14.4.2013 Unhappy musings - acrylics on paper A3 30x42cm

I am studying at the moment in an online course "A Beginner's Guide to Irrational Behavior" at Duke University. In connection with that some of us meet on google+ hangouts (online kollokvie group). Today two of us discussed what makes some people look for negative things and wondered whether these people really believed in them, in other words do they use self deception. That inspired today's painting. Because these people we talked about almost exclusively see black (negative side of things) and not the white (the positive side of things and other persons) except from themselves of course,  and very rarely colors (all the variations in why people do what they do or why things turn out as they do) I chose to make a white on black image.

14.4.2013 Unhappy Musings - acrylics on paper A3 30x42cm $200 Free SH This one looks great with a white mount and a simple black frame.

30.3. 2013 Egg surprise A4

30.3.2013 Egg surprise A4 not for sale NODP

29.3.2013 No Way - acrylics on paper A4

Sometimes we just have to defent ourself and say stop to people that are misusing us.

29.3.2013 No Way - acrylics on paper A4 $50 Free SH

28.3.2013 Fear of Falling - acrylics on paper 32x41cm

28.3.2013 Fear of Falling - acrylics on paper 32x41cm $120 Free SH

27.3.2013 Easter Chick Jumping Rope - 21x30cm

Happy Easter everyone

27.3.2013 Easter Chick Jumping Rope  -  21x30cm $50 Free SH

26.3.2013 Happiness in Learning - akrylics on paper 32x41cm

I have been so happy learning new things lately which I will tell you more about later :-).

 

26.3.2013 Happiness in Learning - akrylics on paper 32x41cm

22.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Flying High - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

22.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Flying High  - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

21.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Forbidden - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

May love in most variations win.
 

 21.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Forbidden - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

20.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Coming Home - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

High up in the nest of love the baby chick wait for mum to come home. 

20.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Coming Home - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

19.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Found Online - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

In these modern times so many things have moved from the physical world and online - meeting someone too has for quite a few. 

19.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Found Online - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

18.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Surfing the Waves of Emotion - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Love is such a wonderful word because it can be used in so many ways and in connetion with so many things in addition to romantic love.

Today I am surfing the lovely happy waves created by my love of learning as I have joined a class and started studying something new and very interesting (se below for details). My feeling are in some ways fairly close to being in love even though it is not to a person. 

18.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Surfing the Waves of Emotion - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH


Course info: Dan Ariely is a The New York Times bestseller, a Duke University professor and his TED talk has been watched over 2 million times. His highly anticipated "Irrational Behavior" Coursera course starts soon: http://bit.ly/WyIUtv

17.3.2013 Sometimes Love Divides - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

17.3.2013 Sometimes Love Divides - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 FREE SH

16.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Bit of a Drag - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Conflicts and quarrells with close ones are the worst kind, those persons are the ones most capable of hurting us with their words and actions and they are the ones that most of all reduce us to the most childish behaviours. They are the ones we keep repeating old patterns with so that we nearly know all the scenes and lines by heart but still play them through even if we now we will not win this time either. And yet we know that life has to go on and the connetion too. Tomorrow and next week or month or year we will still be in the same relationship - still dearly love each other. In short, love means that we carry along some history with good parts as well as burdens.

16.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Bit of a Drag - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 FREE SH

15.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Light Load When Carried Together - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

It is said that it takes a whole village to raise a child and also it is cynically said that a mother can support ten children but ten children cannot support a mother. The common thread in these sayings is that love and care is best done as a thing done together both to complement each other but also to share responsibilities and sometimes the burdens that loving someone may also bring.

15.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Light Load When Carried Together - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 FREE SH

14.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Upside Down - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

14.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Upside Down  - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 FREE SH

13.3.2013 Sometimes Love Takes you Higher Up - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

About a week ago I met a former student of mine at the grocery store. He was there with his baby and girlfriend and I was so happy to get to know that he was happy, had a family and a job. Today I met another former student who has had a small break due to not getting into the study he wanted this autumn. He had now started in a job while applying for a study place the coming autumn. That too warmed a former teacher’s heart because of course we worry when we hear bad news in connection with students that over 3 years time naturally each carved a special place in our hearts.

13.3.2013 Sometimes Love Takes you Higher Up - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 FREE SH 

12.3.2013 Sometimes Love Means Coming Out - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

In connection with a March 8th concert Kim Friele one of the most important fighters here in Norway for Gay rights especially in the early years, held a speach. As a teacher I am so happy to know that life has become so much easier for the young persons finding out that they belong to a minority in when it comes to whom they fall in love with. This one is for you.

