In Vesterålen, where I live, and during travels I have taken in the northen rigions- Northen Russia, Iceland, Spitzbergen- I find inspiration for painting nature`s essence and being, which is also found inherent in humans. I listen to nature and try to communicate this to the canvas. This is really a Zen Buddhist exercise more than re-creation/representation of nature.
I have roots in both the Sea Sami and the Norwegian population of Vesterålen and Steigen. Both of these groups have lived here and were dependent on what they could glean from nature. Through assimilation of Sami people and the ethnic Norwegians, the Sami culture has lost out to the Norwegian. As a parallell to this nearly lost culture, I see human dominance over nature as a losing prospect because of greed. To acquire material wealth. This is possibly our last chance to prevent this injustice perpetrated on the Sami culture and against nature itself.
As an artist from the periphery, i have a duty and a desire to make this point through my art.
