step back. And realized I had something I’ve missed. .. I had a talent! I was pretty freaking creative and could draw some. Later on I’ve learned that pretty much all of my finnish relatives had a creative talent; My mother could sew and cook, my uncles could photograph, do wood work, build own designed furniture and my grand mother was good at painting. I got So inspired. It was a sign!
I went to school and studied Media – TV, radio, multimedia, web design and graphic design. The latter is where I found my true calling! I became an Art Director. I returned to the capitol Stockholm. Worked at advertising agencies. Wow, the kick of creating beat the feeling of all fighting I’ve done all my life. I finally started feeling some joy in my heart. And another type of fire started to grow. The Fire of Creation.
I never really felt at home in the grand city, I love its diversity but I felt more at ease in smaller places. I was more a country boy. So I moved to the central parts of Sweden as soon as I got a new position as a Creative/Art Director. This felt more like home – in the heart.
My creative force grew stronger by the years and in 2005 I started my own design studio. And making art.
The rest is history. But not a finished one …
My creations
I don’t want to label my artworks and creations, but get inspired by the simplicity of artists like Lichtenstein, statements of Banksy and the brilliants of renaissance men like Leonardo Da Vinci.
The quest is to create something unexpected and think beyond traditional ways.
I want a piece to be esthetically attractive and have a depth to it – with a unexpected twist. Sometimes with a thoughtful message and other times something liberating and humoristic. When I begin I rarely know how the piece will end up. I let the Creative Process guide me.
:Paizano
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The more you know me the less you’ll SEE me.
The less you know me the more you’ll see ME.
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