I love the natural world.
Walking in the forest or at the beach,
I always collect lots of stuff 
that come in my way
- cones, feathers, stones, flowers..
I love to study these objects,
turning them around
to see them from all sides,
feeling the texture
and the smell.
Feeling their essence
and their natural belonging. 

This close study of nature
makes me want to reproduce it in art. 
And so I do.

Preparing lino prints.

I samarbeid med Vanja Steinbru i Kvist&Kvae har Norwegian Made utviklet en ny smykkeserie i sølv og valnøttfiner. Vi har tatt utgangspunkt i logoen vår, og vi er så fornøyd med det ferdige resultetet! Smykkene kan du kjøpe i Kvist&Kvaes nettbutikk. 


//In collaboration with Vanja Steinbru at Kvist&Kvae, Norwegian Made has developed a jewelry line in silver and veneer based on our logo. We couldn't be happier with the result!//

I think much about what it is that really makes me happy
and gives me that authentic feeling
of being alive,
not regretting something in the past
not concerned about tomorrow.
Here's a list of things I know for sure gives me that good feeling:

Slow time
little planned, 
much free time to reflect and to just be
to linger
time to be creative
time to write
time to do things that is not supposed to give income
time to do other things than those I have to do 
every day.

As few material possessions as possible
not much to decide between 
nor much to take care of
to tidy and clean and mend and iron.

Things of quality
things made to last
so that I can trust this thing to be with me for a long time
to be part of my life
a sort of friend
I can rely on will be there for me
when I need it.

Things made of natural materials,
good to the touch,
bring a feeling of connectedness
so that when I use a tool made of wood 
or put on a linen dress
I can feel nature 
beneath my hands,
in my heart.

Less input
calm soul
few text-messages
few mails
less commercials
less to process, to consider, to choose from and decide between.

To see the result of the labour of my hands
that hands-on feeling
with the natural world
the soil in the garden
the cookie doug
knitting a baby scarf
turning the pages of a book
the feeling of charcoal 
under my fingers
when I draw.

To dwell on the magic of the world,
of nature,
to slow down
as much as it takes
to really see the wonder
to really feel that we are, all of us, part of that wonder
the goodness of nature
the godness of nature?

Last week I exhibited 4 of my new screenprints

at the very charming Gallery Bøch

- it was a really nice experience

and I'll be glad to return next year!

I love to use my eyes 
when I'm round and about.
To let myself be caught 
by whatever meets my eye. 

On my regular forest walks
I alway come home
heavily loaded
with all things natural.

I bring all of my found treasures 
inside the house (a pretty loaded house..)
and sometimes I use it
for something 
and sometimes I just enjoy it.
I let my eyes pass over a dry leaf
or an interesting branch,
I touch the soft feathers
from the hens in our coop
or 
I smell the freshness 
of the norwegian pine. 

I love to arrange these natural treasures
into still lives 
to photograph them
or to draw them. 
It's like playing.
It's like being a child again. 
And it's all free!

Nature never stops to amaze

Fortunately,

summer still lingers!

Today was a fine day.

On our way to a NorwegianMade meeting

we had to stop several times

to enjoy the beauty of the norwegian fall.

Have you noticed

how all kind of weather

has something wonderfull to offer?

I'm at the Apple Festval at Gvarv today - talking to norwegian makes as part of our Norwegian Made project. I just finished a long conversation with the man who made these beautiful, handcarved cups, which I bought by the way, learning so much about wood woodworking and really enjoying myself. How I love my work!

Wabi sabi is a japanese aesthetic ideal, 
cherishing the beauty of the worn. 
As everybody who knows me or my art will know,
this is an aesthetic which is very close to my heart.

I see and appreciate this kind of worn beauty 
everywhere I go,
and few things make me happier;
the tainted wood of an old barn,
last year's seed pod,
a worn and mended garment from the past,
giving testimony of hardship and thrift
and telling somebody's story.

As part of an art project from the duo Abraham & Sax,
this year I've written an essay a month
on topics regarding aesthetic philosophy and art. 
Last mont's essay was about the wabi sabi aesthetic.
You can read the whole text here. 

Look what the forest "gave" me yesterday!
Somebody's garden waste is my forest paradise these days.