Beautiful Summer

Good morning sunshine!

It is officially Summer! Now that Midsummer celebration here in Sweden has come and gone, I feel like it's a clean slate. A fresh start. I'm trying to embrace the mindset that every day is a fresh start, which works wonderfully. But when it's a new season, I truly feel new fresh energy coming in. I love Summer! It's a time where my true self can shine. I love the elements, the wind, the sun, the birds, the energy in the air. It's a beautiful time here on the coast, and I can't wait to share the wonder here in photos and words. I also recently made a post on my Instagram account, which some of you might have already seen. It was a statement about my commitment toward creating this Summer. I hope to have a webshop running this Autumn so you can make orders! If you have any favourite pieces, feel free to contact me to make a special request: [email protected]

This week I will test a new schedule to see what I can realistically get done in a week without burning out. I have plans to paint, take photos, and embrace other artistic disciplines and healing practices through art. A recent one that I have become interested in is drama therapy as a way to evoke emotion. The more I read about inner child healing and the healing arts, I become more and more convinced this is a powerful solution to find one's authenticity. It doesn't mean you have to become an artist. It's the process of creating that unlocks something special in our hearts.

In my recent Instagram post, I announced that I will dedicate this Summer toward creating Nordic Nature inspired art, with a focus on coastal landscapes and healing messages through self-portrait photographs.

I plan to share my process here on my blog as a new artist category if you are interested in following the artist journey of making, experimenting, and exploring. I hope you find it inspiring. I will also continue on YouTube where there is a mix of everything. I plan to create separate playlists so you artists out there can follow along. I will continue to make daily vlogs of my every day life. I don't have a specific upload schedule for this. I usually just pick up my camera when inspiration strikes. But I will try to make at least 1-2 videos per week.

I would also like to address important emotional topics that can help unlock creativity and authenticity. I have struggled myself for years with self-doubt and insecurity around creating art. I still struggle with it, but I'm much more mindful of these negative beliefs, and overcome them through awareness and compassion. But it's a daily practice, which is why I believe starting the day with meditation or yoga is a great way to set myself up for a day of unlocked creative potential.

And for other readers, I will continue to show the world the beauty here. I have a special love for this magical island in the North Sea. I will also share glimpses of my home, my garden, my cat, and some little projects I'm doing around the house to restore this beautiful 1860 farmhouse that I recently bought with my Swedish Grandparent's inheritance.

Finally, I would like to make a commitment to this part of the world by advocating for the nature here, the wildlife that thrives on the West Coast of Sweden, and it's rich cultural history. In my photography, my blog, my YouTube videos, and my paintings, I wish to convey Bohuslän's rich natural landscape.

Now it is Summer! It's a time to open our hearts and let it shine like a thousand suns. Happy creative healing everyone!

Lots of Love,

Annika ꨄ