I grew up surrounded by the Nordic forest, and the plants, fungi and insects I saw fascinated me as I wondered through the woods. As I grew older I started illustrating the wildlife I saw, and an idea took form. I wanted to make educational posters.

 
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[Above] I grew up surrounded by the Scandinavian boreal forest and the plants, fungi and insects fascinated me as I wondered through the deep, vast woods. [Left] Map from From Wikimedia Commons [Below] Photo by Kristina Sälgvik

The plants, fungi and insects fascinates me as I wonder through the deep, vast boreal woods. On the map you can see the dark blueish-green taiga biome where I grew up, and makes most of my field studies.
Map from From Wikimedia Commons | Photo by Kristina Sälgvik

The Nordic Poster series

2017 I started working on a poster series depicting the Flora, Fungi and Fauna of North European landscapes. Each poster shows a selection of species from different Nordic habitats, painted and curated by me.

My ambition is to create wall art that will both serve as a decorative element in your home, and as an educational tool towards children and adults. Underneath the art and design, there is a good deal of research and planning behind each poster. The posters depicting specific habitats require a selection of species to be made, preferably a mix of habitat indicator species and more general species well known to the interested layman.

Upon selecting the species representing the Nordic biome I have collaborated with biologist Cecilia Hjelmsten, whose insight and knowledge give scientific depth to the otherwise decorative artworks.

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[Above] Moss studies of Neckera Crispa and Ulota, two species of moss I often encounter on my field studies. [Left] Taking notes and scribbles during a field study in the Scandinavian boreal forest where I live. Photo by Kristina Sälgvik.

Doing field studies in the Fennoscandian boreal forest where I live, in my sketchbook you can see moss studies of Neckera Crispa and Ulota, two species of moss I often encounter in the woods.

Swedish Biologist and Geographic-Information-System Engineer Cecilia Hjelmsten has been an invaluable source of knowledge during this project. She has added professional structure and input to each biome poster, and provided me with lists of species to research, giving the project a scientific foundation.
Photo of Cecilia hiking in the Nordic woods by Rickard Hjelmsten.

Biomes: The habitat posters

 

  • THE OLD BROADLEAVED WOODLAND

    This woodland is characterised by it's trees and it's leaves, the hazel and its nutritious nuts, the majestic oak and beeches that form a cathedral-like roof with their upwards spreading branches.

  • The Old Broadleaved Woodland - Biome

    Deciduous woodlands contain trees with broad leaves such as oak, beech and elm. They occur in places with high rainfall, warm summers and cooler winters and lose their leaves in winter.

    The leaf-littered woodland floor is home for to a diverse ground flora; a buffet for herbivores and fungi that lives off plant matter.

  • The Old Broadleaved Woodland - Location

    Temperate deciduous woodlands are common in the mid-latitudes. Deciduous woodlands contain trees with broad leaves such as oak, beech and elm. They occur in places with high rainfall, warm summers and cooler winters and lose their leaves in winter.

  • THE ANCIENT BOREAL FOREST

    The Boreal Forest -or Taiga- is an important carbon sink, which means they absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases, making them important for our climate.

  • The Ancient Boreal Forest - Biome

    Boreal forests are woodlands full of life adapted to withstand frigid temperatures year-round, swell as animals that migrate long distances every winter. The forests grow in a subarctic climate with very large temperature range between seasons, resulting in a number of species specifically adapted for survival in harsh taiga winters.

  • The Ancient Boreal Forest - Location

    Boreal forests cover vast expanses in Canada, Alaska, Fennoscandia (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Sapmi and Karelia), Northern Japan, and Russia.

  • Wild Roses Posters

    Poster released 2017

  • The Forest Brook

    Poster released 2018

  • The Oakwood Pasture

    Poster released 2019

The fungi posters

 

  • EDIBLE MUSHROOMS No1

    Poster No 1 in the ‘Edible Fungi’ series.
    Swedish name: "Matsvamp I"

    The poster features 9 common edible mushroom species from the Northern Hemisphere.

