Good times in Scandinavia

In which I went to Stockholm and Copenhagen and it was inspiring

I feel a big connection to Scandinavia these days. Most of this is due to my guest teaching in Viborg, Denmark. So it was with glee that this past weekend I went to Sweden (whose southern fields were filled with yellow flowers) to attend the Stockholm Comics Festival where I was a special guest and it was pretty excellent. I hit the ground running on Friday, because travel is such a good chance to stuff ones eyeballs with cool things, and headed to the Moderna Museet to see the exhibit on Laurie Anderson. I love the way that Anderson throws herself fully into art life and it makes me want to do that even more. You know, make projects that are ephemeral and considered and fleeting. Projects that are analog and of the moment feel really right in this weird time where the technological threatens our creative voices. (Stay away from our art jobs, AI!) And yet, I think there is an interesting merge that can be done with technology. To that point I also went to the David Bowie by Sukita photo exhibit. We all know that Bowie is another visceral inspiring artist who did the art thing organically and with experimentation. Hurrah!

Anyway, the point of expanding beyond our normal borders is to meet other creators, do cultural exchanges and be inspired. Which is exactly what happened to me. While tabling I was so happy that many folks already knew of my work but was glad to meet some who were discovering me and my work for the first time. A lot of folks picked up the PLAIN JANES because they love Jim Rugg (who doesn’t?) and his show Cartoon Kayfabe and heard of the book through there. At the opening night soiree I met two awesome creators Mariah Frohlich and Karl Johnsson and just thought their vibe and art was so cool so you should know about them, too. I also met a very nice collective of artists from Malmo and maybe even came up with one of those ephemeral projects that I could do while in conversation with them. Stay tuned for that if I do it!

Anders, Freddie and Anton from the Hogs av Serier podcast (who organized to bring me out for the festival, thank you!) interviewed me for my spotlight panel at the festival. During that, this crazy cool artist Jenny Soep did a live drawing of it. She is known for doing that at lectures, rock shows and orchestras and I just loved it so much that I bought one of the drawings. I am grateful to Linda and Ola with the Serieteket Library in the Kulturhuset where the the festival took place for taking such good care of me and wow I wish we had culture houses like that in the USA.

Then it was off to Copenhagen, Denmark. Traveling is wild these days. For example, on the way the train just stopped and didn’t finish its journey. Trapped was I in Malmo! Until this kind of fierce take charge lady pointed at me and two other women and declared that we were hailing a taxi to cross to Denmark and we continued our journey laughing through a hail storm over a long bridge. Good to remember when traveling that one must go with the flow!

Once in Copenhagen, I hung out with a pal R (an astrophysicist) and his gal and they took me to visit the graves of Physicist Niels Bohr, Hans Christian Andersen and Soren Kierkegaard. I also finally went to the Tivoli which had been on my travel bucketlist. It’s the amusement park that inspired Walt to make Disneyland. Look at the boobs on that mermaid on the Hans Christian Andersen ride! They’d never have that at over in the US. But that ride was was awesome and creepy and cool just like a fairy tale should be.

As a solo traveller, I like to do things at night, but it’s weird sometimes as a gal, so to do something active and interesting I’ve become a bit of a foodie when I’m on my wanders. So if you are looking for great eats in those two towns, I can highly suggest two very delicious restaurants: Babette in Stockholm and Spuntino in Copenhagen.

I can’t wait to follow through with the new art ideas that bloomed. My heart is full of ideas from the wonderful conversations I had on the Scandinavian leg of this overseas trip. I hope to connect with those new cool folks I met again someday and who knows! Maybe make art with them.

I’m off to the UK now, where more adventures await. I hope that you connected this past week with someone or something cool that inspired you.

And if you are on the picket lines and on strike with the WGA. I support you and am sending you extra wind beneath your wings.

Love, Cecil

PS. I have an online "table" over at Ko-fi if you want books, or other swag.