About
I grew up in a family where art in all forms always played a central role.
As a kid I spent time at moms job as a theatre teacher, helping out behind the scenes and I used to have “painting fridays” with my dad. He got a beer and I got something with a lot of sugar, we listened to rock n’ roll and painted all night. Never with any demands of certain results or progress, but for the fun of it. That’s where I found art.
A few years later, as a loud mouthed punk teen, with absolutely no grades to speak of I had the luck of having a few explosively passionate teachers who, with their own hands got me in to the fine arts program where I never found my medium but very much the way I wanted to make things. A huge turning point in my life. I would still skip math and anything else that didn’t interest me but spent the time in the arts department instead.
I later studied 3 years of industrial design focused on wood materials where I found out that I never want to be part of mass consumption but that I love to work with wood. That lead me down the line to woodcrafts and I got in to the “Träslöjd- och Smide” (Woodcrafts and Blacksmithing) program at Västerbergs Folkhögskola where I studied traditional woodcrafts and ended up with being the second person in Sweden examined with a Journeyman’s certificate in woodcrafts. I spent a few years as an apprentice at a letterpress print museum where I deepened my love for graphics and illustration. And both freelanced and had employment as an illustrator.
In the late summer of 2020 I started up what I first called Claws Creations and went full time with this idea of making wooden art and bespoke furniture. In 2022 I changed pseudonym to Claes Kamp. My original name and idea of furniture and wooden sculpture work felt wrong, too narrow somehow for who I am as a person. I am an artist, a generalist. Photography, illustration and painting needed to be part of it as well. The new name and a larger self-acceptance that I will never be that person who just focuses on a single thing as western society often seems to want made everything fall into place. I do what I do, and if you are along for the ride, I am really fucking happy to have you here!
PS. Free Palestine!
-Claes
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My main focus is to create. May it be traditional art in the form of paintings and sculptures or something else, an illustration, a photo project or a mural painting. The main driving force is an urge to make things come to life and explore creativity.
I sell existing pieces and take on commissions. See pricing and portfolio for more info or send an email with your idea.
I have an education within art, industrial design and a Journeyman’s certificate in traditional wood crafts (sloyd). I have worked both freelance and as an employee as a graphic designer / illustrator, letterpress print maker, woodcraftsman, musician, axe maker - You name it.
Photography was my passion on the side of all this for about 20 years before the inquires of hiring me as a photographer for different projects became so common that I started taking it on as a part of my business.
If you have an idea, I can offer you a mindset to figure it out. And if I don’t know the craft or skills needed I am the kind of person that will spend as much time as I have to, to learn it. Creative challenges is my absolute favourite thing.
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I really want my work to be available to all no matter their income or whatever. I want my art to live in homes and spaces where they will be truly appreciated, that’s important to me. Because of that I don’t have set pricing. Instead I try to set my prices together with you in relation to what works for both of us. It takes trust to work this way, on both sides, but I believe it is an important step that we can do to bring economic equality in the forefront of business.
So if you are interested in a piece or making a commission or whatever, just send a DM on socials or an email to claeskamp@gmail.com and we’ll work it out.