Three students, three journeys.
Meet Sebastian Grönwall, Jenny Berggren
and Sigurd Fernström
Sebastian Grönwall - a Swedish landscape painter, born in Gotland
'I went to SARA to received the same training used by the 19th century European academies, which is designed to educate students toward achieving the highest possible calibre of skills.'
Sebastian Grönwall
My name is Sebastian Grönwall. I’m a Swedish landscape painter, born in Gotland. I have been a professional painter since 2006 and has participated in several group exhibitions, as well as in solo shows.
I studied at The Swedish Academy Of Realist Art 2011-2014. I went to SARA to received the same training used by the 19th century European academies, which is designed to educate students toward achieving the highest possible calibre of skills. It was very important to me getting these years of training. The craftmanship of drawing and painting interests me alot. To learn the craft has given me more freedom in my artistic expression.
The years at SARA was inspiring in many ways and gave me more understanding of the fine art tradition and craftmanship.
Today I often work from life (plein air) painting landscapes. My primary inspiration is found in the natural settings and culture of Northern Europe during the early 1900’s. My paintings may be characterized by a depiction of realistic scenes with a streak of abstraction. I primarily paint in oil, but also uses mediums such as watercolour and charcoal.
Today I have my own gallery and studio on Gotland. Working full time as a painter.
I love my work and all the freedom that comes with it!
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“It was very important to me getting these years of training. The craftmanship of drawing and painting interests me alot. To learn the craft has given me more freedom in my artistic expression.”
Sebastian Grönwall
Jenny Berggren
- painter with a studio in Umeå.
Some may think that an education like this is too strict, in the way that you loose your creativity. And yes, it is not of course the way to go if you like to paint abstract. But there are so many ways of painting the same thing and still paint realism, we are all different and our works are all different, and that is encouraged at SARA. You don’t have to be afraid of loosing your way, but you will improve it.
Jenny Berggren
My name is Jenny Berggren and I work part time as an artist and illustrator and part time as a librarian in Umeå, Sweden. My studio is situated in an atelier collective with about ten members, sharing a house in the centre of Umeå. My studio neighbors are artists in different fields and we all inspire each other. A couple of times a year we set up joint exhibitions and other events.
I started illustrating children’s books around 2005, before that I had done painting and drawing for fun. As a child I studied old masters in art books and tried to copy theirs drawings, took an evening art class in middle school and learned oil painting (that became a favorite medium), and then took a year long art course at a folk high school after finishing the gymnasium in 2000.
Around 2010 I found SARA, and it seemed to be exactly the kind of art education I had always dreamt of. The summer of 2012 I took one of their summer courses in figure painting, and found out that it really was the school I had been looking for. In 2013 I applied for and was accepted to the full time program at SARA.
My three years at SARA were all I wished for. The atmosphere itself was really inspiring, with the old beautiful building, the studios, the smell of paint and all the still life props. But the student culture was even better. My fellow students were of all ages, and came from different backgrounds with different experiences, still with the same goal. Everyone was friendly and eager to help the others reach their goals. I got lots of inspiration and tips and support from my fellow students.
The education at SARA has helped me a lot. It is based on drawing and painting what you see, but knowing how to paint realistically has helped me draw and paint from imagination too. The knowledge of line quality, shadow and form, perspective, color mixing, body positions, composition, sketching and so on has a great impact on all my work. And I still have use of the business studies too, when applying for exhibitions, pricing, selling and writing contracts for commissions.
Some may think that an education like this is too strict, in the way that you loose your creativity. And yes, it is not of course the way to go if you like to paint abstract. But there are so many ways of painting the same thing and still paint realism, we are all different and our works are all different, and that is encouraged at SARA. You don’t have to be afraid of loosing your way, but you will improve it.
After finishing school I set up my studio in Umeå, working part time as an artist. I illustrate children’s books for a publishing house that I am also a partner in, using mainly gouache and watercolor. I also paint in oils for exhibitions, at least one per year. Over and above that I do commissions for both organisations and private individuals: mainly portraits, animals, landscapes and illustrations. With a steady income from my other part time work I am free to only work on things I find interesting, but then again I don’t have full time to put in and work takes longer.
I want my art to feel important for the viewer: something to sink into or feel happy about or engaged in. I like motives that tells a story of some kind, but I also work a lot with composition because I want it to be direct and easy to take in. And oil is still my favorite medium.
