These past few months have been busy in so many ways, so my studio practice has kind of taken the back seat. I hardly remember my last brush stroke as I’ve given myself time to do other things that I also love. – So what do you say… am I still an artist? I’d say yes!
Summer in the city
Escaping the hamster wheel
Most of us live busy lives. There are full time jobs, bills to pay, cooking and cleaning, friends and family to take care of, smartphones, concerts, football games and television. At my age I also need a good night’s sleep.
This summer I haven’t planned for any art projects at all… Think that’s the first time since I really started painting in 2011.
Afternoon Chill Out with Mr Art Cat
Chill Out Zone
On the contrary, I plan to enter my Chill Out Zone consisting of sunny summer days, lazy breakfasts with Mr Art Cat, wonderful lunch baskets and swimming in the nearby lake, hiking, bicycling, roaming the woods and spending warm evenings in my hammock reading interesting books after nice dinners with a glass of Greek Retsina.
After my summer vacation I plan to restart my daily art practice and continue working on my projects. Because when I paint I feel fine, happy and playful – like back in the days when the sky was always blue, we had strawberries for breakfast and spent the entire summer swimming, roaming the woods and playing with friends. So in some ways my studio is kind of an escape from everyday life, and I think we all need to find those places…
I love this time of year. Spring is so beautiful with all its flowers and smells. People seem to get out of their winter shells and start smiling again. Is it just me, or do conversations flow more freely this time of year?
Spending time on the balcony is one of my favourite things to do and the bumblebees seem to love my balcony this year 🥰
bumblebee on my balcony
Art travel
At the beginning of May lucky me had the pleasure of traveling to beautiful Skåne in the south of Sweden to join in on the celebration of the Bachelor Exhibition at Malmø Art Academy. We enjoyed four days of art, interesting conversations, nice company, good food and partying with the young art students. – What a joy!
enjoying beautiful days in Malmø
Work Life – Balance
When you know where you are, you know where you’re going!
I decided to dedicate most of this month’s leisure time to reading and hanging out with nice people and getting some mostly needed rest from my normal studio practice. A friend recently donated a stack of art books from her parent’s library and I’m so grateful.
my new stack of art books
May 17th
Constitution Day is my absolute favourite day of the year. I normally roam the streets in my traditional bunad, but this year both me and my hubby had to work. But we did enjoy a nice meal together.
Time for Gardening
The month of May also requires some gardening time to take care of the allotment, the flower beds and the balcony. Lucky me has a very nice little furry helper.
my furry little helper
Abstracting my garden
At the moment abstracting my garden is one of my favourite motifs when in the studio – here is a tiny glimpse bound for an exhibition in Texas, USA later this year.
abstracting my garden
Inspiring Summer Days in Oslo
The beautiful city of Oslo gives lots of opportunities. Check out urban sauna life in the harbour, world class architecture in Bjørvika, pittoresque buildings in Damstredet and Telthusbakken, concerts, festivals, theater, opera, dance, take a stroll along the beautiful Akerselva river or chill out with a few hours of island hopping before enjoying a meal at one of the capital’s three star Michelin restaurants. Check out Visit Oslo
detail from Damstredet
Art in Oslo
I really enjoy going to exhibitions and Oslo has two of the biggest art museums in Europe showing wonderful exhibitions.
I highly recommend Trembling Earth and Horizons at MUNCH museum – and Rothko, Kandinsky, Bergman and Marakatt-Labba at the National Museum.
from Trembling Earth at MUNCH
Trembling Earth at MUNCH is a must this summer
Upcoming Art Drop
At the moment I’m selecting work for my upcoming Art Drop, so stay tuned for more info!
Spring is finally here. Life is good! Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, sun is shining and living is easy. I love walking through the woods, enjoying the smell of Mother Nature waking up after the long, dark winter.
walking in Nordmarka is beautiful this time of year
Finding my way
The process of finding my way as an artist has been a long and winding road. Finding and creating my path, my visual language is sometimes quite bumpy. They say artists put a lot of themselves in everything they make, but I have also experienced that I sometimes lose track of myself when painting.
Over the years I have acquired many tools to refine my visual language and there’s still a lot to explore!
One project at the time
This year I decided to focus on one project at a time. Lately I’ve been working on ideas that have been with me for some time. It all started during lockdown when I had to move my studio back home and students didn’t have access to the art school. So I started to look around the house for interesting items, hoping to make paintings where one could recognize a deeper meaning, not only the shape, colour and use of the actual item.
To be honest, working on this project is a bit of a challenge. I enter the studio with enthusiasm and as the painting session goes on I lose most of my energy. I do not yet know if it’s the colour scheme or the nakedness of the objects that disturbs my energy.
The question is, should I stay or should I go?
Work in progress: flowers, urns and vases
Art Struggles
Art struggles are, of course, a minor problem in the world. But art can pinpoint more important matters and sometimes you have to stick with it for a while in order to figure it out. And sometimes new beginnings are disguised as painful endings. When one door closes, another opens.
Courage and flow are key words in my working process. Playfulness and having fun while painting is crucial. Normally there is some kind of dialogue between me and the painting, but in this project I struggle to grasp the hidden message…
A famous artist once said that
“If I paint from my heart anything goes, but if I paint from my head nothing works.”
Mr Cat wants to go outside
Reflection time
And maybe it’s as simple as that, so I might just skip the whole project… even if there is something tickling me…
Since I’ve decided my studio is my happy place where I nurture and celebrate some of the good things of this earth, I think I need to do some serious reflection work to figure out my next step.
