Elin Bjorsvik

Solo Exhibition 2011

Nearly two months have passed since my solo show in Mayfair, London, and I have finally managed to update my website with pictures from the Private View Evening (29th March 2011)

Recent Paintings and More - A Solo exhibition at Gallery 27
A selection of acrylic paintings on canvas in Gallery 27 from Monday 28 March until Saturday 2 April 2011

  
The picture above is from one of the busy moments during the evening; photographed from the main floor of the exhibition. It was great to have so many guests attending the show.

 

Some of the many Norwegians & family members attending the Private View. Thank you!

 

 

The picture above is from the lower ground floor of the art exhibition, where many of my older paintings were exhibited.

 

The rest of the pictures can be viewed on my website: http://www.elinbjorsvik.com/private_view_2011.htm

 

" The inspiration when making a painting is also in the process itself. I enjoy the challenge of working with space, light and colour and slowly building up the image by adding several layers paint to create an illusion of space and depth

The interest in contrast and layers is always playing an important part in my work. My desire to add multiple dimensions to an originally flat surface, sometimes only partially reveal what is hidden underneath, has developed my abstracted images into an imaginary world of unnatural depth and space."

Photography by: Ian McNeice, Silje Bjorsvik, Frode Opdal, Ketil Froyn , Thøger Bjorsvik

 

 

Christmas in Norway - 2010

I have just arrived back in London after my annual Christmas holiday in Norway. As usual I had a lovely time with my family – however this year we were surrounded by something which can only be described as the perfect Winter Wonderland.

On the west coast of Norway (where I am from), the snow usually arrives a bit later in the winter - January & February for the most. For the last two years though, we have been blessed with a beautiful white Christmas which brings back a lot of childhood memories - the cold winters with snow somehow seemed to start earlier and last longer when I was a kid.

I grew up on an island just outside Bergen (Norway’s second largest city) and our home is located on the west side of the island - surrounded by forest and mountains and the sea within viewing distance. In spite of the large pine trees growing by the main road below our house, we can still see the large cruise ships passing the island, loaded with tourists ready for days of sightseeing and shopping in Bergen.

We went to Bergen town only once this holiday and as usual I managed to finish all the Christmas shopping in my old hometown. For someone who is used to busy London, Bergen is really a haven of peace and tranquillity during the holidays. Usually I will take a few trips during my stay, but the cold weather and snow stopped me form any further excursions. After many years in the UK, I am not as used to the cold weather as I used to be. 

 
It was snowing heavily for the first couple of days I was on the island, but I still managed to take a few trips outside with my camera. Due to the snow I had to make several attempts to capture the beautiful white landscape surrounding our family home (there were also quite a few minus degrees about, so I could not be without my gloves for too long…)

The picture below is from our front garden. This view from our living room window is something I have always loved - especially the large tree pictured to the right. I remember trying to climb this tree regularly as child, however, today it’s mostly used as a home for the many birds that are still around in the winter.

Going to home to Norway for Christmas is a tradition I have always kept - and I have still to celebrate a Christmas holiday anywhere else or in any other fashion. It's a peaceful break from a busy life in London and I always come back more relaxed and rested than from any other holiday - at any other time of the year.

 

Tips for collection Contemporary Art:

Many people are looking for ways to build an art collection and are wondering how to start collecting modern or contemporary art. Although there no set rules for building an art collection, here are some tips to get you started:

 

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Anyone can start collecting art. You don’t need any previous experience or have a degree in art history

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Be clear about your motives. Do you want to start collecting because you are looking for an investment, or because of your love and passion for contemporary art?

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Buy art that you like and you will enjoy watching day after day. Don’t wait for other people’s approval or buy a piece just because it is fashionable.

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Learn as much as possible about the different types of art.  Visit as many art galleries and museums as possible. The more art you see, the more art you will understand and appreciate.

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If you feel intimidated by walking into an art gallery, you can start off by viewing art on the internet.  Most galleries and museums will have a selection of their artwork displayed on their website.

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You might also discover some new and interesting artists by visiting the many artist portfolio websites where artists display and sell their own art without the involvement of a traditional gallery.

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Another alternative to galleries is to buy directly from the artist either by visiting their art studio, art exhibition or purchase online from their website.

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Visit Art Fairs. This is an excellent way to see a wide range of work in a short period of time. Some art fairs will mainly consist of galleries exhibiting their own collection; others will let you buy directly from the artists.

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Learn as much possible about the artists. Lots of information can be obtained by reading their artist statement, exhibition review or artist CV. Some artists will also allow potential byers to visit them in their artist studio or will be available for talks at exhibitions.

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Try to find out as much as possible about the art work you are interested in buying. Where it has been exhibited, when it was created and what technique and media has been used.

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Estimate and stick to a reasonable budget. A good starting point could be limited edition prints, new and emerging artists or artworks from art fairs or student shows.

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For Limited edition prints, the rule is usually the smaller the edition, the higher the price.

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Decide if you think the price is fair. Established artists will charge more for their works than emerging artists. Original art will usually be higher priced that limited edition prints. Up-marked galleries will charge more for their art works that unknown galleries and art fairs.

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Start small and build up your collection piece by piece. Collecting art can be a life-time passion and commitment.

 

Some of my paintings

Floating Illusions

This is one of my paintings called "Floating Illusions". It was created a few years back when I was focused on using very strong colours as the contrasting effect, rather than the light to dark tonal work I am exhibiting more of today.

Title: Floating Illusions
Size: 30cm x 30cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas

 
 "Floating Illusions" is for sale for £385.00 + UK postage

Visit my official website elinbjorsvik.com and pay with either credit/debit card or Paypal

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 Untitled 2

"Untitled 2" is also one of my older paintings (now sold). It's another good example of the work leading up to the kind of paintings I am doing today. Here I'm using colour to create contrasts and the patterns are adding to the 3D effects.

I must admit I truly enjoy creating this type of paintings and sometimes revert back to this style in between my other work.

Title: Untitled 2
Size: 30cm x 30cm
Medium: Acrylic on canvas

 
 
"Untitled 2" is no longer available for sale

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 Both these paintings are acrylics on canvas, painted from 2005 to 2007