My mother, Marita Sunefors Larsson, is a wonderful artist and I’m so happy to introduce you to her here on the blog and in person during our 2 Generations exhibit on May 3. And when I saw she is a wonderful artist, I mean it in so many ways. 

Whether it was drawing funny chickens or monsters, or planting moss and orchids in our 200 year old silver serving dish, she made art come alive when I was growing up. Our living room looked more like an art gallery with glass statues on white painted wood pillars and silver forks on display in a glass display case compared to any “normal” livingroom. My friends asked if we had just moved in when they saw the art on the floor, leaning against the wall instead of hanging, or when they saw we didn’t have any curtains (remember this is the 80’s and 90’s when most had huge curtains). But no, it was just another interior design phase my Mother was in – something that changed often. We all enjoyed it, and for me, it was very normal and inspiring – why stay the same or do what everyone else does?

My Mother has great sense of style and enjoys fashion too; another creative outlet. I remember playing dress-up in her closet at every chance I got, and she allowed me to put on everything – even the couture items! Wearing her dresses that draped along the floor after me, and walking in her very-high heels did wonders for this little girl while lip-syncing to the latest Celine Dion album in the mirror.

We both have the artistic instincts from my Mother’s Father. He painted watercolors and was very talented with florist work. Every spring he would plant nearly 800 flower bulbs around their big garden and my Mother would help him. My grandparent’s garden was a wonderland growing up, and as children, my mother and I hid under their large rhubarb leaves when playing hide-and-seek and climbing the apple trees –  only several decades apart.

Today she focuses a lot on her paintings and her crafts. 

Nature is definitely an inspiration for both my Mother and I. Her detailed hand-crocheted metallic nets adds interesting shapes to her paintings and is the groundwork for many of her wreaths. She mixes handpicked materials, such as Spanish moss and tree bark, with faux materials, such as metal butterflies and glass balls. Her wreaths are often finished with a bullion wire from Sweden, to add a special touch and design element.

We look forward to seeing you on May 3!