I love to simplify and abstract, and prefer a quirky, loose and free type of expression. Honestly I think most of this is missing in this project, so no wonder I struggle and lose energy. Sometimes life in the studio sucks!
Finding the balance
Finding the balance between output and input is crucial for most of us. Besides painting and talking to my cat, I like spending time with family and friends, enjoying nice meals and checking out art exhibitions.
Checking out an abstract art exhibit
Hang in there! I’ve gotta prepare for a trip to Malmø, Sweden. Hopefully that will give me a much needed break and some new perspectives.
It has been a long, long winter and we’re still not done. My November cactus is blooming again, and again – obviously a bit confused… Mr Cat seems to have given up waiting for spring… He is sleeping most of the time, not at all interested in going outside in the snow, rain and cold wind. I’m not sure he believes me when I keep whispering that spring is around the corner…
Mr Cat sleeps all day
But March sure went fast this year, right? Or is it just me…
Girls just wanna have fun
We all need moments of uplift, probably now more than ever with all the horrible things going on in the world.
When making my More : Less list for this year, I chose «more fun» as one important ingredient because I know that having fun refuels and energizes me. The reason for making this priority list was to set a reminder to myself; a simple tool to help me make the right choices in my busy life and manifest what I really want.
But be careful what you wish for…
Because the past few months have been packed with all kinds of fun; lovely dinners, art walks and talks, exhibitions, lunches, more dinners, good conversations, friendly visits and deep thinking. Not to mention good friends…
I’ve hardly had time for painting 🤣
OMG! It’s so nice to finally meet someone in real life after chatting online or making phone calls for such a long time. Lucky me!
Glimpse from my art studio
When spring approaches and you (hope to) see flowers everywhere I tend to feel more loose and free than during wintertime. This month I’ve pulled out some of my urns, vases and flower paintings from my stack of work in the messy middle.
These paintings take inspiration from my sketchbooks and remind me of good times. Here is a sneak peek:
Work in progress: flowers and urns
Quirky, loose and free
In my art work I strive for progression, not perfection. I emphasize the process of abstracting and prefer a quirky, loose and free type of expression. My art teacher says I’ve always been an abstract painter.
I have always loved to simplify, stylize and abstract form elements and use the weirdest colours (like painting blue faces). I’m also fond of mixing different techniques and making lots of patterns.
Sometimes my paintings are a little hard to grasp because they are so complicated – but so is life – and I believe art resembles life, and you don’t always understand what’s going on in your life. Right?
Q & A: Commissioned work
I’ve had a few queries about commissions. Unfortunately I will not be able to take on commission this Spring.
Life – Work balance
Truth be told, I sometimes miss the lockdown when I had to stay at home painting with my cat. I’m not a big fan of the hamster wheel. The modern rat race is not my best friend. Feeling overwhelmed and overworked from heavy work loads at my day job makes it hard to find energy and spend time on things that nourish my wellbeing.
Hopefully it will get better next month ‘cause Woop! Woop! The Year of the Dragon gave me new opportunities!
But first: Easter Holidays
Upcoming Spring Art Drop
At the moment I’m trying to put together a new body of work for my upcoming Spring Art Drop, so stay tuned for more info!
Truth be told, my initial plan of scheduling time for spontaneous creativity on a daily basis did not work out very well. But February was not all about heavy work loads at my day job. I also went to a few interesting exhibitions and chilled with some really nice people who made me feel happy and energized and inspired and ready to paint!
refueled, inspired and ready to paint!
The Year of the Dragon
The year of the dragon started on February 10. In Chinese culture, the Dragon holds a significant place as an auspicious and extraordinary creature. It symbolizes power, nobility, honor, luck, and success.
2024 is forecasted to bring about opportunities, changes, and challenges. If you’re seeking a shift in your current lives, this year might offer a favorable chance.
opportunities, changes and challenges
Studio days
Last month I started experimenting with new color schemes, shapes and themes and to my surprise I really enjoyed it. Since my studio is my happy place where I nurture and celebrate some of the good things of this earth, I decided to bring these joyful experiments further by incorporating them into some already existing artworks.
My master plan for this year includes continuation of a few projects started during lockdown as well as playful testing of new artistic expressions.
This pic shows how I keep track of what’s going on in my studio:
what’s going on in my studio
Throwback to lockdown
A few days before Norway closed down on March 12, 2020 our class had started the initial discussions on how to pull off our graduate project. I remember discussing that a crucial part of artistic development is developing your personal style and that looking back on your history might give you some clues.
During lockdown all students at my art school were left with one opportunity only; working from home.
Long hours alone in my studio together with my cat was nice, but as days turned into weeks inspiration got scarce. I started to examine what I had collected over the years and pondered about what I liked and disliked about each object. I studied shapes, patterns, colours and textures on tablecloths, vases, urns, bottles, wine glasses, embroideries, flowers and plants.
This month I pulled out my sketchbooks from Easter 2020 filled with sketches and notes about heirlooms such as furniture, textiles, handicrafts and photo albums.
Once again I will simplify, stylize and abstract form elements and patterns, and bring my findings into new contexts.
In my art work I strive for progression, not perfection. I emphasize the process of abstracting. I prefer quirky and imperfect, incomplete aesthetics, perhaps a bit wabi sabi like. To me the most interesting part of creating lies somewhere between intuitive play and logical thinking. Here’s a sneak peek (work in progress):
sneak peek | work in progress
Transforming colours
Colour and energy is all around us. Colours have different energy, some you like and some you don’t. When you mix different colours with each other they transform. Two bright complementary colours next to each other will give the impression of an energy kick, but if you put a bright colour next to a neutral colour you get a different kind of energy, a different expression.
