Bio and artist statement

Artist statement

My work very painterly, guided by the energy of the landscape. I am drawn to places by their mood, feeling, and the energy that combines life and the weight of history. I am especially drawn to the natural world as it has evolved over centuries. It carries the resilience and reinvention of life through time. It reminds me of our limited time here, and what is important.

In my painting, color and brushwork are intuitive and direct, preserving the moment of energy I experience. I aim to create scenes that feel alive, where the viewer can sense my hand, the rawness of the paint, and the vitality of the landscape itself. Each painting is spontaneous and new, reflecting the shifting moods of both the season and myself.

Through my work, I hope to evoke a sense of connection, a reminder of the symbiosis we share what surrounds us, of its enduring cycles, and of our fleeting place within it all. The physicality of painting, the drag of the brush, the flow of the paint, is essential to this expression, allowing the act itself to mirror the vitality I wish to communicate. I paint to feel alive, and to be a part of the energy that surrounds us all.

Biography

Artist Elisabeth Svendby at the cafe with her paintings

Born and raised right outside Oslo, I was a creative child. In my early years, that creativity showed up in woodworking, crafting, endless LEGO building, puzzles, and redesigning my room at least once a month. My mind was always in motion, searching for the next project to dive into with every fiber of my being.

As I got older, I worked a variety of jobs before finding my place in web design, eventually becoming chief designer at Dagbladet.no, Norway’s second-largest newspaper at the time. Over the years, I worked in several media companies until I realized I needed a new direction. The constant demand to create something that was always changing and never truly finished left me wanting something more grounded and lasting.

I realized I needed to make something real, something tangible. That’s when I started drawing, and soon after, painting, and that changed everything for me.

 

Exhibitions and events

Showing now

  • Paintings exhibited at "Kaffe og Brød"Disenveien 31, Oslo: 1. Oct - 31. Dec 2025

Upcoming

  • Solo exhibition at "Galleri OMK", Briskebyveien 50, Oslo - 31. Jan - 8. Feb 2026

Previous

  • Group exhibition - "OMK Høstutstilling", Briskebyveien 50: 11. - 19. Oct 2025
  • Solo exhibition 6-8 December 2024 at Dugg, Oslo
  • Oslo Open 2024
  • Solo exhibition, 28 Aug - 10 Sep, 2021 at Galleri S9, Oslo
  • Fall exhibition, October 2019 with Oslo Maleklubb
  • Kroloftets Jubilee Exhibition, June 2019, Oslo
  • Oslo Open 2019
  • Oslo Open 2018

 

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To reach me directly, you can e-mail me here: support@elisabethsvendby.com

Elisabeth Svendby was a guest on the Savvy Painter Podcast