Art Exhibition: A NORDIC DUO Troll Wood and Fells by Pirjo Jay & Flisan Beard
Schedule
Mon May 04 2026 at 08:30 am to 04:00 pm
UTC+01:00Location
26 St Johns Street, CO2 7HB Colchester, United Kingdom | Colchester, EN
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A NORDIC DUO, Troll Wood and Fells. An exhibition by Pirjo Jay & Flisan Beard4th – 28th May 2026 (Monday to Friday) at the Level Best Gallery, Colchester
About the Artist: Pirjo
Pirjo was born in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, where a childhood immersed in nature (lakes, forests, berry picking, and long summers at a cottage) shaped her creative outlook. She draws inspiration from both the natural world and everyday details, from shifting shadows to repeating patterns in fabric. After studying ceramics in her hometown, Pirjo moved to England in 1984, bringing with her a lifelong connection to clay.
Working primarily with hand-building, Pirjo values the freedom and expressive possibilities the process offers. She has been making pottery for over 40 years, combining her own practice with teaching, including 22 years using pottery as therapy at the Lakes Psychiatric Hospital. Now retired and a member of Colchester Makerspace, she describes her work simply as Pirjo’s pottery - neat, imaginative, and rooted in patience, where every successful firing is something to be proud of.
About the Artist: Flisan
Flisan is a mixed - media artist exploring the intersection of repetitive patterns, material transformation, and psychology. Raised in southern Sweden, her aesthetic is deeply rooted in the imagery of John Bauer, where the wild, untamed natural world is as unforgiving as it is beautiful.
Her current work draws on the folklore of trolls petrifying into stone when touched by sunlight - a myth that serves as a metaphor for her own childhood memories and behavioural patterns. By working with textures reminiscent of her youth, such as moss-covered rocks, silver birch, and pine, Flisan creates a tactile exploration of stasis and change, capturing the moment where the organic meets the psychological.
As a facilitator, Flisan uses mixed media to help individuals of all ages map their own patterns of behaviour. She creates reflective, tactile spaces where the process of making becomes a tool for self-discovery. By translating complex internal states into tangible forms, she guides others to find personal meaning through creative expression.
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Where is it happening?
26 St Johns Street, CO2 7HB Colchester, United Kingdom, 26 St John's Street, Colchester, CO2 7, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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