A Day in the Wilderness Painting

I grew up in a small town along the shores of a big lake where the cedar woods met the great sand dunes of an even greater lake. I spent my childhood catching frogs in the marshes, hunting for lightening bugs as the summer sun set, and picking wildflowers along the woods edge. And so began my great love affair and deep reverence for nature. My grandfather taught me the different varietals of trees and where to search for blackberries, and how to carve walking sticks out of white pine. My dad took me fishing and my mom showed me how to grow a vegetable garden. I spent countless afternoons in the long, cool grass, playing with trolls or pretending that I was king and queen of the ferns. These early years inspired my life's work: to honor what I see in nature through my paintings. I've always loved to create and my paintings are a reflection of my life outside - the colors, textures, and movements that change from season to season. Each day I spend time walking outside, observing, and drawing inspiration for my paintings. I love wildflowers, windswept landscapes, and the natural places that look like alien planets here on earth. I love exploration. And these paintings are for my explorers out there, whatever that may look like. After spending time outside I return to my studio in my back garden in rural Norway and paint, working to capture that feeling of aliveness and peace felt in nature. I drink coffee, listen to loud music, and true crime podcasts, and I tap into the meditative place to create. I use my long arms and legs and I let all of that wild energy out in my pieces with big, gestural brushstrokes. Bold, and alive. My goal is to bring a little bit of nature to your inside life. When we spend time outside, we feel better. From a warm summer boat ride on the water to cross country skiing through the tall, snow-covered pines on a crisp morning. Bring that energy in. Explore my newest collection of paintings: Pyla, an abstracted desert land.