Solvi Sanden

Biography

For as long as I can remember I have had an interest in drawing and I have been painting actively for the last 10 to 12 years. As I have had a full time job working as a lawyer for the last 25 years, I have not been able to spend as much time as I would like on my painting. However, since September of 2011 I have had more free time set aside, and I now spend approximately 50% of my time painting (when I am not spending quality time with my family).

I have a one year degree of art history from the University in addition to a 6 month long academic study. I have also had apprentice time with well known artists but I first and foremost consider myself as being self taught.

As there are few good opportunities available for studying classical drawing and painting in Norway I have spent countless hours, days and years on reading about and studying literature about this subject as well as used the trial and error method to test all kinds of techniques that exist out there. One can never be fully educated when it comes to art, and as this is my greatest interest and passion I continue to study it as much as I can possibly find the time for.

I am particularly fond of people and their expressions. I find variations in color, skin, movements, anatomy and gestures very fascinating, and when I am also allowed to paint or draw a portrait of a personality or a real character I am happy.

Painting and drawing maritime motifs like old boats and boathouses is also something I very much appreciate. I was brought up on the rugged western coast of Norway and my father was a sailor and a fisherman, so the northern winds and waves are very much in my blood.

I also find it important to express a feeling or a story when I paint. It could be an event or an emotion I have experienced myself, or simply a fictional story. At times I even envision an entire painting in my dreams and find myself having to run to my studio to get everything on the canvas. I never paint on impulse, and I am never satisfied until I am able to capture my original idea or motif.

Using colors is really not my thing and even if I use colors to reflect individuality the actual values (the relative darkness or lightness of a color) are what are closest to my heart. In most of my paintings I only use 4 basic colors that I mix together into numerous values. This fascination for values is probably based on my love for drawing and I try to interchange often between painting and drawing, so that I can practice both of these skills.