I love working with contrasts, and I love challenging myself. Colour mixing can be really fun, but also very time consuming and frustrating as daylight changes my studio light during the day.
Studio time includes lots of fun and complex problem solving. If it’s not tricky, it’s no fun! So at the moment I try mixing colour values and presenting them in new ways to explore how this makes a difference to my expression.
If things go as I hope, I might throw a spring art drop with some brand new works in a month or two. Fingers crossed and stay tuned for more news.
time will show
Celebration time
At the end of February the family gathered to celebrate my Hubby’s birthday at a really nice restaurant with a wonderful view over the Oslo fjord. The food was delicious and the wine bountiful. What a night!
In my part of the world winter is still on, but days gradually get longer, and nights shorter, until the summer solstice in June. January light always brings positive energy and I hope this year will bring more time for creativity and playful exploration in my studio. I also hope to keep the seasonal viruses out of my system!
A trip along beautiful Akerselva river, in January 2024
Creative spark
The month of January always gives me a creative spark. This year is now exception. After weeks of darkness and really cold weather, the sun is back and amounts of white snow makes nature look amazingly light and beautiful. Mother Nature gives fresh inspiration; her shapes, lines, structures and the graphic winter color scheme make me want to wander off into new paintings. But transforming mostly black and white impressions of nature into a personal artistic and colourful language is a complex procedure which requires lots of studio time, trial and error.
More & Less
I think of the New Year as a fresh start, giving me the opportunity to leave old habits behind and redetermine how I want things to move forward. Therefore I made a More & Less – list for my creative journey. I decided to cut the crap, get down to basics – and here it is:
More painting, more fun!
Life is what we make of it
My creative force has been with me since early childhood. Carving stone, working with clay, making weird wood sculptures and drawing portraits are among my first memories. I’ve always been busy creating something. I believe that creativity is one of my core qualities.
In 2019 I made a commitment to show up in my studio every day for 100 days. The goal was to nurture my creative art practice and step up the game. Every single morning or evening (before/after work) I went to my studio to work on my #100dayproject. And what a joy! Read more here
This year I will schedule time for spontaneous creativity on a daily basis.
Make room for daily art practice
Everything is possible
As we tiptoed into the new year I’ve focused on playful experiments just to let loose, feel free and have fun. In my studio everything is possible. Time seems to stop when in my creative zone, probably as I’m in flow and feel happy and energized.
Winter has many shades of blue
Project: January diary
This January I’ve spent my studio days creating a new body of small works where I experiment with new color schemes, shapes and themes. My main focus is on spontaneous and joyful play. Anything goes, no judgment, no room for critics as I try to paint from my heart and soul, not from my logical mind. The trick is to have faith and trust the process.
Before I start I try to set myself in a meditative state, or some kind of spiritual mode far, far away from the hamster wheel of everyday life in this crazy world of horrific wars, climate change and economic rat race. My studio is my happy place where I nurture and celebrate some of the good things of this earth.
Set myself free
The idea behind this project is to set myself free from patterns in my life that I’m not consciously aware of and to express emotional energies from within.
My chosen method is: Spontaneous, intuitive, unfiltered, unplugged. No pressure, just try to have fun. Try to be bold, loose, rough, raw, quick. Use unexpected combos of colours, lines and shapes. Hoping for intriguing, surprising and colourful outcomes.
So I’ve created 32 small paintings on paper, and a few bigger ones are still in process. Quick painting sketches, kind of experimental stuff where one painting informs the next one.
And of course, those who know me well have already guessed that I’m working on a few side projects as well, but I’ll save them for another blog.
I made 32 small works on paper for my January Diary
Life changing experience
13 years ago I attended the local art school for a week-long painting course. Walking through the woods in the morning sun I realized I was about to start a life changing experience… and slowly, slowly I truly found back to my creative self (and my inner voice that had been silenced for years) and discovered my strengths and limits, but also my dreams and hopes as an artist.
Growth and expansion is a complex process that takes two steps forward and one step back. Creativity is like ebb and flow, so don’t panic if everything seems to go wrong, take a timeout, do something else and remember to set aside time to «compost» or to do nothing.
My studio is my Happy Place and creative time fills me with energy. With a full time job, planning is essential and I try to make time for my art practice every day.
My studio is my Happy Place
Hopes and plans for the yearto come
My art plans for the coming year are a mix of short-term goals which I want to fulfill in the near future and long-term goals that will take months and years to finish.
This year I will try focusing on one project at a time. My art plans contain both unexplored territory, projects in the messy middle and a few projects nearly finished. All in all, lots of fun and tricky problem solving. If it’s not tricky, it’s no fun!
But the main thing is, of course, the work – life balance… So now, if you’ll excuse me; I’ll get back to my stack of interesting books. It’s recreation time, or “time to compost” as my gardening husband puts it.
First of all: HAPPY NEW YEAR! to family, friends and followers from all over the world! Let’s hope for peace and prosperity and that our leaders will make wise decisions to cool down climate change.
Happy New Year!
Small recap from my studio
As we tiptoe into 2024 please allow me to share a few things with my fab followers:
This was quite an exciting year in the studio. Being an artist means taking risks in the studio. My mantra is: I wonder what happens if I do this, or maybe that?
Taking risks and going out of my comfort zone sometimes feels challenging, but I want to grow my artistic tools, so therefore I’ve put the fear of failure aside to experiment and learn. I now know a lot more about what to do and what not to do. Yep! I’ve made a lot of crazy mistakes along the road, but hopefully my share of ugly paintings is coming to an end soon.