12.3.2013 Sometimes Love Means Coming Out - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

11.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Puzzle - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

What makes us love a person either as a friend, a partner or a mamber of our group is incredibly complicated, fortunately, and that means that most of us are able to find people to love and be loved by. How it works is sometimes a mystery - a wonderful mystery.

Another wonderful thing is that we seem to have an unlimeted supply of love which is good for us teachers that keep getting new students and in a short time we dearly love a new group of 30 individuals.

11.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Puzzle - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

10.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Sad - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Love can bring us the biggest happiness but also be what crushes us. Loving someone who is loving you back is wonderful but that same love has an equal power to hurt us if that person disappoints us, hurt us or worst of all leaves us. But even though love also brings some sadness, we do need to keep loving each other as lovers, friends and family. Hugs from me. 

10.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Sad - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

9.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Glass of Red Wine - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Loving yourself is also important on a Saturday when you share a Saturday with your cats and a good book :-).  

 9.3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Glass of Red Wine - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

8.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Doing It Together - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Today, the 8th of March - The International Women's Day I want to celebrate what women can do working together. There is still a few very important things to left to fight for or against like FGM, childbrides, forced marriages, and the feat...uscide or infanticide in areas where only boychildren has any value. Let's work together for our sisters around the world. 

8.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Doing It Together - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

 

7.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Light and Plentiful - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

The best thing about being a teacher is all the young persons we get to meet and love.

 7.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Light and Plentiful - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $40 Free SH

6.3.2013 Sometimes Love Makes you Feel High Up - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Today after having had the parent teacher conferences where the love and care we all feel for the young persons is the common denominator for everything in the talks, I feel quite high. Such wonderful teenagers and such wonderful parents. 

6.3.2013 Sometimes Love Makes you Feel High Up - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

5.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Not Letting Go - watercolor on paper 21x30cm

These days parent teacher conferences is the big thing at my work. One of the important things when working with people is to hang in there. Both the students have to keep working, hanging in there, but also us teachers and parents have to... keep encouraging, motivating, believing in the teenagers no matter what and most of all loving them. That is not always easy for parents or for teachers when the hormons run at the highest and they struggle to find themselves and all the rest that goes with moving from being a child towards adulthood. Some days just hanging in there is all we all manage, and maybe that is enough :-)  

 

5.3.2013 Sometimes Love is Not Letting Go - watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

These days the birds have started serenading and doing the spring clean up of the nests. How do I know? Some males sing very much in the morning and my cats have brought in the first sample of a bird nest's flea. :-)

Nå begynner våren å få... tak. Et par hannfugler synger som gale om morgenen og vårrengjøringen av reir har begynt. Det vet jeg fordi katten har dratt inn den første fugleloppa.
 

4.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Cut into Trees - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

2.3.2013 Bright Light in Winter Landscape - watercolor on paper 24x32cm SOLD

2.3.2013 Bright Light in Winter Landscape - watercolor on paper 24x32cm SOLD
This one sold within the hour of posting it on facebook last night.

3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Social Thing - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

I am working as a teacher for 12-16 year olds and now that spring is coming there is a lot of love starting to grow. At that age love is not only a very personal thing but a social thing, especially in some girl groups who discuss every aspect of the relationships starting or ending or possibly becoming. What he said and she said and did and how to make him see her etc not to mention if two girls wants the same boy or one steals one... Lots of thoughts and emotions and time being put into it.
 

3.2013 Sometimes Love is a Social Thing - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

1.3.2013 Dreams of the North I - Watercolor on paper 24x32cm

Yesterday after looking at some photos from my journey up North last year I simply had to do a landscape. 

1.3.2013 Dreams of the North I - Watercolor on paper 24x32cm $100 Free SH

28.2.2013 Sometimes Love makes you Feel on Top of the World - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Nothing makes us feel better than when someone we love or respect shows us care or love. Love defines us, lifts us, gives our lives meaning. Equally important is that we are allowed to love others as friends, collegues, students, pets, lovers or family. The giving and receiving of love can give us a high that nothing else can - without it we are nothing.

28.2.2013 Sometimes Love makes you Feel on Top of the World - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

27.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Reading Aloud to Youngsters - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

I det siste har jeg hatt gleden av å bli lest høyt for i "En pingles dagbok" flere ganger i uka. Det er noe så koselig og avslappende å sammen  med noen leve seg inn i nye verdener at vi alle burde gjøre det mer enten det er de unge som leser for de eldre eller omvendt.

