MEET THE ARTIST EVELINA KROON
Evelina Kroon is an artist and creative working in the fields of painting, color design, and scenography. Educated at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, she explores the intersection of art, design, and decorative expression – often with a strong connection to traditionally female craft practices. She works with color and scales, using a method in which the grid becomes her playground.
“Like LAYERED, I also work in layers. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what I do.”
For those who are not familiar with your work. How would you describe yourself?
My name is Evelina Kroon. I’m an artist, and I live and work in Stockholm. I work with color, with scales, and I use a method where the grid becomes a tool.
How was the idea of creating a collection of rya rugs born?
I love rya rugs, for both comfort and aesthetic reasons. I, for one, am longing for a worthy return of the iconic dust collector.
Can you tell us a bit more about the patterns and colour choices?
We’ve worked from analogue originals, earlier works and paintings. I basically choose all the colours first, and then they all need to work well together even if they don’t always intersect or end up in the same design/motif. There’s a lot of “killing your darlings,” which I like. The same goes for the patterns: when you create a collection, you need a pleasant dynamic, and that requires working on everything in parallel.
How would you describe the collection yourself? Its expression and feeling?
Soft, kind, brave — three epithets that are all connected. Designing rya rugs means stepping away from that strict, highly precise mode I’m usually in. This time, they take on a life of their own—new and exciting for me.
What is special for you about designing rugs compared to working in other mediums?
What’s different compared to my other work when I design rugs is the scale and the material. I like that the rug claims space, that it has a function. That you can walk on it, sit on it, maybe even sleep on it—and that it rests on the floor. That it wears over time and tells a story. Like LAYERED, I also work in layers. That’s what it’s all about. That’s what I do.
How do you feel this collection complements your previous one for LAYERED?
There’s an idea of play, that just like the first collection I did for Layered, I imagine jumping over obstacles in my socks. Otherwise, I think it’s something new and stands on its own. The check or checkered pattern is less strict than ever — an important step for me.