This year I chose not to show so much of my working process on Instagram and Facebook, but I’ve been blogging every month and sending out newsletters.
Before x-mas I had the pleasure of sharing some of my brand new artworkswith you and I’m very pleased that some of them sold!
x-mas art drop
Like last year I decided to skip local exhibitions, and at the moment I’m considering whether or not to do a pop-up exhibit next year.
One of my goals for this year was exploring creativity and seeking inspiration in the arts, so I visited many exhibitions, read loads of weird books, listened to new music and danced in my studio – while my cat was staring at me wondering what on earth was going on…
Filled with gratitude
Reflecting on the year gone by I am filled with gratitude for the support and enthusiasm so many of you have brought to my art practice.
Being an artist means a lot. As long as I have my studio and my art practice I always have something to look forward to. Thank you for showing interest in my art, for all your nice comments and for buying my artworks. I think I have the best people cheering for me!
I feel so lucky to be able to live a creative life, so lucky to have family and friends cheering for me, and so lucky to meet so many nice people from all over the world, some in real life, some over the internet.
I honestly don’t know who I’d be without my art practice…
Most of my planned painting holidays didn’t go as planned this year due to different unplanned circumstances, but what the heck;
Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans…
Winter is a season of recovery and preparation, but also for planning. I don’t know about you, but I sure miss the light and can’t wait for the days to start getting longer.
My studio feels a bit crowded these days as I have many paintings in different stages just waiting for daylight and more painting time…
Finally I have the pleasure of sharing some of my brand new artworks with you. How about that! The online exhibition / studio shop is now open exclusively for those who follow my newsletter. This private early access is available for five days only.
My series are all original and individual artworks.
My artworks are handmade and one of a kind.
There are no prints for sale.
Affordable prices
What’s up: New collection
Proudly presenting brand new artworks for you to enjoy and purchase directly from my website. Check it out!
New series: Magic Moments in Nature
Magic Moments in Nature
Like most Norwegians I love nature. Hiking in the nearby hills with my grandmother is among my strongest childhood memories. Daily rituals of roaming the woods, watching animal wildlife and exploring the fjord grounded me with Mother Earth and made me realize the importance of respectfully taking care of Nature. They say childhood shapes your future.
Hiking and exploring together with nice people give new perspectives, positive energy and good memories, therefore I try to block out holes in my calendar to spend time in nature on a regular basis. Because spending time in Mother Nature can help relieve stress and anxiety; boost our immune system, creativity, and focus; and teach us to live more in the present.
Photoshoot in scarce winter light
Inspired from Mother Nature
The paintings have several layers as do Mother Nature. Some layers are hidden while others stand out more clearly. Each trip gives rise to different shapes and brush strokes. Color schemes are inspired from both people and places.
When in my studio I work from my heart and memory, not from photographs. Thus each painting captures unique emotional impressions and is a representation of what happened at a special moment in time and space. I aim to explore and filter reality through the prism of my individual perception by reinterpreting natural surroundings.
Sizzling with energy
Guided by intuition I try to transform or «translate» my experience into patterns, shapes and color arrangements. Some of them are more recognizable than others. My intention is to make the paintings sizzle with energy, just like I felt during that special moment in time.
Hopefully the paintings touch on the complexity of being a tiny person walking around in a big world and the wonderful feeling of belonging, of inner peace and calmness.
Hope they bring out some Magical Moments in your life too! See them here
Looks quite good when matted
Inspiration for you
Every month I search for inspiration. This month I hope to inspire you! I paint what I cannot express in words. I paint to grasp the world around me by listening inwards. I paint in search of authenticity, trying to find and develop my true voice and always remember my artistic vision. Sometimes that resonates with the viewer and sometimes not.
I believe every artwork will reveal its secrets to the right viewer and therefore you instinctively know when to buy a painting or not; because it speaks directly to you.
The original paintings are hand painted, one of a kind and signed on the backside. Please remember that the paintings are sold unframed and unmatted so that you are free to choose what suits your personal taste and match your beautiful home best.
In case you wonder; my prices will never ever be less expensive than today. The only way they will go is up, so grab the chance today!
It is nearly time for my art drop. This time I will release a series of new works on paper in various sizes at affordable prices. All subscribers of my newsletter will get access to my new artworks before everyone else.
But first, I have some decisions to make and some work to do.
Treasure hunting in my studio
The privilege of choosing
People and artists are different, there are various ways of carrying out one’s art practice. Some of you know that I always work on parallel projects, both short term and long term projects.
Lately I’ve been telling you about my multitude of half finished, or just started, works on paper and a pile of canvases in a seemingly never ending process. I cannot do it any other way. But that means I have to ponder a little when it comes to my upcoming art drop.
So, what to choose? Think I’ll have to get some help from my assistant Mr Cat.
Seeking advice from my art assistant Mr Cat
Finishing touches
After the privilege of choosing which paintings to include in this upcoming art drop, I need to get the paintings ready for their new homes. Some might need a finishing touch of colour, while others need to have their edges painted.
I prefer to sign my abstract paintings on the backside. But if a buyer prefers to see my signature on the front that is also an option – just remember to give me a hint before I ship your artwork.
Painting the edges
Photographing and presenting art
Way back I used to work as a freelance photographer, so I know a few things about photographing art. I have also worked professionally with web publishing and managing social media, so I prefer to do all the work myself, even if it’s a bit time consuming.
Sometimes I wonder if I should learn how to make frames…
Framing or not framing, that’s the question…
Artistic text work
I truly believe that every artwork will reveal its hidden message to the right viewer. I also believe that buying art is a soulful decision in the sense that you will instinctively know when to buy a painting – because it “speaks” to you.