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“The summer of 2012 I took a summer course in figure painting at SARA, and found out that it really was the school I had been looking for. In 2013 I applied for and was accepted to the full time program at SARA.”
Jenny Berggren
Sigurd Fernström - from an insecure student at KTH to a concept artist at DICE Stockholm.
'Today I work with a variety of tools in my work, 3D, photography, drawing and painting. No matter what happens in the ever-changing and fast-paced society, I always have a plan B – to paint, especially outdoor painting which I have come to love. This is something I could not have done as easily without SARA. Returning to painting alone might even be my plan A one day.'
Sigurd Fernström
Drawing and painting have characterised my life since I was a child, but turning this interest into a profession was far from obvious to me. It took many years of exploration, through various courses and work experiences, to realise that my true passion lay in art, and that it was in fact possible to make a living from it.
As an insecure student, I started a broad engineering programme at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in media technology. During my third year of the programme, I started a course in 3D graphics, which sparked my interest and led me to apply to the Nackademin University of Applied Sciences, specialising in digital graphics. After graduating from Nackademin, I got a job as a 3D generalist in the film and advertising industry. During these years I continued to draw alongside my work, and I gradually realised that I would never be fully satisfied until I could integrate my interest in painting into my professional life. Fortunately, during this period I discovered The Swedish Academy of Art – Atelier Stockholm (SARA). This was the catalyst that gave me the courage to end my career as a 3D graphic designer and instead focus on improving my sketching and painting skills full-time. This decision was the most crucial piece of the puzzle to the life and occupation I have today.
At SARA I learnt the important basics of drawing and painting. The programme was challenging and taken very seriously by both students and teachers. Since my goal with this new direction was to work specifically with concept art, I was careful to complement the existing curriculum by visualising my own ideas in a sketchbook or in Photoshop. This was the other dimension that Atelier Stockholm offered – a physical space with great teachers and a culture of like-minded students who constantly inspired and encouraged each other every day. I, along with many others, constantly sat with a sketchbook in my lap and drew between exercises.
My last assignment at school was to paint a still life of something organic. I chose a large salmon. Since I couldn’t finish the painting before the weekend, I kept the salmon in the dining room fridge. By Monday, the salmon had lost its freshness and in the following days the salmon not only stuck to my canvas but also to the walls. I can still remember the smell of rotten salmon and incense filling the school corridors. A memory that is both funny and very dear to me.
After my time at SARA, I got a job as a concept artist at the game company DICE in Stockholm, where I worked on developing the games Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront. After seven years at DICE, I started freelancing and today I’m sitting in a small freelance studio with two friends and working as a contractor for the game company Bungie in the US.
As a young student, I would certainly have been happy to find the right education faster, but at the same time I am convinced that the experiences I have gathered along the way make my expression unique and are rather an asset than something that has hindered my development. Working with art or concept art is often about visualising an idea. Having previous knowledge and getting inspiration from a trip or a book can be as important as mastering the technical aspects of painting. It can also be a carrot for people who still dream of changing their career path and want to explore their more artistic side. It’s never too late to try new paths in life.
At a time when AI tools are becoming more common and can create images from simple text descriptions, my time at SARA feels even more valuable. Having the knowledge of how to handle traditional media and the ability to break down and view a subject in real life makes it easier to return to painting with watercolours outdoors or sitting with your sketchbook when inspiration fails.
Being able to use traditional media like brushes, paints and paper is a skill that cannot be replaced by AI. It is the human touch, the feeling of creating something with your own hands, that gives a unique quality to the artwork. Moreover, the exploration of real objects and landscapes allows for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the details and beauty of the world around us.
Today I work with a variety of tools in my work, 3D, photography, drawing and painting. No matter what happens in the ever-changing and fast-paced society, I always have a plan B – to paint, especially outdoor painting which I have come to love. This is something I could not have done as easily without SARA. Returning to painting alone might even be my plan A one day.
After my time at SARA, I got a job as a concept artist at the game company DICE in Stockholm, where I worked on developing the games Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront. After seven years at DICE, I started freelancing and today I’m sitting in a small freelance studio with two friends and working as a contractor for the game company Bungie in the US.
Sigurd Fernström
Would you like to speak to current students and instructors at SARA?
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We will get back to you as soon as possible.
info@sara-academy.se
+46 (0)414 68 44 71
