Conversation with Moa.

by moa

V: Can you first tell us a little bit about yourself Moa?
M: I am 40+, mother to two and a dog, married. Educated as both a Visual Merchandiser and a Special Educational Needs Teacher, have been "joggling" back and forth between these two professions. Oslogirl, coffedrinker....who always notice motives around me that needs to be photographed, Nikon is my best friend.

from signmagazine

V: You have, together with Holmberg, created and published a online-magazine: SIGN moa+holmberg. In my eyes a very unique and inspiring magaine, can you share with us some of the thoughts behind this project?
M: Yes, in August we published the first issue of SIGN, our online magazine. The thought behind it was to share our passion with others, who also like us, finds inspiration through photographies, interior, design, poetry and esthetics.
Throughout the magazine we wanted to create a feeling of pureness, beauty, simplicity and calmness. With calmness we mean completely without any strong visual disturbing effects like for example advertises, too many images together and so on... We wanted to make a magazine that people would find soothing and peaceful to sit down with and look through (together with a cup of tea or coffee!)...The headword i guess is simplicity! And not to mention that the expression would be OURS!


V: What are your favourite magazines, both in paperissues and online?
M: The Danish magazine RUM, the Norwegian magazine NYTT ROM and the online magazine EST.


V: How would you describe your own style Moa?
M: Hmmm....my style...it has like everything else changed with time but i notice that i like to sourround myself with more simplicity now than i did before. Simplicity in less colors and i prefer clean straight lines in the furniture/design. I want to sourround myself only with things that means something to me.

by moa

by moa

V: Do you have some easy/simple and cheap/affordable ideas of what to do if one needs some change in the interior of ones home?
M: The only thing that comes to my mind- and that "i live" after- is to: TIDY the rooms...sometimes one gets a completely new room just by taking away things/objects...it can for example be a furniture, some decorating pieces (either give it away to someone else or save it until the wish for putting back again appears). And if one wishes for something special, especially if it is something expensive: SAVE up money! Have some patience and when the day comes when you have saved up enough and can buy that special thing you deeply wished for it gets a very special meaning for you...


V: What inspires you?
M: Maybe it sounds like a clichè but i find beauty and inspiration in so many places....not only on distant travels around in the world but also in magazines or at blogs. It can also be the simplest little thing like the shape of a stone, a little dog, a conversation with someone, the color on a door...(the list is long). And that thing is different- and also by beeing surprised!


V: What means the word creativity to you?
M: To be creative for me means- to BE! To be present! To be in movement! And to have a lot of curiosity!!


V: If you were supposed to learn something new what would that be?
M: I always find it fun and interesting to learn something new and i would love to learn Spanish...i think it is such a beautiful language. So one day i will do that!


V: I know that you like to read. Do you remember the first book that made a deep impression on you and why it did?
M: Yes i read a lot of books. I have always enjoyed reading and the first book that made a deep impression on me was the book "Jonas" by the norwegian author Jens Bjørneboe. It is about a boy, Jonas, who doesn't fit into the A-4/typical school system in Norway....and because of that he gets "labeled" and "given up". Luckely he meets a person that has faith and believe in him, one that sees his resources and potential. He starts at a Steiner school (an alternative-pedagogy-school that is to be found in several countries). This book gave me inspiration to start taking my education in the area of pedagogics in my younger days..

from signmagazine

from signmagazine

from signmagazine

V: How would you describe a typical day in your life?
M: My "own day" starts after the house is emptied for children that has to go to school and my husband has headed for work- my routine with a coffee cup....or three...checking my e-mails, news on the computer....after breakfast i walk a little trip with my little four legged friend, Felix, a russel terrier dog...and the day kind of just heads on.

V: You and your family likes traveling. Do you have a favourite city or country?
M: I like traveling, my whole family likes it and we are often visiting new countries and places....we are lucky having visited several corners of the world. Here i think my curiosity playes a big role...to see how other people live, what they eat, to experience different cultures and ways of living means a lot to me.
To be inspired, to get new ideas.
If i have to choose one spesific place it must be New-York, this city has for me "everything" a heart can desire.....the word AMAZING describes this city!! It is something with the energy that this enormous city holds....the people are very friendly, helpfull and extrovert...the architecture is overwhelming....lots of different places to visit. The different parts of the city has it's own character. Hyde park- a fairytale....lots of interesting shops, galleries, restaurants and cafès. Right now we are saving up to a new trip to N.Y here at home, i JUST HAVE to go back!


V: Do you have a quote or saying that you especially like?
M: There are so many quotes that i like but i choose this simple one:

"Be.

Here.

Now."

I think this one says so much about simplicity...something that often at the same time is found very difficult....

V: What are you most grateful and happy about in your life at the moment?

M: The autumn, the air and the colors it brings with it... The fact that i am healthy and have my dear ones around me. And also that we have started on the process of making issue two of our signmagazin.


Where to find Moa:
her blog and  pinterest.

Where to find signmagazine:
view issue 1, blog and facebook.