They say pictures contain more than a thousand words, but I think that sometimes titles and an introductory text about the art might add some more insight to what messages the artist is trying to get across.
When exhibiting my work in galleries I normally give a brief artist talk, or introduction to my work and when launching a new series on my website I like to do the same.
When working on a series, I always reflect on my process, take notes and think about ideas that come up during studio time. Reflection time is crucial and some days I spend more time looking at my paintings than painting. I reflect on titles, I ponder about why I want to express a specific theme and how to make that “visible” in an abstract way.
The trick is to talk, or write, about my art series in ways that give the viewer a more fully understanding of my theme – or even better; how do I explain my thoughts and ideas in ways that makes the viewer curious?
I like writing and reading about art. Hope you get some nice ideas too!
Home is where the art is…
How to grab one
It is soon time to launch my upcoming art drop. All subscribers of my newsletter will get access to my new artworks before everyone else. Here is what you can do:
Sometimes I suffer from an “art attack” which is the overwhelming feeling of having too many creative ideas at once, and not having enough time to do them.
Yes, it is very frustrating. Of course. But not surprising since I have a full time job. And I have, finally, discovered that nights are for sleeping.
Art Attack
8 days a week
So the sad truth is that nowadays most of my studio days are both fewer and shorter than I really, really want. The result is that I have a multitude of half finished, or just started, works on paper and a pile of canvases in a seemingly never ending process.
Guess I’ll have to ask Santa Claus for 8 days a week and 32 instead of 24 hours a day, so I can do a little more of what I really, really want.
In the meantime I work on my priorities to make the right decisions.
What’s important now
Every day I have to remind myself to stay in the now of my life to avoid being hijacked in the game of fear, competitiveness or letting myself drown in possibilities or being overwhelmed by the heap of unfinished work in my studio.
I try to remind myself that I am never too late for my art.
Focus
Over the years I have discovered that what I look at, what I see in front of me, is where my energy goes. So:
Every day I ask myself “What’s important now?” This question forces my mind to consider my priorities each day and take action on them.
Once I have decided that something is important to me, I focus on working on that specific task and put everything else away, out of my sight. This is also the reason my phone is put on flight mode most of the time.
Project management is important to keep focus and get things done!
Priorities
At the start of this year, I made plans for a 30 day focus on each project. But:
As we all know nothing goes exactly as planned. Plans are important to get where you want, but they sometimes need to be adjusted.
So far this year most of my scheduled painting time didn’t work out the way I was hoping. So to avoid building up frustration and working overload, I chose to downsize my ambitions and therefore declined to exhibit my work this year. At the moment I’m contemplating whether or not to sell some of my latest small works or not…
I do look forward to next month’s vacation, though. Hopefully I’ll have some nice studio time and maybe a visit from the young art student in Malmø, Sweden.
Multi- or mono tasking
As some of you know, I like to work on parallel projects. These days I try hard to encourage myself to focus on what matters most right now. No wonder things take time when you work on several projects at a time. Slowly, slowly the series is coming alive. That’s my way and my choice. I cannot do it any other way.
But painting is not the whole story. As you might remember, I wrote a blog earlier about how time consuming artist life is.
Truth be told, my life is more than day jobs and studio time. I have family and friends. I also need to tend my flowers, play with my cat, relax, read and spend time in nature to stay healthy. If I’m not taking care of myself, I can neither work nor paint – not to mention be a nice person. So I make sure to take care of myself. Every day.
my chillout zone
Keep going
Whenever I go into my studio, my intention is to play and have fun. I like it when the painting session surprises me.
The main thing, I believe, is to keep going and never lose track of what’s important to me. So what is it that I really, really want?
I want to play with colours, push paint around, experiment with line, shape and various techniques and see what’s happening. I want to continue working on my multitude of playful just started works, and take some of my paintings through the messy middle and maybe finish parts of my neverending story of canvases.
Because I love painting!
Ps. Now, please excuse me, I have some colours to mix 😉
Summer isn’t over yet! As July turned into August, I deliberately chose to continue the summer feeling for one more month. And what a brilliant month it has been (except for a terrible sinus infection). Besides lazy breakfasts, walks with my cat, hammock time and old movies, we enjoyed another nice visit from overseas.
As September is approaching, I’m thinking of enjoying one more month of the magical summer feeling before autumn arrives. How about that?
Flower power in my studio
But first, I’m gonna recap a little from August days in my studio. When thinking back on my studio time, I believe I made some progress and discovered new ways to deal with old problems. Ha ha! After all, being an artist takes a lot of problem solving.
What’s up?
Last month of summer holidays gave me lots of studio time. I’d say much wanted and needed studio time after busy months of work and travels.
During my summer vacation I restarted my daily art practice and continued working on my long term project finding my deeper voice. I also started exploring a new Wabi Sabi project; the art of imperfection. But most of the time I had lots and lots of fun.
People and artists are different, there are various ways of carrying out one’s art practice. Those who know me, will know that I always work on parallel projects, both short term and long term projects. This is a glimpse from one of them:
New adventures in my studio
Process-based
Some of you might know that I am a process-based artist. That means I explore the “unknown” parts of the creative process. The question: “I wonder what happens if?” really inspires me to paint and to explore new ways of doing stuff.
I work on several paintings at the same time. Each painting takes me on a ride, where neither of us knows the final destination until we arrive. Thus art is a guide and has much to teach me about life, what is going on in the world and about myself.
My work evolves, ebbs and flows, sometimes circling back for another look or to re-work. I have learned to accept these changes to be authentic and truly embrace my own creativity and my own voice. I paint what I cannot express in words.
