ART - HIGHLY SENSITIVE CATS
Elin Jonsson works as a video-game producer by day and has painted in her private time for several years. For the past 12 months, she has been delving into a new theme, HSP, or highly sensitive persons. Works exploring that subject will be displayed in the separate studio behind the small home Jonsson shares with her husband, actor Artine Browne. Jonsson includes herself among the 15 to 20 per cent of the population that can be described as HSP, a trait identified in a 1991 book by clinical research psychologist Dr. Elaine Aron.
“These people often are very creative. There are a lot of musicians and artists that have a more sensitive nervous system,” Jonsson explained. “A lot of good stuff comes with this trait but it’s also like having a side of you that takes in everything, so you’re also overwhelmed more easily.”
Jonsson has filled a stack of sketchbooks to express aspects of HSP using cartoon-like cat figures, which she has digitally coloured before enlarging, printing, and framing. Jonsson said she hopes eventually to add text and create a book with these series of works.
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ART - ETHEREAL WOMEN
Elin began her career as an illustrator for the largest bohemian music festival in Sweden called Peace & Love. Her personal love for “circus flavoured French whimsy” became the identity of the festival and was seen across Sweden. Moving to Canada Elin created Afterland, a card game, celebrated for its Tim Burtonesque art style and a darker art style took form. Elin left the world of Afterland.
Her work became lighter and more ethereal, draws inspiration from Swedish folklore and are painted directly onto wood panels.
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HSP - Highly Sensitive Person
A highly sensitive person (HSP) is someone who is thought to have an increased or deeper central nervous system sensitivity to physical, emotional, or social stimuli. Some refer to this as having sensory processing sensitivity, or SPS for short. While highly sensitive people are sometimes negatively described as being “too sensitive," it is a personality trait that brings both strengths and challenges.
HSPs are thought to be more disturbed than others by violence, tension, or feelings of being overwhelmed. They may, as a result, make concerted efforts to avoid situations in which such things are likely to occur. On the more positive end of the trait, high sensitivity is thought to be linked to higher levels of creativity, richer personal relationships, and a greater appreciation for beauty.
ARTSHOWS
Gumboot Cafe, Roberts Creek 2023 (upcoming January)
Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, Roberts Creek 2021
Gumboot Cafe, Roberts Creek 2021
Creative Coworkers, “Accordion Noir - Prefest”, Vancouver 2018
The Fall Gallery, "The Dark - Felt Beautiful", Vancouver 2015
The Fall Gallery, "Dreamscapes", Vancouver 2014
The Fall Gallery, Vancouver 2012
KGB Studios, "Dia de los Muertos", Los Angeles 2012
Peace & Love, Borlänge 2012
