I am an aspiring artist and tinker and build whatever I can get away with in the workshop; I also paint a lot. As many personal projects as possible, supplemented of course with the invoiced—but still mainly creative—work necessary to pay my bills.

Yours truly. Photo by Brian Engblad, oddhunt.com.

In addition to my tangible work, I regularly blog about artmaking, sustainability and green transition.

The world is changing, and regardless, we need to invent new and more sustainable ways to live our lives and prioritize our resources 💚🌍

I'm located in Hvide Sande on the Danish North Sea Coast where I live with Mette and our daughters Alva and Vilja on Æ Tysk'havn (German Harbor). This is also where I have my workshop and studio, just 2 minutes' walk from home.

Detail from the studio. Photo by Brian Engblad, oddhunt.com.

As self-taught, I've paid my tuition

In my younger years I was a school example of what I have since come to know as privatized Keynesianism: As a young, hopeful student, I got into debt at rocket speed, and when I write critically about money and the economy it is founded on a large number of expensive first-hand experiences.

Failing on your own can be both a hard and relentless exercise, which in return (like all adversity) ultimately makes you stronger.

Another important part of my formative education I got on the floor in the restaurant industry: the place where you dump the junk that doesn't fit into any of the other, usual categories.

I got my first VAT number in 2001, and later I ran KABELPARK® in Hvide Sande for 13 years. If anything, the ownership of Denmark's first cable-driven wakeboard cable taught me that what is cool and feels right is not necessarily good business.

One man's trash . . . Photo by Brian Engblad, oddhunt.com.

I now let my urge to create rule

I've always dabbled more than good is, without necessarily finishing the bulk of my projects. Guess we all have our little flaws—

However in the recent years something noticeable has happened: After long detours, and several u-turns at the end of blind alleys, I now embrace my urge to create as a cardinal virtue rather than a character flaw.

Suddenly it's okay to spend long days in the workshop, even on something that has no immediate commercial value. It's okay to let the process take its course, and pursue some of the ideas that invariably always arise along the way. Okay to follow my heart, my gut, and invest my time instead of just spending it.

Full concentration. Photo by Brian Engblad, oddhunt.com.

Hard facts

  • Born:‌‌ November 7th 1974
  • Birthplace:‌‌ Skagen, Denmark
  • Occupation:‌‌ Woodworker, visual artist
  • Read:‌‌ Everything from poetry to heavy economic theory
  • Write:‌‌ Daily—and preferably by hand
  • Run:‌‌ Barefoot
  • Like to:‌‌ Deal with too many things at once, without having a complete grasp of any of them
  • Always brew on:‌‌ Some artwork or just a new story
The good life
Life is so short, and still there is so much we want to do and so much we want to achieve. For inspiration, a set of guidelines I use every day myself as tools to maintain direction and focus.
christianestrup.comChristian Estrup