Artist Interview - Karin Hammarsten (Pt.1)
SO… Aye, Aye Karin! Why magical mermaids and plucky pirates for your FLICK deck?
- I suppose the main reason is I love the ocean! I've always lived pretty close to the coast, and I have a passionate interest in sea life (particularly cetaceans). I've also been a huge fan of fantasy for as long as I can remember, so mermaids are basically the intersection of two of my favourite things! I think pirates are so much fun as well, and they're a great complement to mermaids.
Do you believe in mermaids?
- I do love folklore and mythical creatures, but at the end of the day, I'm very much a sceptic about most things supernatural! I love mermaids in fiction, though.
Name your best-loved pirate?
- If I'm allowed fictional pirates my favourite is probably James Flint, as Black Sails is one of my absolute favourite TV shows. In terms of real-life historical pirates, I think Anne Bonny and Mary Read are very interesting!
Who or what inspired you to become an artist?
- A wide variety of things, of course, but some of the things I remember particularly sticking with me are animated movies and the illustrations in children's books. I've been told I regularly stopped my mother from turning the pages in books she was reading to me because I wanted to inspect the illustrations to see how they were made! I've also always admired the Swedish illustrator Alvaro Tapia, who did some spectacularly beautiful cover illustrations for several different book series I read as a child. I think his art was one of the main things that made me specifically want to be an illustrator, not just an artist.
Who is your biggest fan?
- Probably my mother! She's always showing off my art to her friends and co-workers and talking about how I've always wanted to be an artist.
Your swashbuckling deck celebrates Pride month - how do you celebrate?
I live near Stockholm, and Stockholm Pride is held later in the summer, so if I participate in the parade (which I sometimes do) it's not during Pride month. I like to celebrate more casually by watching some of my favourite LGBTQ movies and listening to music by LGBTQ artists like Mika and Janelle Monáe.
From your own deck, can you pick your favourite suit and tell us why?
- Well, I'm biased, so I would probably have to say hearts! A diverse and genuine representation of lesbians is something I'm personally very passionate about, and I loved getting to create characters who reflect that.
How important is representation in art?
- I think it's vitally important, and diversity behind the scenes in the creative team is crucial as well. Everyone deserves to feel seen, and I think learning more about the perspectives of people who are different from you is an important tool in working towards a harmonious coexistence.
Your pronouns ey/em might be unfamiliar to some readers, please can you tell us more!
- I was very unsure about my pronouns for a long time! Being referred to by she/her pronouns has never caused me distress as such, but as I've gotten older it's increasingly felt odd and disconnected from my understanding of myself as if people kept calling me by the wrong name. I didn't feel particularly drawn to they/them either, and ey/em is what I eventually settled on. For the life of me, I can't explain why just taking the th off the beginning of the word makes a difference, but it does! I know neopronouns may seem strange to some people, but at the end of the day, I think everyone should have the right to be spoken about in a way that makes them feel comfortable, even if unfamiliar words may take some getting used to
Do you feel there is enough support for the LGBTQ community? How can we do better?
- Obviously, this is a very complex question and the answer will be different depending on all kinds of factors, but right now I think the most important thing to do is show support for trans people and fight against discriminatory policies and attempts to isolate them. There's so much very public hatred and misinformation, especially with regard to trans women, and it's incredibly important to combat that.
What is next for your art?
- One thing I know for sure is I want to keep telling stories! Whatever I do going forward I will always have a strong focus on visual narrative. That’s what drew me to illustration in the first place! I hope I get to keep creating art that is fun, expressive, and colourful.
