ROSA
In Norse tradition, your Fylgja was your spirit companion – an animal that walked beside you, reflected your true nature, and reminded you of who you really are.
Rosa is mine.
She was chosen for me. She chose me back.
A GIFT OF
COMPANIONSHIP
Rosa came to me as a Christmas gift from my older brother.
His dog – a husky who looked like a wolf – had puppies. Among the litter, he saw one with a quiet, steady presence. A calm observer. A gentle soul with wolf-mother wildness and loyal-father devotion running through her veins.
This is us meeting for the first time. She was so small I could hold her in my arms. She looked up at me with those wolf-mother eyes, and something in me settled.
He knew I needed a følgesvend – a companion who would walk beside me, ground me, remind me to return to the forest when I got too lost in my head.
He chose Rosa for me.
I didn't know then that she'd become my Fylgja. My studio companion. The one who would walk every forest path beside me and remind me daily that presence is everything.
But I think she knew.
She's been teaching me ever since.
NAMED FOR
COURAGE
Rosa Parks was one of the most powerful women in history. And one of my absolute Heroes along with Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.
Rosa Parks chose quiet strength. Dignified resistance. Revolutionary presence.
Her power was in presence and unfathomable courage.
She simply refused to move from where she had every right to be.
When I looked at this beautiful black being with her calm, steady energy – I knew her name.
Rosa.
Because I wanted a Rosa presence to walk alongside me.
For the quiet power that changes everything without needing to prove anything.
For dignity that doesn't require permission.
For the strength it takes to simply be, fully and unapologetically.
Wolf Blood & Loyal Heart
Rosa's mother was a husky who looked like a wolf – wild eyes, primal presence, ancient knowing.
Her father: half Labrador (devoted, gentle, loyal) and half Rottweiler (protective, strong, grounded).
She carries all of it:
- → Wolf-mother wildness that never forgot the forest
- → Labrador devotion that chooses to stay close
- → Rottweiler steadiness that holds space without aggression
She's a mix of everything I paint: wild and domestic, fierce and gentle, powerful and calm.
No wonder she's my Fylgja.
Studio
Supervisor
Rosa has strong opinions about my work.
She'll stare at a painting for minutes – longer than most gallery visitors – but when she finally sprawls across the studio floor and sighs, I know it's done.
Her official responsibilities include:
- → Morning meditation walks through Odsherred's forests
- → Studio floor quality testing (she's identified 47 optimal nap positions)
- → Mandatory break enforcement (forest walks are non-negotiable)
- → Reminder that presence matters more than productivity
She takes every responsibility seriously.
Especially the naps.
BOUND BY
HEART
Rosa is a following spirit. A wild-hearted companion who pulls me out of my head and back into the forest.
A reminder that presence is a practice and joy is a choice.
She's taught me more about Fylgja than any ancient text ever could. Because she IS Fylgja. Living, breathing, napping in the exact wrong spot, demanding forest walks at inconvenient times, reminding me that the work matters less than the walk.
We are bound by heart.
She walks beside me. She reflects my nature back to me. She protects my path – mostly by insisting I actually take breaks and go outside.
Every painting in the Fylgja series carries her energy.
Because she reminds me daily: the bond between human and animal isn't metaphor. It's real. It's ancient. It's alive.
It's the heartbeat we share when we're quiet enough to feel it.
Find Your Fylgja
Rosa helped me understand what these paintings are really about.
Maybe one of them will help you meet yours.
Stay Connected
Get stories from the studio, new paintings, and reminders to walk in the forest more than you think you have time for.
Walk With Us
Daily studio life, morning forest walks, and Rosa's strong opinions on my work.
Come along.