Stina Persson

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a). Stina Persson’s for Vogue                b). Stina Persson’s for Target

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c). Tina Berning - http://cdn0.lostateminor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/tina_berning.jpg

Stina Persson – Influences, Symbolism and Technique. Eliza Boyd.

Stina Persson is a mixed media illustrator based in Stockholm, Sweden who is highly regarded within the fashion Industry. Persson’s clients include Editorial work for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle UK Marie Claire, and Nylon. Persson has also done corporate work for clients such as Coca Cola, Absolut Vodka, Sony Music, Macy’s Department Store, Bloomingdale’s, Volvo Japan, DKNY,  and Target. Her influences come from anything around her such as flea markets and garage sales, to foreign supermarkets and 50’s, 60’s and 70’s movies. Symbolism within the majority of Persson’s artwork derives from the basis of ‘hidden beauty’ and nature. Stina Persson is well known for using inks, watercolour and collaging to create an aesthetically pleasing artwork.  

Persson’s projects her influences through the use of mixed media, such as watercolours, ink, and collaging, to create a pleasing aesthetic. Persson looks at other artists to influence her style; some of these include Sarah Signh, Tina Berning (image c.), Ceceilia Carlstedt, Maija Isola and early illustrations by Andy Warhol. Persson is particularly influenced by the world around her, and noticing the things that usually go unknown to create beautiful artworks; such as garage sales, foreign supermarkets, flea markets, her children’s imagination, organic shapes, kitchen utensils, anything Hitchcock, the countryside, the Italian language, good food and red wine. Fashion is a large influence on her work also, as she is primarily a fashion illustrator, mostly collaging, and painting models from fashion shoots. Persson is recognized

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d.) Watercolour Elephant, Stina Persson.

within the fashion industry highly for capturing the beauty of the models in an original and inspiring way.

The symbolism within Stina Persson’s artwork is quite inspicuous in it’s symbolism and meaning. Focusing on her watercolour artworks, you can see she has used different animals, plants, women, and colours. Interviews with Stina Persson, reveal that her overall idea is to create beautiful pieces with a rough edge; hidden beauty. The use of nature within Persson’s artworks can be broken down into different meanings, such as the butterflies, which are thought to be a symbolism of new life. The majority of her artworks are focused on women, which are historically and still today, recognized as a symbol of beauty.

Stina Persson created a watercolour artwork of an elephant (d.), which is recognized as a spirit of self-sacrifice to Buddhists. It is believed Buddha had taken the form of an elephant within his previous life and sacrificed himself for social welfare, “It is better to live alone, there is no companionship with a fool. Let a man walk alone with few wishes like an elephant in the forest. Let him commit no sin”. Elephants are a symbol of success, good living and prosperity in India.  The use of grey and blue hues could suggest a calming feeling within the artwork.

e.) Watercolour portrait, Stina Persson[pic 5]

The next watercolour piece by Persson (image e.) is a watercolour portrait of a woman surrounded by what appears to be flowers. Persson uses a lot of flowers to compliment her artworks. Flowers are a universal language to symbolize health and wellbeing, growth, perfection, and purity. Her use of women in her artwork is what defines her art as fashion, focusing on the beauty of the female face and form. The colours within the watercolour artwork are mostly purple hues with a touch of orange. Purple is historically a symbol that represents wealth and royalty, and still today holds some of that symbolism within it. Purple gives a feeling of power. The contrast of orange creates a feeling of calming and warmth to the artwork.

The shapes within Persson’s artworks are quite organic and smooth, yet the blending of the colours adds a touch of roughness to the artwork. This may be to symbolize the hidden beauty, which she tries to convey within her work.  The symbolism within any artwork is always vague to the eye of the beholder, as questioning the meaning and concept is what makes art effective and interesting.

Stina Persson is a mixed media artist, focusing on use of watercolours, inks, collaging with paper, and computer programs to manipulate her work. Focusing on her use of water colour, she is said to trace out her artwork in a light pencil, then wet the high quality paper before dropping in the watercolour paints and letting them merge together which is a signature look within her artworks. Persson knows the right balance of colour, therefore making her