A masterclass of happiness
I hope you’re thoroughly enjoying your summer, that your children aren’t beating each other with sticks, and that snails aren’t eating the dahlias you’ve cared for with wild passion since April. As amazing as the holidays can be, they're sometimes equally filled with migraines, aren’t they?
I’ve had an entire month away from home and will now operate the gallery for the rest of the summer. This is the time of year when I get to turn my extrovert self on full power, talk endlessly about art and watch people fall in love with pieces clearly made just for them. I enjoy this part equally as much as the painting process. Yes, it’s sometimes draining, but being in the process, from first sketches to watching someone trying to fit the final piece into a trunk full of kids and beach toys, is well worth it.
As I mentioned briefly before my break, I got to go on a trip to Finland for a week in June to experience what was called a Masterclass of Happiness (as the Finns keep getting crowned the happiest people in the world year after year). After a beautiful week of workshops with experts in areas like nature, sustainability, design, and food, I made some really valuable insights. From now on, I will forever pause a little more often in my daily life. Stop myself from constantly creating new projects, knowing I have enough. It’s all things I’ve heard many times before, but this experience really made some permanent marks.
Curious of the secret to happiness?
Here are some words from April Rinne, one of our key note speakers:
“Happiness is a practice. The more we chase it outside ourselves - whether that’s shopping, achieving goals set by someone else, or any milestone that moves over time - the less likely we are to attain it. Happiness IS right here, right now, in your control. This doesn’t mean life is perfect or problem-free. It means being aware of what a gift it is to simply be alive and being grateful especially for the ”little things” like a smile, a ray of sunshine, or a good cup of coffee. (Also, doing hard things and overcoming challenges makes us..happy!) Turns out Finns are experts at this; long winters, wars and occupation are amazing ways to learn long-term gratitude for what is. At a societal level, they have Sisu - the Finnish art of inner strength."
And of course - an ancient sauna tradition. Who could ever jump into a perfectly still lake after discussing the meaning life in the sauna and not feel - happy?
As you might have seen on Stories, I spent last week on the tiny island of Åstol in Bohuslän - the landscape I most love to paint. The weather was a bit disappointing for most but perfect for me - I got to paint in peace with the rain pouring against the windows. I could write a novel about all the tea and cookies I consumed and how much happiness that brought, but I’ll spare you the details. I will share some of the paintings I made though:
