Why did you want to illustrate?

Stina Persson: “I have always been drawing. Me and my two friends Maja and Magda draw all the time. Year after year. Maja become an illustrator as well and Magda a fashion designer. But as a kid I thought everyone drew. That was all I knew. I grew up in a university town and the entire city revolved around that, but I felt the urge to see more of the world. Even if I always thought I would come back and work in academics sooner or later. It never happened and I just kept illustrating.”

Can you give us a little feel of your Stockholm (work)days?

Stina Persson: “I live there with my three sons, husband and cat. Our apartment is in the middle of the city, but still with green all around us. I see both deer and foxes and our cat lives among them. My studio is a five minute bike ride away, in a neighborhood full of thrifts stores and cafés.”

And workdays?

Stina Persson: “Every day  I bike to work and get to my studio around eight, I check emails and then go across the street for a coffee. I try to get as much done in the beginning of the day as I have found that the best medicine against procrastination. I go to the gym during lunch and then work until five or six. Then I go home to be with my family. Every once in a while I stay in town when the family goes away. Then I work day and night, losing track of time, just listening to podcasts and drawing. This is both energizing and draining. This is how I always worked pre-kids, and being able completely immerse myself in my work every once in a while is amazing but wouldn’t want to do so more often. Life is more balanced now.”

Can you tell a little bit about how you work?

Stina Persson: “Mostly I do commissioned projects for clients, but lately I do more work just for me that I later sell. Either at solo shows or pop up shops in my studio. I sell prints in my web shop too. I love how the illustration business is merging and evolving!”

You have a recognizable style, how did you find it?

Stina Persson: “I do what comes natural to me. The way I solve illustration problems comes from within. I also tend to focus on stuff that I find tricky. Like faces, I thought they were the hardest thing, so I practiced until I could do it effortlessly, or at least make it feel effortless…”

Why do you find it important to contribute to a better world with your work?

Stina Persson: “I have a voice which I use as much as I can, when I vote, when I raise my kids, when I talk to friends or on Instagram. I worry as I see that opinions that were once very common now seem to trigger people. Every time I write something political for example about feminism or anti fascism I do receive a lot of negative email and lose a lot of followers. But I think we need to make our voices heard so that we don’t feel as alone in our worries.”

We are very happy you said yes to making a design for our Face This T-shirt!

Stina Persson: “I knew about Face This already, and one of my best friends is moving to Indonesia so it just felt right. I wish I could do more work helping people. And if I can help with drawings I just feel very lucky. To work with a drawing from a child in Indonesia was very different but a good challenge.”