The painting process is a never ending story: 1) what happens if I try this 2) did it work out? 3) how do I respond to that?
Hang in there! The clue is never giving up! Sooner or later the painting will fall into place. At some point there is nothing more that I want to change. And that’s when I know the painting is finished. Voila!
I love my studio, and what happens there. It’s my happy place!
Process includes lots of coffe
Inspiration
Every month I search for inspiration. Besides reading lots of books and visiting some interesting art exhibitions, I had the pleasure of spending time with one of my nieces from overseas. We had some really interesting conversations, I’d love to do that more often! My husband and I continued revisiting some of our favourite old movies. So weird to discover you’ve forgotten half of the story, but what a joy!
So, what’s not to like about August? Hope you’ve had a good one, too!
Heads up!
People keep asking me how to buy my works. HEADS UP! here are some news for you:
New original works will be available from my website soon!
Thank you for reading! I’ve had the most wonderful August days in my studio, my Happy Place which brings me joy and happiness and fills me with energy. Soon I will share some of the results with you. Stay tuned!
Life has been so busy lately. I’ve been dreaming about lazy summer days and slow living with family and friends for months. I can hardly remember ever longing so deeply for my summer holidays. And I’ve really missed painting these past few months!
Life has been so busy lately
I love lazy breakfasts, walks with my cat in the nearby woods, wonderful lunch baskets and swimming in the river, hiking and bicycling with my husband and of course, spending warm summer evenings in my hammock reading interesting books after nice dinners with a glass of Greek Retsina.
My hopes were high since June was super hot and sunny, but July turned out to be quite rainy, so I had lots of studio time.
Sunny Days in my studio in between the rain showers
So what’s up
Since last summer went down the drain due to covid, I had made plans to explore some new art territory this summer. But because the rain stopped me from working in my outdoor studio, I had to rethink. Seems that life has its own purpose.
I decided to focus on having fun and to restart my daily art practice. My long term project on finding my deeper voice needed some attention. And I also started exploring a new Wabi Sabi project; the art of imperfection.
As usual I have lots of paintings going on in different stages; 1) the playful start, 2) the messy middle and 3) the clarifying stage. As one layer has to dry, I move on to the next piece. This way I never run out of work.
I paint what I cannot express in words. I paint to grasp the world around me by listening inwards. I paint in search of authenticity, trying to find and develop my true voice and always remember my artistic vision.
Sometimes that resonates with the viewer and sometimes not. I believe every artwork will reveal its secrets to the right viewer and therefore you instinctively know when to buy a painting or not; because it speaks directly to you.
Playful summer days in my studio
Inspiration
Every month I search for inspiration. This summer I have read lots and lots of good books (and a few not so good ones) and visited some interesting art exhibitions and had great conversations with my friend from overseas.
During evenings my husband and I decided to revisit quite a few of our favourite melodramatic and humoristic movies by Spanish film director Pedro Almodòvar. What a joy!
Wonderful days
For me, making time to create is an important part of self-care. Studio time is sacred and my way of healing and dealing with the world. So I show up and create. That means getting into the studio no matter what is going on in life.
Making art is a means of living my life, a way to be who I truly am. I think of art as my best friend and my studio always welcomes me, even on days where life is overwhelming and energy levels are low.
The most wonderful days in my studio give rise to joyous series of explorations that lead to personal understanding and more interesting artworks. I’d say that my studio is my Happy Place which brings me joy and happiness and fills me with energy.
Well, I have to admit that friends and family were a bit neglected this summer, but what the heck: What a splendid way to spend my summer holidays painting!
This month I’ve been busy painting (and selling) big cats, testing how to make digital art and giving my studio a much needed spring cleaning. I’ve also enjoyed the company of the younger generation in my studio, been to exhibitions and movies besides finding the slow vibes for a much needed summer vacation.
Painting inspired by Her Highness Miss Selma
Studio time as self-care
Most of us live busy lives. There are full time jobs, bills to pay, cooking and cleaning, friends and family to take care of, smartphones, concerts, football games and television. At my age I also need a good night’s sleep.
For me, making time to create is an important part of self-care. Studio time is sacred and my way of healing and dealing with the world. So I show up and create. That means getting into the studio no matter what is going on in life.
The most wonderful days in my studio give rise to joyous series of explorations that lead to personal understanding and more interesting artworks.
Group exhibit in Canada
24.-25. June one of my cat paintings is exhibited in the beautiful city of Vancouver in Canada. Click here to check it out!
Catzy Cat on show in Vancouver Canada
Inspiration
This month I’ve visited and revisited the Marianne Bratteli exhibition Beating Heart at the MUNCH museum in Oslo. To my surprise this is Marianne Bratteli’s first comprehensive museum exhibition. I find her works powerful and interesting. Despite the colorful and playful expression, her works also depict how war traumas, if not resolved, can go from one generation to the next.
Marianne Bratteli exhibition Heart Beat
Art as a means of living my life
People keep asking me how to buy my works… (go to website)
But to be honest; I’m not so interested in art as a means of making a living, I like my day job. What interests me more is art as a means of living my life.
So let’s chill out, let’s find the summer vibes and enjoy the summer!
Summer Vibes Art by Rekkebo
Ps. Think I will log off and have a much needed digital detox this summer – what about you?
May was a busy month. Spring is definitely here with all its beautiful flowers and gardening duties, not to mention pollen allergy.
