About
Welcome to my Website.
I am an artist and a storyteller, originally from Denmark, where I grew up and went to primary school. I came to California in 1979, a young woman in my twenties, with my husband and young children.
Now a mature woman I like to spend my time on storytelling, whether on canvas or on paper. I am drawn to figures, to characters and to relationships between people.
When my children went to college, I did, too, and studied art at Monterey Peninsula Community College. I transferred to UC Berkeley where I obtained my B.A. in Scandinavian Studies. From there I went to University of Washington and received my M.A. in Scandinavian Languages and Literature. My literary influences of Scandinavia are:
Hans Christian Andersen, Søren Kierkegaard, Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen), Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, J.P. Jacobsen, Amalie Skram, Selma Lagerlöf, Peter Høeg, Tove Ditlevsen, Pia Tafdrup.
Other influences are: Franz Kafka, Willa Cather, Doris Lessing, Toni Morrison, Alice Munro, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Annie Dillard, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carl Jung, and Joseph Campbell.
My artistic influences are:
Edvard Munch, Richard Diebenkorn, Louise Bourgeois, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Egon Schiele, James Ensor, Hung Liu, Frida Kahlo, Alice Neel, Kiki Smith.
I have discovered that I gravitate towards everything Nordic – which is apparent in my art – so I have launched a website on Nordic news, trends and insights, NordicLike.com
Thanks for following.
Thank you for your comment on my blog. It’s good to meet you here. All the best – Joe
You’re welcome. Good to meet you, too. I like the WordPress community.
Smiles, Elizabeth
It’s so nice to meet you Elizabeth, I’m glad you stopped by my blog. I hope you thoroughly enjoy your adventures with your own writing. I only began to write in earnest two years ago and I love it.
Likewise, Jean. Thank you for stopping by. And give support, one writer to the other writer.
Hello Elizabeth. I think you’re the first boomer to contact me on my blog, and it’s a delight to meet you. I’m truly impressed by the fact that you’re Danish. I adore Denmark and if I had the time I’d happily learn the language. Like you, I’m writing, and there never seems to be much time for a great deal else, even though I’m retired. Being a ‘boomer’ is great fun, I agree. There’s still so much to be learned about life, and possibilities to explore. I’ll look forward to reading more of your posts.
Thank you Millie!
I’m glad to meet you on WordPress. Great to know another boomer. Yes, life is full and rich and lovely to be had. I think it is great that you are interested in the Viking era – Denmark and England were very involved in those times.
Have you read the sagas? They represent great storytelling!
I can’t claim to have read all the sagas. Shall we say, I’ve dipped into them frequently during research for my books. I agree, they are fascinating. I don’t know what your writing involves, but I wish you success with it.
Thank you Millie! I love fairytales but am writing contemporary stories about the human condition (which in a way, we all do). I’m writing a novel about a small town (like the one I live in) and the people there. I do have a crime, so I guess my genre is mystery. As you probably know, lots of crime fiction comes out of Scandinavia, so it may be in my blood…HA. This is my first attempt and I was going to write a short story collection, because I love short stories! I may still do that, simultaneously. I have many short stories started…
Then I wish you every success with your short stories as well as your novel. I read a lot of crime novels, although I wouldn’t know where to start in writing one. All the forensics and police procedure to research is a bit daunting. I write historical fiction, which I also love, simply because I love history. A crime novel with a historical setting is extra good!
Anyone who can appreciate both the magical realism of Garcia Marquez and the severe modernism of Ernest Hemingway is a true lover of literature. Consider me a frequent visitor here.
Thank you very much for those words! And thank you for visiting. Smiles, elizabeth
Hello Elizabeth! You have very beautiful and interesting blog! Also I am delighted with your operation! I enjoy reading! Blog really interesting! The Best Regards! 😉
Thank you Vlad. I’m happy you like my blog.
Great intro. Look forward to your posts! 🙂
A few months later: Thank You Mahesh! You have been following me with appreciated dedication. I have been busy painting and doing art, besides writing blogs. 🙂
Hi, Elizabeth! I’ve been looking around your blog. Very nice! I especially loved seeing your flower photography. Gorgeous–especially the peonies (just now blooming where I live)! Thanks so much for the recent follow. I think retirement is a most wondrous adventure. A time to discover who we ‘really’ are! I love the way you blend working on art and writing.
Cheers!
Elouise
Thank you Elouise, for your kind words and for your visit to my blog. So much fun to meet with like-minded people on WordPress 🙂
Hello there! I just wanted to say that you have an incredible blog, and I enjoy reading what you have to say. I also think your writing is insightful, refreshing, and apt!
Thank you so much! Appreciate your comment! Smiles:)
You’re welcome! It was my pleasure!
Hi, Elizabeth! Love the new look!
Thank you! Appreciate your support!
Hi Elizabeth,
Happy belated Birthday dear Elizabeth! My thoughts are with you ……..I wanted to send you a e-mail but your address must have changed?
Please keep me updated, would love to connect with you.
Warmest wishes,
Constanze
Thank you Constanze. My email is the same: elizabethstokkebye@gmail.com and yours?
Thanks for following my blog, Elizabeth 🙂
You’re welcome. Thank you back!
How wonderful to connect with you on Blogland. I enjoyed reading your “About” page with its introduction to your interesting life and experiences