Svanvik

Svanvik

oil 30x40 2014

August still prevails, washing the lapping waves and glacier-hewn islets with warmth. This viewpoint is off a quickly-missed turnoff from the winding road between Herre and Porsgrunn. It's used often by radar-armed police to snag speeders--and by fishermen, liking the natural shelf of rocks that slope quickly to the water. Very good for setting up an easel too. Today the wind blew as strongly as the sun beat down, adding urgency in capturing the choppy water and flighty clouds.

Morning at Hellestvedtvannet

Morning at Hellestvedtvannet

oil 30x40 2014

Early this morning I drove up to this nearby lake and completed this scene. It's idyllic spot for boating and bathing, but not a soul stirred in the early hours.

Wall Street 2014

Wall Street 2014

oil 154 x 76 cm 2014

This painting is a commission. It has proven a very challenging project, and has taken a good deal of time.

I generally like to work faster, but one advantage to a work that has taken eons, is that one receives  interesting feedback over time, from people who happen to observe it in the studio. I enjoy hearing different interpretations, and they can be inspiring.

Working on Wall St.

Wall Street

This painting has been about 80% done for far too long. As if that wasn't enough, it's a commission. Time to get down to business!

Frier Stua

Frier Stua

40x30 oil 2014

This rural spot is actually on the grounds of Rafnes gaard, a well-groomed manor house and estate. Though modern cottages often have a rustic look, this one is authentically old, perhaps centuries. I painted it from the Seagull Skerry during two evenings. The fjord-facing side of the skerry is popular with local fishermen. In a sense I fish there too, catching light.

From the Risør Fleck

Fra Risør Flekken

oil 30x40 2014

Centuries ago Dutch seamen needed a landmark along the South Coast of Norway. At that time the town of Risør was an important timber port, so a cliff above it was turned into a landmark with the help of lime white-wash. This is called the Risør Fleck, maintained up until today. The viewpoint from this high ground affords great views of the coast and the town, most of whose houses are white by tradition. The sun was bright and the wind strong, my easel needing ballast to keep it from blowing away.

Skap

Skap

oil 50x50 2014

This is wide open, full of associations and ambiguity, so I thought I would title it Skap, which is more grammatically ambiguous than the English Closet.

Fridges, safes, compartments, ovens, interiors, MRI and CT scanners, revelations, encapsulations… You can go a lot of places here, so I decided to keep it simple regarding color choice.