Lately I have had the great pleasure of being read aloud for in ”The Diary of a Whimpy Kid” several times a week. There is something so cozy and relaxing about taking the step into new worlds together that we all should do more of it, no matter whether it is the young reading for the old or the other way around.

27.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Reading Aloud to Youngsters - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

26.2.2013 Technique of writing, ink on pastel paper, ca 31x41cm

 

26.2.2013 Technique of writing,
ink on pastel paper,
ca 31x41cm framed,
for sale






A few years ago I painted quite a bit in the Chinese brush painting technique and looked at calligraphy, then for some reason I started testing out other techniques. Yesterday I brought out the materials and played around a bit. Today's painting is a calligraphy work.

The characters are pen (top)+law which together makes "technique of writing". The mount and frame are part of my complete composit...ion.

China is so much tradition and also so much a modern coming country. Art and literature also has the two components tradition and modernity, the old and the new. I have tried to use both aspects in this work in topic, style and materials.
Tradition, order or the law, the rules if you like say that the characters are horizontal or vertical, mine are diagonal. Normally they are of fairly equal size, Mine are of different size, and I’ll get back to why. But even with these changes there is some feeling of order in it, some system to it.

This is a Westerner’s painting and the characters are probably quite naively painted in the eyes of an oriental calligraphist. That is OK, because naïve is my style in painting also when doing western style works.

Normally the paper is white shuen (rice) paper which behaves very differently from western paper. I have used a paper normally used for pastel work. The ink, and ink brush is Chinese, but a modern kind. I do have the proper ink sticks and grinding stones to do it the traditional way but this time I used a modern version which is a brush pen with an ink cartridge system.

The mount is a simple one but with the tiny sophistication of the black inner lining that enhances the black in the characters. The frame a very simple unpainted wooden one.

As an artist, a reader, an art lover and most of all a teacher I mean and say that the most important thing is that some kind of content or message gets a reaction from a receiver. Of course as a teacher I think spelling and grammar is important, rules and techniques are, but only as an addition – not alone. A technically perfect painting or story which does not engage my thoughts or emotions has nothing no matter how perfect the lines are drawn or the spelling is. No law is good unless it serves the people. That is why the last character is slightly smaller in my painting.
Watching the painting the pen character looks back at me, the top 6 strokes turning into eyes. This aspect that even if taking away the real meaning of the characters it is an image – of something, intrigues me. The human mind is so focused on seeing faces that we so easily do that.

I am myself very happy about how it turned out: The combination of old and new, of simple and complicated, of the two characters having individual meanings but also a new one when together as well as being an abstract image, of it all working well together.

I hope you liked it too and enjoyed more detailed background information this time. 

25.2.2013 Sometimes Love is a Tweet - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

These days we can feel spring is starting its work - the sun is shining, some snow is melting and some of the birds has started wooing each other in the morning. 

25.2.2013 Sometimes Love is a Tweet - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

24.2.2013 The Adoration - watercolor on paper 32x41cm

In our modern rich society we have the possibility to decide when we want children and many wait a long time (unlike me), also many chose to have only one or two or as in China are limited to one. This long wait and modern technology means that children are more planned and longed for (or struggled for) than only 50 years ago. This means that we see differences in how people are parents today compared to before.

24 years ago on the dot today, I gave birth to my second child on the 24th of February and of course we all adored him instantly.

On the 24th of December here in Norway we celebrate another boychild's birth. Just this birth and historical comments on this birth story is something I read about just a few days ago in Jonas Gardell's book "Om Jesus" (about Jesus).

Today's painting is connected to all these thoughts.

24.2.2013 The Adoration - watercolor on paper 32x41cm $120 Free SH

23.2.2013 Sometimes Love is a Cat Bringing a Mouse - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Love comes in many formes so the big clue to feeling loved and being happy is to be open for the many ways it can be expressed. As so many a parent or teacher knows sometimes the adult that a troubled child dares to quarrel with or yell at ...is the one they trust the most. Also as many a cat owner knows presents comes in many forms, not all equally appreciated by everyone.
 

23.2.2013 Sometimes Love is a Cat Bringing a Mouse - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

22.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Kept Behind Barbed Wire - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Yesterday it was a year since Pussy Riot was arrested and Wednesday they posted the information that the the Ugandian parliament considers death penalty for homophilia acording to Amnesty International Norway. Whether it is a person to pers...on love or a love for free speach and free elections people fight for, way too often people end behind barbed wire or worse. Today's painting is in honor of all the men and women fighting for things they love.
 

