The Faces of Illstorp is a year-long project dedicated to the people who shaped my childhood in the small village of Illstorp, Sweden. I am Swedish-American, and have spent every summer since I was born in Österlen, on the east coast of southern Sweden. Österlen is often referred to as the Swedish Tuscany. It is a haven for artists, entrepreneurs, writers, chefs, and those seeking to connect with nature. It is a place where people from all over Sweden and the world go to replenish their creative spirit.

Twelve years ago we bought a farm in a small village called Illstorp in the northwest corner of Österlen. We had spent the previous five summers at a bed and breakfast owned by our friends Sjaak and Lene, and realized that Illstorp had become home. Spending summers there was an escape from the “real world” . We didn't have wifi until five years ago, so we would spend the month completely off the grid reading, hiking, swimming, and soaking in Swedish summer. Illstorp and its residents played a huge part in my upbringing, and I adore the people that make it the quirky, charming place that it is. My childhood consisted of dinner parties at our friend’s homes, where a huge group of us would eat, socialize, and contemplate the problems of the world. Even as children, my sister and I were treated as adults at these parties. We actively participated in conversations, and were expected to share our opinions on subjects ranging from the current political climate to pop culture. These people helped me understand that my voice was important.

Our neighbors and friends are a gloriously outrageous group of characters, and each of them has shaped who I am today. Illstorp, from the outside, looks like a small traditional Swedish town, and yet it is filled with eccentric and interesting people from around the world. We have always joked that Illstorp is the international hub of Sweden, even though it has a population of about fifty.

This project follows ten different subjects photographed in their homes and gardens. This group of people come from wildly diverse backgrounds: politics, sustainable agriculture, teaching, engineering, theatre, fine art, architecture, and international development. And yet, they are all creative and artistic people whose unique homes are a clear reflection of who they are. Each house is dramatically different, and the unique styles of each subject is shown by their environment. Throughout the story, we are introduced to each character and are given a small glimpse into their lives.

The people of Illstorp are unapologetically themselves and anyone lucky enough to know them cannot help but be inspired by their unencumbered freedom and joy. They have created environments of divine self-expression and bliss that invites others to explore their own creativity.