Spring flowers in May
So what’s up
Besides working on some new smaller abstract works on paper, I had a blast creating a large abstract work on canvas this month. The only trouble was I had an allergic reaction to the glue I used for the collage parts, so next time I’ll be wearing a protection mask and work in my outside studio.
new abstract work on canvas (WIP) left to dry on the balcony
Inspiration
This year we had swedish-french family visiting for the 17th of May to celebrate Norwegian Constitution day. We had a super nice day watching the children’s parade in front of the Royal Castle.
May 17th 2023
We also visited the MUNCH museum. I especially enjoyed revisiting the abstract expressionism/ art informel exhibition The Shape of Freedom dancing in front of my favourite artist Franz Kline wearing my traditional bunad from Setesdal.
Somehow I have always found myself attracted to (semi) abstract and expressive art. I find vivid colours, bold lines, weird brushstrokes, twisted shapes and quirky faces a lot more interesting than hyper realistic paintings.
I don’t aim to show the obvious, but what might be there if you take a moment to look inside yourself, shake your emotions and listen to your heart. The best part of exhibition openings is listening to what stories people tell each other while looking at my artworks over a glass of wine. Sometimes their stories lead to new paintings.
For some time now (4-5 years) I have been working systematically on abstractifying my art through extensive explorations in mark-making, layering and textures. While composition and contrasts are really important, I sometimes find that both colour and shape can be quite overwhelming, so lately I have felt the urge to limit myself hoping to reach a new level of insight.
lots of canvases going on in my studio
So what’s up
This month I had a great deal of fun by opening some of my large rolls of paintings. To my surprise I had forgotten many of these paintings and I’m already looking forward to continuing the process this summer in my outside studio.
Of course I continued working on my abstract series on canvas and made a few smaller studies on paper. It seems that my abstract series is evolving and that some of the paintings are bridges over to another semi abstract series. I think I might go for an exhibition after all.
from my ongoing abstract series
Inspiration
This month I’ve spent some time at the National Museum in Oslo. I especially like the modern art section (room 75-88) on the second floor. And to my surprise I also found loads of inspiration from Fashion Design and Royal Costumes (room 30-31) on the first floor. Unfortunately I missed the temporary exhibit with Carrol Dunham on the top floor. I will definitely go back several times. Check it out next time in Oslo!
My abstract series on canvas keeps moving forward, slowly but steadily. I sometimes find it hard to grasp what the painting is about, but as soon as I understand the hidden message, the piece seems to come together pretty nicely.
ongoing abstract series
Along the way I’ve had different working titles for this long term project. I paint in search of authenticity, trying to find and develop my true voice and always remember my artistic vision.
I paint what I cannot express in words. I paint to grasp the world around me by listening inwards. Sometimes that resonates with the viewer and sometimes not.
As usual I have lots of canvases going on in different stages and I’m starting to look forward to seeing the end of this project. I sometimes wonder how many canvases this project will end up with. But one canvas seems to inform the next one, so it feels like I’m still in the middle of discovering something new.
Some artists prefer working on one canvas at the time until it gets finished. My working process is different. I work on parallel projects. I like taking a break from one project by working on another. What I discover in one place often leads to new ways of seeing and working. I like that very much.
Group exhibition coming up
If you know me, you’ve probably seen some of my cat paintings. This month I decided to make some more and one of them will be exhibited in the beautiful city of Vancouver, Canada in June.
Cats are wonderful
Inspiration
Inspiration is paramount. This month I went to the MUNCH museum with a group of colourful friends who have not yet had the pleasure of visiting the new museum. Afterwards we had a nice meal and some good conversations at one of the many restaurants in the Bjørvika area. Socialising with nice people is so rewarding.
Some of you have asked me about my creative process and why I always seem to be working on many paintings at a time.
In a previous day job, I coached my clients to do less, so that what they chose to do could grow bigger and create a more lasting impact – because diluted focus tends to get diluted results. But this is no good when it comes to my art practice.
I like working on several parallel projects. In my studio I have a lot of canvases in several stages going on; because playful beginnings, the messy middle, clarifying stages and finishing touches all demand different kinds of focus. That way I can choose what to work on depending on how much time and energy I’ve got.
lots of canvases going on in my studio
Another aspect is that what’s going on in one painting often seems to inform the next and what I discover in one place might lead me towards resolving a painting that got stuck somewhere along the process. It’s a win-win situation.
This is absolutely not multitasking, I’m a huge fan of monotasking. I focus on one thing at a time and try to show up in my studio before or after my shift. I like spending most of my spare time painting.
My overall goal is to have fun, trust the process and enjoy life!
Besides working my day job, and being knocked down by a virus this month, I’ve also created some new weird portraits. Since time (and body) was not on my side, I chose to do some small work – and to my surprise 3 of them went overseas to their new homes this month. What a joy!
8 small faces
Inspiration
This month I had the pleasure of visiting the new exhibition The Shape of Freedom opening at MUNCH museum in Oslo showcasing many of my favourite abstract expressionist artists like Kline, Pollock, Rothko, Frankenthaler, Krasner, Mitchell to mention a few. The experimental techniques these artists did at the time is well known to most art students today, but back then this was a revolution in painting.
Happy Lunar Year, everyone! January 22nd kicks off the Year of the Rabbit, or the Year of the Cat 2023.
In my part of the world winter is still on, but days gradually get longer, and nights shorter, until the summer solstice in June.
A Year of Hope and Good Luck
In Chinese culture the sign of the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity, so 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope – and I do believe Hope is what the world needs right now!
The Vietnamese celebrate the Year of the Cat. According to Vietnamese tradition the Cat brings good luck and clears away bad spirits. The cat is considered to be a friend and symbolizes strength and power.
