You are an artist and work a lot with children. What is that like?
I am a politically motivated artist. I see art as a tool for actively engaging with life, with each other, and with the non-human world. I have two different and complementary ways of working: one is drawing and painting on two-dimensional materials. This is quiet research work in my studio, helping me to understand myself in the context of life. It is a silent form of mapping.When I work with children, it is within the framework of the non-profit organization I founded, Ephra. Here, my team and I aim to connect children with their own inner maps. I want to remind them of their inner wisdom and inspire and empower them through encounters with artists, encouraging them to actively shape their individual and collective futures.In our workshop formats for children, we create spaces where connection and wonder, togetherness and care can be experienced – things that are far too rare in everyday (school) life.

What kind of art do you do?
All kinds of maps inspire me – I’m a very visual thinker. I love finding good forms and structures for what makes up life and togetherness. My pictures function like systemic constellations – only they are poetic and not applied. They are spaces of possibility that allow us to understand the “system of life” in larger (or smaller) areas of reference. With my paintings, I create maps of inner landscapes. The aim is to make them readable and thus negotiable and experiential.

Why do you do so many projects with children?
Before the birth of my first child, performance, installation, and visual art were my main means of expression. As a mother, something shifted: the elitist nature of the art world made me doubt whether I wanted to focus my entire professional life on a successful career in the art market. I felt that this alone would not bring me fulfillment or truly reflect me and my value system. On the other hand, my belief in the power of art as the foundation of our democratic society shapes and sustains me, absolutely. At the same time, I have always been convinced that children have access to a certain knowledge that adults often lose along the way. And this access is fundamental to a healthy society. By taking childhood seriously and adulthood a little less seriously, I believe we can develop with surprising lightness and joy toward a society of care and healing, of connectedness and resilience.

Can I make art even if I’m not very good at painting?
Of course. Or maybe I should ask you back: What does making art mean to you? What should good art be able to do? When does something you see touch you? I also teach painting classes for adults (which bring me so much joy), and the general assumptions of what painting well means, are often an obstacle for real engagement. Many of those assumptions are invalid. The quality of a good picture often depends on much more subtle components than is generally assumed. It’s super exciting to see what happens when we engage in the process and get closer to the truth of a story. A painting is usually smarter than us, and art begins when we learn to listen to them and express ourselves in dialogue with them.

How can you help children understand art?
You first understand the children. Ephra is about creating spaces where children feel seen, where they are allowed to be themselves, and where we, the adults, listen to them. Sometimes it takes imagination and unusual formats to spark curiosity. Surprising insights might be great, or almost anything that doesn’t feel like school… maybe it’s even possible to meet the artist, ask them questions? It’s important to explore the specific work of art and one’s personal relation with it. “What does this have to do with me?” is a good question. As soon as children realize that art has something to do with them, they engage– with affection, resistance, questions, and/or insights. At Ephra, it’s not about education, but about relationships. It is about creating spaces for care and connection. Because art is always an invitation to connect with oneself and the world.