This Swedish footballer is invading the world of art

30 April, 2021

Clara Markstedt is a calm artist who likes to capture the abstract reality. She traces her lines in Swedish women’s football, but also with her brush on canvases.

It is not just on the pitch that she paints. She also paints on canvases which have been shown at several exhibitions – in Piteå, in Stockholm and Copenhagen.

I have been drawing and painting since I was little. I have had my own company for four years, she says

Having taken a bachelor’s degree in economics, she is now studying to become a computer engineer. Unlike most of her colleagues in men’s Swedish football, she does not have coffee or play video games on the days when there is no training or matches

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My art is semi-abstract. It should not be completely true to life. The faces and especially the eyes are often very realistic, and it can become more abstract in the background.

Painting is my passion

It is dangerous. I forget to eat and drink sometimes when I paint for a long time, she says.

Sometimes I have friends over when I paint. Then they watch a TV series that is on for me in the background. The goal is not to have painting as a job after my career. Then you must be really good to be able to support yourself. The pressure to just have the painting would take away the charm with it, she says.

Did you have art talents while growing up? 

Yes, I believe I had an art talent when growing up. I have a strong memory of my first-grade teacher complimenting me on one of my drawings, showing it off in front of my classmates. Shortly after I started to draw self-portraits from my mirror reflection and realised I loved drawing faces, especially eyes. 

How did you become interested in art?

My interest in art started from an early age. My sister, who is 2 years older, was excellent at drawing and inspired me to become good as well. I always brought my drawing equipment anywhere I went, mostly drawing my friends and relatives.

Tell us a little about your life as a football player ...

I was highly active as a child. When I was six years old, the age group above me had a football tournament in school and it was mandatory to have two girls on the field. They did not have enough girls in that age group who were interested in playing so I was asked to join them, which I did. I remember having no technical talent, but I was fearless on the field, running into the boys and never giving up. The first goal I scored was when tripping on the ball. At age nine, my dad called a football club to see if I could join them. They had a team in the age group above and let me in the team. I was never a talent, but I knew how to work hard. I loved the team environment, travelling to different tournaments and experiencing that family feeling you get when you are part of a team

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I have now been playing professionally in Sweden for 11 years, standing for four different clubs. I feel very privileged to be able to continue playing on the highest level, and I love what I do. 

Is there an artist in the family? 

My grandfather on my dad’s side was an artist. He painted horses and was brilliant at it. I never met him, but I have the art in my blood from him. 

How do you get inspired for your art? 

I get inspired from people around me. I take photos of friends and family and paint their portraits. I also get inspired from other artists and their style of painting. I want to bring out a realistic feeling but leave space for imagination, making my paintings a mix between realism and abstract. I have the technique to paint very realistic portraits, so my biggest challenge is to be playful with my painting technique, leaving space for the viewer’s imagination. 

What techniques do you use? 

I use oil colours, mixing brushes and painting knifes. I want different structures in my paintings

Does it feel more naked to show off your paintings than to go out on the football field with the audience facing you? 

I would say that I feel more vulnerable showing my paintings than playing football in front of a big audience. Football is a team effort, and of course I always want to perform my best, but showing off something you have created on your own is more naked to me. Art is fluent and what is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder. 

What does the creation process itself look like? 

I put together the frames and stretch on the canvas myself, so I can choose the material and size that I like. I always start with a rougher sketch in charcoal and wipe it off with a sponge, so the charcoal does not mix with the oil. I start painting the eyes and paint from there and out. The further away from the eyes, the more abstract techniques I use. I usually paint in multiple layers and I always have to leave the painting, watching it for days, before I decide what I want to change or bring to it. 

Do you have any art education? 

I have only taken art classes in school, up to when I graduated high school. After that, I taught myself by trying different techniques and mediums. I have worked closely with other artists, who gave advice on what is important to think about when it comes to mediums and the sustainability of my artwork. 

What do you want to express with your art? 

I want my paintings to be the exclamation mark in a room. I want my art to invoke a feeling for the viewer, no matter what that might be. 

What criticism have you been prepared for? 

Years back I was painting with acrylic paint. When showing my paintings in an art show in Copenhagen, one suggestion was that I should paint in oil, and I have done so ever since. I can take criticism well and I appreciate people being honest. I love developing my painting style and techniques. 

What does your future hold for you as an artist? 

I am studying computer engineering full time while playing professional football, leaving limited time for making art. My hope for the future is to be able to spend more time on my paintings, having my own art studio and having my paintings shown in more art exhibitions.



Instagram: claramarkstedt.artist