When looking at Emma Lindström’s work you feel transported to another dimension of colours and shapes. You might see the universe, the earth seen from outer space or a micro-cosmos, but there is one constant: The wonderful energy that you are almost able to touch that comes from Emma’s deep connection with music. In this exclusive interview with Pébéo, the young and successful Swedish artist talks to us about her process, her inspiration and more.

I have always had the need to express myself and the energy moving through and inside of me. It started off musically through drums and various instruments, but in high school I found painting as the most powerful means of expression for me. From that point on there’s been no going back for me. I still make music as well, but I’d like to think that with my artwork I create music for the eyes as well.

Music is for sure the biggest inspiration in my work. I listen to music every day and all the time when painting, and I really feel that the art I create correspond emotionally and energetically to the music I find closest to my heart. The energy that touches or moves me the most can of course be portrayed in many different ways, but what I search for in music, when it comes to ambience and mood, comes naturally to me in the form of colours when I paint.

The process is, like life itself, a balance between control and chance. I don’t make too much planning ahead, but instead let the process itself guide me. This is as much a therapeutic process as it is a creative one. Of course I plan so much far ahead as to which colours and mood I’m going for, or rather what fits the mood I’m in at the moment, but after that it’s time to let go of some control, even though I’m still the one in the driving seat. When I try creating something that doesn’t correspond to where I am emotionally at the moment, the result never ends up good. The process simply doesn’t allow me to be “fake” or make something that isn’t authentically me. When the pouring and flowing is over, it’s time to take a step back and see what’s revealing itself to me this time. After that I wrap it all up by enhancing, highlighting and forming the piece to what I believe it wants to be. So as much as I’m surprised, I’m also not, because when it’s done it just feels like home. I couldn’t imagine a better creative process for me, to be taken for ride each time and finally end up safe at home, what more can I ask?

At the moment I think it’s pretty obvious in my work. The first one is of course blue. It’s just something so soothing and yet exciting about that colour for me… I can’t really put words to it. The second one I guess would be purple. But then again, no colour is an island, without other colours it’s just plain. It’s the mixing and the matching and the crashing that’s exciting!

Acrylics have always been my choice of paints. I’ve tried a bit of oil, and I also use some spray paint and other media, but there’s something special about acrylics for sure… It’s so easy to work with and it’s so fun to mix with other stuff to get all different sorts of reactions. And since I’m quite impulsive and restless, I need material that doesn’t take weeks to dry. But of course, I’m always open to try new things, and much of my creative process is depending on finding new techniques and media that make something new happen. So it’s definitely a never-ending experiment!

Just do it! Don’t overthink things, and try not to listen to your own and others’ fears and doubts. Life is creative, so ride the wave and pass the creative energy on to others. And art can be fun, no matter what they teach you at school.