Olivia Förster Stranne
I am a Jokkmokk based artist, illustrator, author and coach. Before moving to Sápmi I lived in Bavaria, Italy and Hamburg.
It's little wonder I have a co-working relationship with the elements.
My first name is Olivia. Olivia means olive tree in Latin. In Italy I learned that olive trees can reach ages up to 2000 years. By this time they can witness a lot happening around them. I am not as old but anyways I try to connect to the ancient traditions of my ancestors and to find my way back to my natural source.
Förster is my surname and one of my German ancestors is likely to have been taken care of forests. It's no wonder that I feel a strong attraction to the forest in general and like to hang out among and connect to trees.
Stranne is my second surname and it means "from the strand/beach" in a Swedish dialect as my ancestor was from a little village by the sea. This is where the driftwood lands after having been carried by water and wind. How long has it been journeying as sun, ice, salt, rocks and water have managed to wash it so smooth and light? Driftwood inspires me: its forms, patterns, scents, origins and simply the feeling they provoke when finding a special one being definitely inhabited by a natural spirit being. After having listened to its narrative I leave my traces, words and motifs on them with color or a pyrographer.
Fire. Water. Wind. Earth. These are my co-working partners. In my art I respond to how encounters with the elements touch me deeply inside. In this process I sort out, put words, weave, heal and develop my inner realms towards regaining freedom in connectedness with creation. I want to inspire others along the way by letting it flow further...
Exhibitions
30. November - 9. January 2024 Driftwood art "Cowboy & the fairy" at Norrbottens Konstkalender 2023 at Luleå Airport
25. May - 26. August 2023 Driftwood art "Longing" at Skaraborgssalongen in Skövde/Sweden
2.-5. February 2023 Driftwood art "Longing" at Fjällriket during Jokkmokks Winter Market.
8. December 2017 Drawings and paintings at Kleines Kunstatelier Moorburg/Hamburg.
8./9. September 2017 Driftwood art at "Moorburger Art - Ein Dorf zeigt Kunst" at elbdeich e.V. Hamburg.
2. October 2016 Drawings and paintings at Kleines Kunstatelier Moorburg/Hamburg.
10. June 2016 Photogaphy and driftwood art in a group exhibition "Phänomen Moorburg" at elbdeich e.V. Hamburg.
31. January 2016 Driftwood art at "Glückstag" at elbdeich e.V. Hamburg.
18. – 28. February 2014 Wallpainting "Coyotl" at the final show of the art residency and workshop "Sonidoro" at Centro de Creación Faro de Oriente in Méxiko City.
11. October – 3. November 2013 Comic "Posti di guerra" at 99% Komikazen Festival – Il fumetto di realtà diventa realtà: un'azione collettiva come festival in Ravenna, Italy.
15. - 18. June 2011 Driftwood art in acrylic and oil at Der Gang e.V. in Hamburg during the Art Walk and open studios at kunst altonale13.
3. - 4. July 2010 Video installation "Who is afraid of Medeja?" as collaboration project with Agata Dworecki at Tage der offenen Tür at the KünstlerCommunity in den Veringhöfen in Hamburg.
5. June 2010 Driftwood art in acrylic and oil at Der Gang e.V. in Hamburg during the kunst-Altonale.
3. - 7. November 2006 Graphic novel to Friedrich Schiller's "Kallias oder über die Schönheit" at Kunstverein Hannover during the project "plattform # 3", a collaboration with Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg.
Publications
- Online published comic "Der Geist in der Flasche" ("The spirit in a bottle").
- Author of six educational books for the distance learning course "Fachkraft für Medienpädagogik" (skilled worker in media education) for ILS in Hamburg.
- Author of the article "Cybermobbing und Sexting - Kreativ-kritische Medienarbeit mit Jugendlichen. ("Cyberbullying and sexting: working creatively and critically on media with teenagers") In: Lauffer, Jürgen/Röllecke, Renate (Hrsg.): Lieben, Liken, Spielen - Digitale Kommunikation und Selbstdarstellung Jugendlicher heute. Dieter Baacke Preis Handbuch 9. München: kopaed, 2014, s75-81". .
- Comic "Posti di guerra" published in Stamboulis, Elettra/ Costantini, Gianluca (Hrsg.): 99% Komikazen Festival del fumetto di realtà. Ravenna: Giuda edizioni, 2014, s50.
CV
Download my CV here: