VILLA BETULA

MY PAINTING PROCESS

18/08/2017

My little atelier is definitely in use, and it’s the best feeling. My kind of medicine is to create and transform, and it felt even better when the task was a commissioned painting. First time I’ve got an order for an original, and it made my heart skip a beat. You can probably relate to the feeling that others value what you do or make, and it makes me very humble and filled of energy. And now I’ve got one more to do too, so it’s amazing! Don’t be afraid to contact me if you are interested in hearing more about it or ask questions.

This painting was ordered with two guidelines: the size 150 cm x 80 cm and “do not use red”. I could manage that! But where to start?! What to make, what to do? And the day I started I did not know what I was going to paint. I don’t plan much if I don’t have to, but mostly I keep to my daily structure though (soon more about it!). So this time I ended up challenging myself – try to make waves for the first time! Maybe a crazy idea, but since I’m so inspired by emotions and water it felt natural to give it a try.

I found the colours I wanted to use, and then found myself sitting on the floor having no idea which paintbrush to use. I had like twenty to choose from, but no one seemed like a magic wand that could make a lively ocean on my canvas. I regretted my choice about waves, but I would be so disappointed and irritable if I gave up before I even tried. So I decided to use my fingers, and leave all the confusing brushes behind. And I gave myself some simple rules: don’t think, don’t even consider perfection or strive for realism (and seriously don’t ever try to paint a ship!).

So I only used my fingers (they’re still a little blue and green) and made some finishing touches with a sponge. Then I had to sit and watch the waves for a long time, wondering what to do with the rest. There was much white space left… So I made skies and stormy weather (and sunshine!) the way I felt like making it, and I think it turned out good. I couldn’t possibly let someone hang something on their wall with my name on that I wasn’t pleased about. That’s just how it is. In the end I had to touch up the waves a little, and I added some gold dots. Gold and mid dark/ dark blue and greens looks fab, I think. Gold was not a plan in my not existing plan, but it added some “it”, and I even signed it in gold.

Just so it’s mentioned: this painting will be available in my artwork shop plotted on canvas (and yes, it’s a part of the deal with the buyer of this original 😉 ). Enjoy your weekend lovely followers! Oh, I just realized I haven’t been giving the painting a name! I should do that before it will be picked up Sunday…

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AVAILABLE NOW: FIVE EXCLUSIVE ONE OF A KIND PHOTO PRINTS

15/08/2017

It’s late and I’ve been working on a painting all day (more about it later this week), so I’ll make it quick: in my artwork shop there’s now five new photo prints available, just one of each! You can grab an unique piece which no one else but you will have! The price includes free worldwide shipping and a black wood strip for hanging. The paper has a lovely quality with matte finish (no reflections). You can have a look and order right here! I even had a print (of my sofa and lamps in the green room) which was limited to three pieces, but they didn’t even make it to the shop before they were all sold! How fun! I don’t think I will be that lucky every time I try to sell some of my photos or paintings, but hopefully some of you will find an unique piece and I will wrap and ship it with love <3

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DO YOU MIND…

08/08/2017

Hi! I told you a while ago I’m nominated in The Best Interior Lifestyle Blog at Amara Interior Blog Awards again this year, but that day it was one of those days I didn’t care much about anything. That’s how I am, and it happens every now and then. But the last week or so I have really been at my best – feeling calm inside and I have much drive to keep up projects I like! I’m really grateful for that.

I would also be very grateful if you voted for me – Villa Betula – the blog with its fragile personal twist to it, because it’s the only way to tell my tale. I’m far from skimming the tops, and I like it when “different” can shine and take it’s place, for example at a blog award ceremony! So now we’re gonna show ’em, right?! It would have been great fun to be shortlisted and go to the ceremony in London in October. And you could all join me trough my stories at Instagram and here at the blog of course.

So if you don’t mind, follow this direct link to vote for me, that’s the only way to make this possible! I’ll keep my fingers crossed! Just so you know I have actually started to make music for our third album today! Finally I was ready! So I celebrate with some new photos from our very special recording studio. If you like music (who doesn’t?) – have a listen right here in the menu on the right side, so easy! And if you really love what you hear, there’s vinyl for sale right here. Enjoy!

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MARIA’S LOVELY HOME

06/08/2017

One of the people “out there” in cyber-world I’ve started to hang out with is Maria. What a pleasure! You find her instagram right here. She’s a journalist and interior queen, and most of all she’s very comfortable to hang around with. I’m not a very social kinda person, no problems admitting that, but then it feels very good when I actually am social sometimes. We’ve met both in Villa Betula and at Maria and her family’s house. Even our dogs and kids are getting to know each other! And speaking of that: it’s not easy to photograph a house when there are three kids and a dog hanging around… Very sweet though that I didn’t get a second to myself to go around concentrating about the photographing, ha ha. The result is me sharing the parts of the house I was able to capture, and the rest I will give you later. More lovely green velvet sofa, kitchen and bathroom next time I’ve been there (if you tell me to leave the camera at home, Maria, I won’t listen to you). And I let the photos speak to them selves – almost, I mean: look at the dark colours, patterns, textures, plants, lamps and laid back vibes! Yeah, that’s how we like it! And she even has one of my king size printed paintings taking a lot of attention in her dining area. Wow, I feel honoured!

I’ll be back!

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JUST ARRIVED

04/08/2017

I almost wrote Empathy Just Arrived as a headliner, but found out that didn’t sound too good! But this tee is amazing – it’s not just a tee, but it’s made of a very cool and inspirational Swedish woman, Lisa Burenius. Maybe you have seen her tees already, or even better – her lovely paintings! I ordered a print of one of them as well, but I guess it will arrive separately. Really looking forward to it, I’ve planned where to hang it. It will be in the dark green room. Really sleepy now, but I wanted to share it with you tonight. Better get some sleep so I can wake up and put this tee on!

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WHO IS THIS?

03/08/2017

Just some lines with the chalk and then some brushes with the paintbrush, and the whole thing got a personality. I’m not alone in this room anymore. It’s different to walk in trough the curtains to get in here, it’s different to sit in my rocking chair typing this, and there’s one thing I’m sure about: its personality will change again. So much work left to do, and right now it looks way too kind. Yes, sad and melancholic in a way, but to “correct” in this early stage. I want it to have more harshness, make you wonder if the eyes moved when you passed the canvas, I want it to scream discomfort. When I’m done it will be placed in the recording studio as it has soundproofing inside, and it’s really huge and heavy with its 140 cm x 240 cm size. I will plott it on canvas and sell in my shop when it’s done, but thinking about making it a very limited edition. Any thoughts? Could you have something this big on your wall, or would you like it to be smaller?

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SOME SUMMER VIBES

01/08/2017

We’re taking it slow. Eating waffles and ice cream. Someone is lucky to paint on canvas while I paint the window frames in the atelier. When I get peace and quite it’s my turn – to paint on canvas. And when I don’t paint inside I paint outside. From very worn white to black. My husband build tall fences for us, and I love it. The flowers bloom, and suddenly they’re finished. Have to keep my eyes on them as long as they last.

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THE CHANGES THE LAST WEEKS

27/07/2017

First: to see the before photos of this ‘never revealed room’, have a look at my swipe photo right here. And the before photos is after we had cleaned it up so we could be able to walk inside the room…

Second: My goal was to have a room where I can make paintings, and I needed some “dark old castle bohemian look”. Even though this is the smallest room we got, I was thinking like it was inside a big old stone castle. Might weird, but that’s how I was able to create the atmosphere I was longing for. And when I think about it the room has turned into mulberry with pale salmon and greens with some sprinkle on top. Sounds like a restaurant. And it turned out rather tasty.

Well, lots has happened! On a budget, of course, and this is what I’ve done: painted it out in the same mulberry colour as the hallway. Because I never get tired of this colour, and because this room is like an extension to the hallway. It could have been the truth, and that’s how I feel it now as it’s (nearly) done, but the real truth is that the teenager mixing (don’t take it personal teenagers) the paint for me made a mistake when he got two NCS codes (one for this room and the one for the hallway as I’m going to paint out the ceiling and staircase too). And without me noticing I got all of the paint in the same colour – the hallway colour. So I was thinking: I guess it’s a meaning to it, I don’t want to spend any of my energy going back to that store and complain.

Back to what I’ve done: I hung up some new and some thrifted curtains in front of an open shelving we built in here a couple of years ago. I could not possibly watch that mess. The curtains are basically the same colour as the walls, and they create a textured drapery that just melts into the rest, and it turned out to be a wow. At least for me. I think every one should have at least one drapery wall. And since there’s lot of textiles in here I added even more – two curtains in the doorway! One in mulberry, and one in gold. More is more!

I shopped my own home (you can always do that!), and my bentwood rocking chair is now in here, actually with a new cushion in it! It’s adorable, totally a new favorite. It’s called Paprika and has dreds to it. The paintbrushes has found its places in old vases and pots, and so has a couple of new plants. The octagon table (my second one, oh my, I love octagon tables) was a bargain just some days ago. It has a really worn tabletop which is perfect for an atelier. It’s OK to spill paint in here, it will only make it prettier. I just paid 250 NOK (about 20 GBP)!

The lovely lamp I got from a market in April, and now my husband just hang another vintage lamp which I got in as a present from a friend. No photos of it now, but it will come. I painted the floor grey, like the hallway and the green room. They’re all attached, plus it’s practical when you have big dog. I don’t want to wash it like every day. I wrote way too much, congratulations if you read all the way down here! 😉

Oh, and just to make it clear, I’ve painted the ceiling in the same colour as the walls. But shiny. Like I usually do. It’s a must for me if I’m suppose to create real magic. And I am, right?

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