schemer, associate, member of a secret society or cabal
Every month, Print Cabal has one featured artist. We work with that artist to select one of their pieces, and produce a limited edition run of screen prints. Some artists work will be on t-shirts or other wearable items, some will be high quality art prints. It varies month-to-month.
The limited edition prints are sold through the Print Cabal online store.
In addition to the limited edition prints, each month an additional 50 screen prints will be produced. These will be a basic one-colour version of the artwork, printed on newsprint. They will be given away for free as an 'Art Drop' in a different Cork city location each month.
Our second Cabalista is Ella Berglund, a Finnish artist, illustrator, and designer currently studying at Aalto University School of Art and Design in Helsinki. Ella works dark themes through all her work, from illustration and t-shirt designs from bands such as Graveyard (SWE), to fashion design, or even painting skateboards.
You can view her portfolio at ellaberglund.com
Print Cabal
How would you say you started with art and illustration? Was it just a hobby as you grew up, or something you have always hoped to do professionally?
Ella Berglund
I started drawing at an early age. It has taken many hours and lots of work to be where I am to day, and that's what I usually say, when somebody says something like "you are a natural", that really, all this is thanks to hard work.
I also remember wishing to become a better drawer when I was younger, and I guess that has sort of stuck with me till today.
..And I really hope I would do something that has to do with art as an profession, but I haven't yet really figured out what.
 |
Print Cabal
I think that's true for a lot of people - working in a number of different artistic disciplines and trying to feel out their path. What different things have you tried, and what are you concentrating on most these days?
Ella Berglund Well obviously I am now concentrating on my studies, which are about Fashion and Clothing design, but I've also started to push things fore ward with all the drawing that I'm doing. I want to graduate soon, and then maybe try to get in to study graphic designing, or maybe try to "do it on my own".
Through my studies I have tried a lot of things I like: filming, photographing, carving stone, paint, all different stuff, but the drawing has always been the number one for me. Back in the days I almost started as an apprentice at a tattoo shop, so maybe that will be something I will start up with again, I really don't know. It would be great to mix all these things together, but I guess that will be quite impossible.
 |
| College project, 2012 |
Print Cabal
It sounds like there's a lot of different routes you could take with your work alright - is Helsinki the kind of city that encourages that kind of diversity and experimentation? Do you find it easy to find collaborators?
Ella Berglund
In Finland, I would not live anywhere else then here. Just because here are the best gigs.
In Helsinki it is quite easy to "be doing stuff", even though you often have to do some kind of effort to make it actually work. There are really talented people here. That can be a bit scary, but at the same time really encouraging. It is nice to know you are amongst some gifted people, and because Helsinki is a quite small city, it's a huge chance that a few of them are your friends.
I'm pretty new at trying to find collaborators. The way I've done it is just by talking to the bands after the gigs, by meeting new people, making new friends and by not being afraid to really push it.
Print Cabal
So it sounds like music and art are pretty strongly connected for you - and there definitely seems to be doom, thrash, black and death metal influences in a lot of your work. Are there music-related artists that you follow or admire? And is there a special interest for you in doing that kind of work?
Ella Berglund
There are definitely a special interest for that kind of work. Music is a big deal in my life, and because I can't play an instrument, and I sure as hell can't sing, so I guess drawing anything music related is my way of contributing to that scene. And there are times when I draw and think about "is this suitable for a poster? or a shirt design? or a back patch", because those things are my favorite things to do and to look at.
 |
| six six six |
Print Cabal
Your design for the Cabalista t-shirts, 'Den Onda', seems to follow that line - it borrows themes common to music, and metal in particular, without being crudely 'rock&roll'. Where did the inspiration this design come from?
Ella Berglund
Lately I've been drawing much with ink, so I guess the inspiration partly was about "mastering" that tool as well as possible, and then to work with these hand-drawn images on the computer, and by that get the right vibe in the design. The other part is mainly, and always, the music I listen too.
 |
| Den Onda (The Evil One) - 2012 |
Ella's design, Den Onda, has been printed as limited edition t-shirts for our December Cabalista. The t-shirts will be available to buy from the Print Cabal store from midnight on 8/12/12.
For more information see facebook.com/printcabal
No comments:
Post a Comment