We spoke to Danelle Bergstrom in her Chippendale studio before she flew to Göteborg for a Konstepidemin residency, on offer to 20 international artists annually, spending the summer on one of the Åland Islands in Finland.
Danelle Bergstrom composes and riffs in paint. As they coalesce, the earth, air and water enrich the visual vocabulary of her story. In the presence of her large and outstretched works you get a sense of the reciprocity between the artist and her subject. By mixing a palette of memory, emotion, sketches, music and library of art books Bergstrom sensitively presents portraits and the landscapes of Hill End, Darwin, Ireland and, increasingly, Sweden. Though classically trained, she follows her intuition, because for Bergstrom the ultimate goal is to rewind a formal art education and to lead with heart and soul. At home, she exhibits with Arthouse and is an Archibald finalist many times over. Bergstrom's painting of Guy Warren is hung in the popular Art Gallery of NSW prize now and is resonant for pairing two artists deeply connected to land.
