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Johannes Wessmark step by step on painting portrait on the cover of issue 16, 2022
I grew up in a big family with five siblings and a few dogs and cats. My parents were active and took us children skiing, canoeing, playing, etc. There was always something going on.
I was a happy child, but my personality was more of the kind who preferred peace and quiet—observing without interacting too much.
When I was ten years old, I decided I wanted to clean my own room to make sure it was done the way I liked it. I also sorted all of my toys in straight lines and in color order, and of course, I drew and painted a lot with much more details than other kids my age.
My mother noticed my artistic and creative interest, and one day my little brother and I got to choose one music LP disc each. My brother went straight for a popular rock and roll artist, and I chose Beethoven’s 7th symphony – the Fate Symphony. Not a typical choice for a 10-year-old but typical for me.
That’s how I was and in some way still am. My mother wanted to encourage my artistic vein, and one day she bought me the book “The boy who wanted to paint the world’s most beautiful painting”. Of course, nobody knew then that I would become one of the worlds leading hyperrealist artists, but it was probably a gentle push in the right direction by my mother. My pedantic way of ordering my life is no longer obvious, but you will still see it in my paintings, where detail and perfection are always essential ingredients.
