“May you take in the early darkness without grief. May the long nights make the light sweeter.”
Happy Solstice 2022
Sonja Hesslow
Solstice in the northern hemisphere marks the shortest day of the year. In Sweden, where our featured artist hails, on average, registers just 33 hours of sunlight in December, or about an hour a day. There are historical examples of Stockholm going through the whole month without a glimpse of the sun, but the last time was in 1934. So today, I chose four northern artists who focus on the light in the darkness.
See
Keep the Light On, Sonja Hesslow
Belgian Artist: Tijana
Starlit Darkness
Winter Solstice, www.tijanadraws.com
Seattle, WA: EJ Landsman
“In the midst of death, we are in life. A little drawing to remind myself that winter ends.”
Winter Solstice, EJ Landsman
Canadian-born Oregonian artist, Carson Friedman Ellis
Illustration by Carson Friedman Ellis for The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper
Say
Do you feel there is a special heartiness to Northerners who live through the darkest, coldest winters yet somehow trust the light will return?
What impact might be experiencing so much darkness have on visual artists and musicians?
All of these artworks incorporate some magical quality. Why?
Do
Set a quiet moment after sunset on the winter solstice to light candles. Turn off all lights in the house and bask in the candlelight with reflections for the year's darkest day.
Sit in the dark until your eyes adjust. What can you see? How does it feel?
Read about the collaboration of Susan Cooper and Carson Friedman Ellis for The Shortest Day.
About the Artist: Sonja Hesslow
Swedish, b. 1988 Sonja Hesslow
“I don’t want to capture the moments; I want to create them from my imagination.”
The process starts when I capture the image with my camera, and I spend a lot of time in Photoshop to create the picture I have in my head. Being involved in the whole process is very important to me. I like to be creative in many ways, not just in Photoshop. I enjoy making my props using materials such as fabric, plastic, flowers, secondhand stuff, etc.
I have a studio in Stockholm, Sweden, where I create artwork. I also have my print studio.
“May you burn candles and log fires and a little bit of food to remind you that things can be good without being perfect.” Please share your reflections with me by replying to this post and tagging my Wonder Wander Facebook or Instagram pages!