22.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Kept Behind Barbed Wire - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 to go to Amnesty International. Free SH

21.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Sleeping Together - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

I have been sleeping a lot the last two dags cathing up on the sleep and rest that was disturbed due to pain earlier this week. No matter whether you have a spouse or a pet that crawl near you at night - there is comfort in it.
 

 21.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Sleeping Together - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

20.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Warm - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

My wonderful daughter and her boyfriend has come home from Malaga today. Here home in Norway the sun has been shining on a cold clear winter day where many have been either skiing or enjoying life on a chair facing the sun. Today I celebrate loving the warmt and brightness of the sun
 

 20.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Warm - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

19.2.2013 Life's Bravery - watercolor on paper 30x40cm

Yesterday and today has been tough days. Lots of pain and discomfort in my left hip. Some days like this the biggest challenge is staying brave, continuing to believe in progress, in the future, in life. It was my hope to capture some of all those feelings abstractly today. To me it signals strength and a will to pick oneself up and move forward. To me there is some dedication to keep fighting.

19.2.2013 Life's Bravery - watercolor on paper 30x40cm $120 unmounted Free SH

Today I have both needed a friend and got support, and been needed and given support. What would we do without the love of friends?

18.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Meeting your Friend - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

17.2013 Sometimes Love is Better in Books - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Most of us who read sometimes dream about the love described in the classics or other stories where the men are romantic heroes and all the women beatiful and where there is real drama more that quarrels about who are to take of the grabage and who are to do the dishes.

17.2013 Sometimes Love is Better in Books - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

16.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Close - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Too Often we look far away to find happiness and love, when most of the time it is just within our reach. 
 

16.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Close - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

Inspired by a very much loved song from the 50s.

Link til et opptak av "De nære ting" fra 1951
"De Nære Ting"! Teksten er opprinnelig ett dikt av Arne Paasche Aasen og det er originalinnspillingen fra 1951 vi hører. Melodien har de skrevet selv!

HER ER TEKSTEN: Ditt sinn monne flyve så vide omkring, det er som du glemmer de nære ting, det er som du aldri en time har fred, du lengter bestandig et annet sted. Du syns dine dager er usle og grå, hva er det du søker, hva venter du på? Når aldri du unner deg rast eller ro, kan ingen ting vokse og intet gro. Gå inn i din stue, hvor liten den er, så rommer den noe ditt hjerte har kjær. På ropet i skogen skal ingen få svar, finn veien tilbake til det du har. Den lykken du søker bak blående fjell, kan hende du alltid har eiet den selv. Du skal ikke jage i hvileløs ring, men lær deg å elske de nære ting.

Here is the text: Your mind may fly around so wide, it's like you forget the close things, it's like you never have peace one hour, You yearn always somewhere else. You think your days are miserable and gray, What are you looking for, what are you waiting for? When you never treat yourself to rest or peace, nothing can grow and nothing heal. Go into your living room, small though it may be, even so it contains anything your heart holds dear. From the cry in the woods, no one will be answered, find your way back to what you have. The happiness you seek behind the blue mountains, You may have always owned yourself. You should not chase in a the restless ring, but learn to love the close things.

15.2.2013 Sometimes Love and Air is not Enough - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

There is a saying that you can not live on love and air alone. Love is wonderful, but getting by and being able to cover basic needs has to take presedense many a day especially if you have children. Then sometimes love is a luxury. 

 

15.2.2013 Sometimes Love and Air is not Enough - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH

14.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Just Behind You - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

And for those of us who can not post a big bouqet of flowers received today on our facebook, today's message is that our big love can be just behind us waiting to catch up with us LOL.

14.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Just Behind You - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free shipping

13.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Lonely- Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

As Valentine's Day is getting closer I think there are many who feel intensly lonely while seeing all the love fuss everywhere, either because they are in a relationship that does not work or are single at the moment.

Nå som vi er i innspurt...en til Valentine's Day er det nok mange som ekstra kjenner det at de ikke har en kjæreste eller som er i et forhold som ikke fungerer, så i dag fokuserer jeg på at kjærlighet også kan være ensom.

13.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Lonely - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 FRee shipping worldwide

12.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Shy - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm

Who does not remember the first tentative movements of being in love for the first times when we shyly tried to get closer to the chosen one.

12.2.2013 Sometimes Love is Shy - Watercolor on paper 21x30cm $100 Free SH