  • Edible Mushrooms No1 - Species

    FUNGI

    1. Kantarell (Cantharellus cibarius)
    2. Stolt fjällskivling (Macrolepiota procera)
    3. Stensopp (Boletus edulis)
    4. Vårtig röksvamp (Lycoperdon perlatum)
    5. Scharlakansvaxskivling (Hygrocybe punicea)
    6. Blodriska (Lactarius deterrimus)
    7. Svart trumpetsvamp (Craterellus cornucopioides)
    8. Blek ostronmussling (Pleurotus pulmonarius)
    9. Trattkantarell (Craterellus tubaeformis)

  • EDIBLE MUSHROOMS No2

    Poster No 2 in the ‘Edible Fungi’ series.
    Swedish name: "Matsvamp II"

    The poster features 9 common edible mushroom species from the Northern Hemisphere.

  • Edible Mushrooms No2- Species

    1. Citrongul slemskivling (Gomphidius glutinosus)
    2. Ängschampinjon (Agaricus campestris)
    3. Goliatmusseron (Tricholoma matsutake)
    4. Toppmurkla (Morchella conica)
    5. Svavelticka (Laetiporus sulphureus)
    6. Vinterskivling (Flammulina velutipes)
    7. Blek kantarell (Cantharellus pallens)
    8. Sommartryffel (Tuber aestivum)
    9. Pepparriska (Lactarius rufus)

  • PECULIAR MUSHROOMS No1

    Poster No 1 in the ‘Peculiar Mushrooms’ series.
    Swedish name: “Spännande Svamp”

    This poster covers 9 mushroom species that all somehow have a peculiar feature to their look, may it be their shape, texture or colour.

  • Peculiar Mushrooms No1 - Species

    1. Fläckkantarell (Cantharellula umbonata)
    2. Fjällig bläcksvamp (Coprinus comatus)
    3. Röd flugsvamp (Amanita muscaria)
    4. Svart hattmurkla (Helvella lacunosa)
    5. Vit hattmurkla (Helvella crispa)
    6. Ametistskivling (Laccaria amethystina)
    7. Blodsopp (Boletus erythropus)
    8. Violgubbe (Gomphus clavatus)
    9. Sillkremla (Russula xerampelina)

  • PECULIAR MUSHROOMS No2

    Poster No 1 in the ‘Peculiar Mushrooms’ series.
    Swedish name: “Spännande Svamp”

    This poster covers 9 mushroom species that all somehow have a peculiar feature to their look, may it be their shape, texture or colour.

  • Peculiar Mushrooms No2 - Species

    1. Rutbläcksvamp (Coprinopsis picacea)
    2. Klyvblad (Schizophyllum commune)
    3. Svartbrun stensopp (Boletus aereus)
    4. Rödsopp (Hortiboletus rubellus)
    5. Grankotteskivling (Strobilurus esculentus)
    6. Stubbläcksvamp (Coprinellus disseminatus)
    7. Gulprickig vaxskivling (Hygrophorus chrysodon)
    8. Blodspindling (Cortinarius sanguineus)
    9. Bockspindling (Cortinarius traganus)
    10. Lövviolspindling (Cortinarius violaceus)
    11. Stubbhorn (Xylaria hypoxylon)

The smaller posters

 

  • DEADLY MUSHROOMS

    Foragers benefit greatly from knowing which fungi not to pick while out foraging. 2019 I finished the poster ‘Deadly Mushrooms’ showcasing the 12 deadliest European mushroom species.

  • NORTHERN BERRIES

    Some of the most common European and North American berry species that can be found in the wild.

  • Svart Trumpetsvamp

    — Painted 2019 with watercolour, ink and acrylics.

  • Röd Flugsvamp

    — Painted 2019 with watercolour, ink and acrylics.

  • Blandade Stensoppar

    — Painted 2019 with watercolour, ink and acrylics.

  • Kantareller

    — Painted 2019 with watercolour, ink and acrylics.

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