Those who know me, know how much I love cats – so I’m very excited for the year to come!
Artists and their cats
A Year of Exploring Creativity and Arts
I’ve also read somewhere that creativity and appreciation for the arts thrives in Rabbit years. So you might feel like exploring museums, music festivals and performances. I know I do.
In Vietnamese culture cats are a symbol of kindness, perseverance, patience, thinking ahead before starting to do something. Cats are considered to be open-minded free spirits ready to explore. Sounds familiar!
Hopes and Plans
New year always brings new energy and I hope and plan for this year to bring more time for creativity and playful exploration in my studio. My studio is my Happy Place which brings me joy and happiness and fills me with energy.
With my full time job, planning is essential and I try to make time for my creative art practice every day.
My plans for 2023 are a mix of short-term goals I want to complete in the near future and long-term goals that will take months and years to finish.
This year I will focus on 30 day projects, one project for each month. As a former project manager I have naturally made a list of challenges and possible outcomes.
My plans contain both unexplored territory, projects in the messy middle and a few projects nearly finished. All in all, lots of fun and problem solving.
Plans also include recreation time like reading, writing poems and spending time with family and friends.
Plan B or C
Like Rabbits and Cats I always have a plan B, because the most certain thing in life is that nothing ever goes as planned. Change is inevitable and it often brings exciting opportunities.
To me, planning for project progress is a critical means to meet deadlines, and time management gives me the opportunity to focus on what’s important now.
The best thing about deadlines is that they herald new beginnings. I love starting up and exploring new projects.
My mantra is: I wonder what happens if I do this, or maybe that?
But now, if you’ll excuse me; I’ll get back to my stack of interesting books. It’s recreation time, or “time to compost” as my gardening husband puts it.
Thank you for showing interest in my art! Thanks for your kind support, for sharing likes and comments and for buing my artworks! It has been quite a year, and I think I have the best people cheering for me! Thank you – Happy Holidays!
Being an artist means a lot: As long as I have my studio I always have something to look forward to. And all your positive energy keeps my creativity grow! Lucky me!
Thank you for your support and positive energy! Spread love!
Nice people from all around the world
I feel so lucky to be able to do this, so lucky to have family and friends cheering for me. And I feel so lucky to meet so many nice people from all over the world, some in real life, some over the internet.
I honestly don’t know who I’d be without my art practice!
What a year!
What a year this has been, with so many nice surprises! I don’t know how to recap this in a few sentences, but I’ll give it a try.
The first two months of the year I was really stepping it up and launched my newsletter and I had scheduled loads of interesting projects. But plans changed as a long desired opportunity knocked on my door – and I took on a new day job which I really love!
Working full time also means new priorities regarding my art practice. For instance turning down 4 invitations to exhibit my work this year.
Top 5: portrait of Paul
Top Five
Wow! I was totally blown away when I learned that my painting was the curator’s choice and made TOP 5 among almost 1000 artworks in this year’s international TAE exhibition in York, UK taking place in June.
I was so honoured that my abstracted portrait was highlighted in the catalogue. The model, who is an artist himself, was thrilled as he received the good news.
Makes me really happy to know that this special artwork now belongs to a dedicated collector in sunny California, USA.
They say: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Well, my planned summer holidays went down the drain this year due to Corona. I had no other choice but to surrender as I couldn’t beat that stubborn Covid-monster inside my body.
So no large painting outside in my planned forest studio this summer. But other nice things happened!
One of my mural portraits at MUNCH museum summer of ’22
Making murals at MUNCH museum
I had never thought I would be able to show my work at the new MUNCH museum, but this summer opportunity knocked again – and I made 2 large mural portraits on the 11th floor. I loved coworking with kids visiting the museum! The exhibition is now closed and the murals on the walls are painted over.
New Batch of Artwork
In November I finally finished my new batch of abstract paintings and put them out for sale exclusively for those who follow my newsletter. To tell the truth, it is always a bit scary to show new artworks – what if no one likes them but me?
The first one sold almost immediately and I’ve received lots and lots of nice comments and interesting suggestions on how to go further! That’s so exciting!
I absolutely have the BEST PEOPLE cheering for me! What a year!
Thank you & Happy Holidays! Hope to see you again next year!
I’ve had so much fun in my studio over the past months! Finally the day has come: Proudly presenting some of my latest artworks. Hope you like them!
Followers first in line
The online exhibition | webshop is now open exclusively for those who follow my newsletter.
My new work will not be shown i detail anywhere on social media. So feel free to sign up for my newsletter and be among the first to get sneak peeks from behind the scenes and special offers from my art studio.
Follow my newsletter and be first in line!
Handmade artworks – one of a kind
My artworks are all original and individual artworks, handmade and one of a kind. There are no prints for sale.
All artworks are sold unframed and unmatted, so you can choose your favourite framing and matting to match your personal style.
Affordable prices
If you follow my newsletter you will get access to my new batch of artworks. You might have a look around to see if you find something you like at affordable prices.
I try my best to keep the prices low so you can buy the artworks you love to make your home shine even more.
I’m so proud and happy to have collectors around the world. Hope you find something you love, and maybe a little something for your family and friends, too!
Choose your favourite framing for your beautiful home
Available artworks in different sizes
So many of you have asked: How do we get to buy your artworks? Well, here is your chance. Click on the links below and you will find the available art works.
All artworks are made on acid free art paper, watercolor paper or canvas textured paper. All artworks are sold un-matted, not framed so you are free to choose what will look the best in your beautiful home.
The links below will be accessible for followers of my newsletter only:
You must be logged in to post a comment.