After school

Just a casual moment, just an everyday story, yet a precious moment and a breathing room from demands and duties. Don't we all need a little time to catch our breath....?

"After school" is painted on La Carte, 9x12" with various soft pastels.

Coffee&Sugar

An artist can find inspiration at any time and any place, also when we're not working. This is an example of just that. One morning I was having my coffee and reading my paper when suddenly the sun broke through an overcast sky and lit up my kitchen shelf. The light hit these two jars in a lovely way, and ended my morning routine at that second. I picked up my camera and shot a few pics - and this little set up resulted in several others - which will eventually turn into paintings.

What inspires a painting? There's no limits to what subject one can paint - even the most ordinary, boring objects that is seen everyday can turn into beautiful paintings....it is all in the eyes of the beholder - and in the light! For me, light is the main source for inspiration. Playful light dancing on an object, long, colorful shadows - that's what it takes to catch my interest and start composing a painting. It happens everywhere, at any time - the artist in me never rests. This particular morning I ended up with cold coffee, and this little painting where two jars that never really get any attention suddenly became stars.

Soft pastels on La Carte, 9x12" (20x30 cm).

Apples&steel

While writing about the show opening I realized I really haven't updated my blog at all - I have a few more paintings that are in the show I haven't published here. Well there you go, not enough time.....this is another fruit and steel still life, and as usual my fascination for reflections shows. I quite like the simplicity of the composition, and had fun with the reflection in the knife. I'm breaking one of the established rules in composition by choosing two apples rather than picking an uneven number - but in this case I think it works - the knife and the reflection manage to create and interest. I like breaking the rules - I'll do it again, I promise.... ;)
This is a pic of the painting nearly done, I did some more work on the table reflections before framing it.

This is done on La Carte, 15x18#.

Show opening

My first solo-show "Moments in colors" opened in Gallery 2 rom&kjøkken June 3rd. I haven't been able to update my blog as much as I'd like, as I've spent all free time painting. The reception was nice, I had a lovely time. With all the work that goes into a show it certainly a wonderful pay-off to see the paintings on the wall signed and framed. And even better as people were so positive and enjoyed the show. I played a few songs at the reception, and it was nice to illustrate the show with songs I have listened to while I painted.

Several moths of hard work towards this show is now done, and I'm ready to start new projects. I had to build a new web site as my old disappeared, all my paintings can now be seen at www.merethetorbergsen.weebly.com. There's also a updated CV, and news about my art can be found there.

Pears on steel revisited

My painting "Pears on steel" won 3rd place in "The best of Wet Canvas 2010" competition in Still life. I'm honored to have my painting get this recognition!

"Raw breakfast" revisited

"Raw breakfast" won 1st place in the Pastel Guild of Europes' Get dusty challenge in March 2011. Thank you to the judges, such an honor, I'm so delighted!

Tap #1

Every day objects can tell a story, can't they? And can be beautiful at the same time! This is a step away from fruit still life, I wanted to do something different and ended up with this. Metal and reflections, yet telling a different story. Enjoyable and fun piece to do!
On Sennelier La Carte, Soft pastels and pastel pencils.

Caught

A painting I finished recently, another piece along the lines of "Pears and steel". This painting received an Honorable mention in the Pastel Guild of Europes' "Get Dusty challenge" in March.
It is done on Sennelier La Carte, with various Soft pastels and pastel pencils, 15x18".

H.M. Kong Harald

Challenge is good. I love still life and have a constant stream of ideas running through my head, I will not be having any trouble filling my time any time soon. However, it is fun to branch out and do something different every once in a while, isn't it?

So, this is a result of me challenging myself - how would you interpret a portrait of a person totally different then myself? Portraits are always hard to do, the technical aspects are hard enough, and then to really make a portrait good you need to connect emotionally. Now there's a challenge, and that is the story behind this portrait of H.M. King Harald.

I have painted portraits of musicians before, and I found it easy to relate to them - I've been a singer for 20 years and know what it feels like to be on a stage, to connect to the music and to connect to the audience. I know nothing about being King, I know nothing about being born into the public eye, with expectations from a whole country about who you're gonna be. So as I painted this portrait I found myself getting into a string of thoughts - how do a person meet that kind of expectations, forming a role that's always measured by the public without loosing yourself? How do a person live up to the job of being a role model, and a carrier of norms and values for a whole nation? These thoughts is what I want to portray in this painting, how I connected to the painting. Did I succeed, well that's for others to say. But the process did enrich me in so many ways, so I say challenge is good, never restrain yourself from growing and learning.

Red onions and glass

2010 wasn't my best years painting-wise, not a big production to show. 2011 however is looking good, and I have already completed several paintings. This particular one is two smaller pieces that I plan to frame together. I wanted to get a somewhat abstract feel to a realistic work, and ended up with this. Again, working with reds, getting to use my favorite Ludwigs - just gorgeous colors. This will be part of an upcoming exhibition this summer.
Pastels done on Sennelier La Carte.

Tanglewood break

My blog has been thoroughly neglected for a long time, an update is in order! :)
I'm gonna start off with this painting, completed last year. My band was in studio in May 2010, and during a break I noticed this guitar and the Pignose in the studio. It instantly talked to me, a possible painting! I love reds, I love music and I just had to get pics to paint later on. I took the things outside, put them up on this wooden table and got some great shots during a short guest-performance by the sun. There's probably something like a hounded hours of work put into this, and it has become a favorite of mine. It is done with pastels on a large sheet of La Carte, 24x19 inches. Pure joy to paint, all of it!

Pears on steel

A finished painting of 2010, the only one so far. I've had the ref for this painting for a while, and wanted to try a new technique for the pears. Usually I'll do quite a lot of blending, working on La Carte with harder sticks like Faber Castell, Rembrandts and W&N. These pears are done on Colorfix, using softies like Unison and Terry Ludwig - and there's virtually no blending done with my fingers. The smooth look is achieved using Pastel pencils on top of the softies, as well as a few Faber Castell pastels for blending. I'm pleased with the result, and I'm already working on another piece using the same technique.

Soft Pastels on Colorfix, 9x12".

Surf green Telecaster

My blog has been thoroughly neglected the last months, as has my art I'm sad to say. Real life seem to interfere to much these days, guess that's just the way it has to be. But I manage to do a little something every now and than, a few commissions and a few pieces for my own pleasure. This Telecaster is just for fun, and created to match my livingroom. Needed something new for my walls, and decided to paint a piece that matches the rest of our place. Not hard to tell that we are several musicians in our house, maybe... ;)

Soft Pastel on La Carte, 27x54 cm.

On my drawing board - Mr. B.B.King

Got a full set of Derwent Studio colored pencils, and had to try them. This is the first piece done with the Derwents. Testing a Derwent Colorsoft and Pablo as well, and have a few Primas in the mix. Gotta say I enjoy the Derwents very much, I'm able to get a good point to do details with. But the Colorsoft really seem promising, might add more of those to my cp collection.

Have put quite a few hours into this piece, added many layers to the skin and will add many more hours to the hands. I like where this is going, it's a piece done for me, just for fun - from a wonderful ref photo. I just love the expression on his face, I knew I had to draw it when I saw the pic. My plan was to do this in Soft Pastel, but with the lovely skin colors I thought this would make a nice companyon for Willie N in CP.