Gro Heining — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

May 5

May 5 Gro Heining

Biography

I am a self-taught Norwegian painter, b. 1949. My first exhibition was in 1982, with more than 40 exhibitions in Norway, USA and Spain. Today, looking back, I am very thankful of finding knowledge and inspiration at Oslo Painting School (1985) and Olav Mosebekk Drawing and Painting School (1996) in Norway and painting workshops in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (1991). From 1988 I spent several years in the colorful scenery and culture of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was for me as if returning to my creative origins. Exhibitions, book illustration and animal design for T-shirts influenced my growth as an artist. I work with various techniques: acrylic, collage, water-based oil, oil pastel, water-soluble pigments and mixed media, both on paper and canvas. Since 2014, I have been sharing time between a mountain village in Andalucia, Spain and my home base in Norway. I harvest ideas for new paintings when I am relating to the polarities of different cultures, light and landscapes.

Artist Statement

Drawing and painting have always been a way of expressing myself.
Nature is my primary source of inspiration. Painting for me is a meditative state of being, where I connect to the elements and the rhythm of nature, weaving dreams and visions into my artwork. The interconnectedness of all things in nature represents a deep unity within myself. Welcome to traces of my vision.

What first prompted you to think of becoming an artist?

At the age of 5 I initiated a practice of lying on my back to see the world from an upside-down perspective. Even now I remember the pure joy of this new perception of a world that seemed more like my imagination than reality. I was making drawings of imaginary beings when I was 7 - 8 years old. At about this age I remember thinking of becoming an artist. I was visiting my uncle and ant: a goldsmith and a painter. At that time they were living in a stable, and their home and studio space was filled with collectables, tools, equipment, books, colorful paintings and sculptures. For me it was like entering a fairytale land. That is when I decided to become an artist. Life events led me in another direction, but I soon returned to the art path, and in 1982 I had my first exhibition. My other profession, administration skills, paid my bills, so I have always painted what I wanted from my own spirit.

What kind of artist do you ultimately see yourself?

I hope to become a transformational artist creating work that responds to the times we now are living in and invites the viewer into a universe of wonder, peace and renewal. I also consider my work as a teacher bringing the language of colors to the viewer and hope for the future.

What are you hoping to communicate to the viewer through your work?

My idea of the intention of doing art is to be able to communicate an awareness of the laws of nature - that all things are connected with one another and the universe. Thus it might be said that the intention of my work is to entice contemplation and introspection into dialogue with the painting.

Can you explain the process of creating your work?

I do a lot of thinking and meditation; making notes, sketches and a study of the subject matter. My inspiration to paint comes from deep inside me. I am very much inspired by Paul Gauguin’s statement: «I shut my eyes in order to see.» Nature is my inspiration, it is like the conductor of a symphony orchestra. I do the best to follow my dreams as the inspiration of my vision. For me, painting is an organic process. It takes the time it takes. I need to create the right environment for a new painting to be born. Now in my later stage of life, I feel the process like a river flowing. I use photography as a sketching tool through the different stages of the painting process. When I am studying the photos of the painting, I am gathering information about the direction of the painting. These photos create a feeling of “distance” from the painting, like seeing newly at each stage in it’s development.I know exactly the moment when the painting is finished when I experience a strong feeling inside me – like saying hello to an old friend who has just arrived.

What is your favourite part of the creative process?

Today I would say that all parts are equally satisfying; like having all the right ingredients to make a good meal. Every part of the painting process is like the instruments in an orchestra. They all need to collaborate and are dependent on each other. In my younger days, I was impatient and was anxious to complete the artwork. Now, I enjoy each moment of the work process fully, and feel almost a kind of sadness, when I put my signature on the painting. Yet, the magic moment is the transition from the blank canvas or paper to the beginning of the painting. But most of all, as a colorist, it is the pure enjoyment to find the right combinations of color and form. When the colors sing, I feel like I am conquering the world.

Can you give us an insight into current projects and inspiration, or what we can look forward to from you in the near future?

I want to continue to work with the theme of the Phoenix in these transformational times we are now living in. Through my painting years, I have explored many different techniques. For the last 5 - 6 years I have been doing a lot of detailed work. Especially in some of my «extreme collage work» as I like to call the technique. I am «painting» with fragments of earlier work creating a new wholeness. This has been an interesting experience. I will take up oil again, I love the depth in the colors and the saturation. I might also go back to the water-soluble pigments on paper, I love the transparency in the colors, very similar to what the voice of my dreams are telling me.

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