A piece of art is never truly finished until it finds its home. Two years ago, I sat in my studio and let the charcoal dust settle into a drawing that felt like a pure expression of my creativity. But last year, that picture began its true journey. It traveled north, across borders, to the rugged beauty of Northern Sweden.
I gave the piece to my best friend and soulbrother, Victor. There is something uniquely powerful about giving a handmade creation to someone who truly understands your spirit.In the ‘Arts and Crafts’ world, we often talk about the how—the charcoal strokes, the blending, the fixative. But we rarely talk about the where. Today, that drawing no longer sits in a dark portfolio in my workshop. It hangs in Victor’s living room in Northern Sweden, surrounded by a landscape that matches the raw, honest energy of the charcoal itself.
Seeing a photo of it in his home is a reminder of why we create. We don’t just make things to practice a skill; we make them to build bridges between people and places.Just like the ‘just because’ cover I made for Jana, this gift to Victor wasn’t about a calendar date. It was about recognizing a connection. Charcoal is a medium made of fire and wood—elements that feel right at home in a house in the North. Knowing that my creative energy is part of his daily environment is the greatest ‘gallery’ I could ever hope for.
The subject of the drawing is simple but weighted with meaning: a hand, gripped firmly around the handle of a carving axe.
In the world of Bushcraft, an axe is more than just a tool—it is an extension of the person wielding it. It represents the ability to shape your world, to build, and to survive. For Victor and me, this motive is the ultimate symbol of our connection. He is a man of incredible craftsmanship, someone who understands the weight of a tool and the silence of the woods.
As that drawing hangs in his home in Northern Sweden, I like to think it mirrors the life he lives there. It’s a tribute to the work of the hands and the spirit of the outdoors that we both share. It’s a reminder that whether we are working with leather, charcoal, or wood, we are all just trying to carve out something meaningful.
