I call myself an artist now, but it took me years to acknowledge myself as one. I was always interested and quite talented in arts & crafts, but I didn’t truly trust myself and my artistic abilities. Maybe because “well-meaning” teachers told me that I would be better off with a traditional academic education … going down the artistic path was sort of only for the few. And I believed them. So I ended up with a degree within teaching of arts & crafts and not in performing fine arts, as I guess I wanted …

I wasn’t happy being a teacher and I quit it all together. Now I have my own little studio where I create my paintings. My vision, both artistically and in all aspects of life, is to be happy and focus on what feels lighter. I love creating, and I guess the joy I have when I create shows in my work. I find inspiration in nature, but I am also fascinated by the industrial world, the mechanical and hard. Contrast is an important tool and I always look for contrasts and how they work together, such as order and chaos. It is fascinating to look at the chaotic and inaccessible, having the desire to make it more available. At the same time, it is always tempting to fracture the known and "restore" chaos. I am fascinated of my own being, my own consciousness. I am constantly changing and moving, together with everything that exist and be. This is something I see appear in my work, as an undercurrent, and the titles, which are formulated after I’ve had a "conversation" with the paintings, confirm that.

I guess there is a graphic interest in my work - lines, planes and spaces. I love turning “real stuff” into abstract and non-figurative, but sometimes it is also fun creating "recognizables". Although I’ve played with different graphic techniques over the years, it’s painting and paper collage I’ve mostly worked with the last few years, and there is an endless number of new creations just waiting to come to life. Maybe, if I get all the equipment at hand I’ll pick up screen printing again.

It would be nice if my art would evoke some interest in the viewer – that it appeals and inspires. Even if there often is a story in my work, that story doesn't show itself before the piece is finishing, so I don't really have a specific message to share, nor do I want to lead the viewer in any particular direction. I leave that to the paintings (and maybe the titles) - and the viewers themselves.
I will continue, to the best of my ability, to be happy in my moments, expand the lightness and playfulness in my work and create good art. And, of course, show my art to the world!

Please feel free to visit my website https://www.hegeullensvang.no/

---

Portfolio: