Interview

Feb 8

Bente Røyseth

Bente is a Norwegian mixed media artist who has lived and worked in different countries, such as Canada, Denmark, England, Thailand and Norway. She is a person who welcomes new challenges and opportunities, and is not afraid to try something new and different.

Bente has had several careers and businesses. She has worked as a technical drawer, hotel receptionist and as an airline stewardess with Scandinavian Airlines. She is also a qualified hairdresser and has had her own salon with several employees in her home town in Norway.

Bente has a Bachelor’s degree in radiography. However, this career path didn’t feel creative enough for her. Instead, she worked as a graphic designer for 15 years in Oslo, and for 5 years in Thailand. Before moving, she established and ran her own graphic design company for 7 years.

She returned to Norway in 2014 and continued working as a graphic designer until 2019. 5 years ago, Bente became a Reiki Master Healer, which gives her the opportunity to work with energy and her intuition in another way.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“My artistic endeavors started in the Christmas of 2002. After being given a small set of oil paints and a couple of small canvas boards, I set out on an incredible journey. I soon found out that oil paints weren’t for me. Shortly after, I discovered acrylics and mixed media, and then there was no turning back. I hadn’t a clue what I was doing, so I played around with the paints and kept painting over my canvases. Some turned out okay and were keepers, but most were not. But that was alright because I was learning, having fun, using my intuition, and connecting with my inner self. I loved the endless possibilities that were on offer. I took a few art classes to get me started, but I am mostly self-taught.
Working in the corporate world full-time, and being a mother to 2 beautiful girls, painting was more like something I did for myself. It was a way of getting inside myself and letting go of mundane issues of everyday life. I painted intuitively and explored, and learned that I love bold color schemes and painting abstractly. I painted with quick strokes and multiple layers, as I still do.
When I lived in Phuket, Thailand, I had my own studio with a balcony, near a well-known Buddhist temple. I found Buddhism, the temple and the monks very inspirational at the time. I became influenced by the imagery of the monks and the inner knowledge, kindness and tranquility they radiated. This led to two Monk series and a Buddha series influenced by my stay there.”

What inspires you most?

“My inspiration comes from everyday encounters. I also get inspiration from peeling away layers within my inner self; becoming aware of different emotions, and transcending these to the work in progress. I’m also inspired by colors or textures in nature: flowers, trees, rocks, or the beautiful mountains we have in Norway.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“I don’t intentionally pursue any specific themes, unless it’s a monk/Buddha painting or a floral. However, I hope that the underlying message is a positive one. After becoming a Reiki Master, I started infusing Reiki healing symbols into the first layers of my paintings, while setting intentions for positive emotions and vibrations. I would like them to emanate health, kindness, compassion, joy and love to the viewer.”

“My inspiration sometimes comes from music or children playing outside. It’s the feeling I get when I have these experiences that I try to bring back to life in my artwork. It defines the brushstroke, the marks, the texture, the contrast or the colors used.
I hope my work stirs an emotion within the viewer so they find meaning in the painting.”

How would you describe your work?

“I mainly paint abstracts and abstract florals. There is no specific goal to be reached, and I find immense freedom in this. The colors I use feel energizing, and I hope this energy is transferred to the painting and the viewer. Over the years, I find my abstract artwork has become more expressionistic. Today, it’s more about gesture, movement, intuition and deliberate color choices.”

What artists influence you most?

“I tend to gravitate more to contemporary artists. However, I love Joan Mitchell’s marks, use of color, and gestural abstraction. Jo Davenport, Lewis Noble and Trine Panum are a few contemporary favorites.”

What is your creative process like?

"My creative process is about vibration and emotions that need to be revealed. Many layers of paint is laid down on the substrate before it’s finished. This is often portrayed with energetic shapes, lines and marks, with bold use of color. I love exploring different textures, marks and mark-making tools. I also sometimes use oil pastels to create a resist when using acrylic inks, which I find very satisfying.”

“These past two years, our society has changed immensely. I don’t think it’s been all bad because it’s forced us to take stock of how we’re living our lives. It’s also given us a chance to become more compassionate. We are not alone in this pandemic experience at this time.
By sharing my art online and on social media platforms, I like to think I’ve given someone some hope or joy, and a wish to buy an artwork to enjoy in their home or workspace.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“An artist’s role is defined by the artist. The artist may be an activist who wishes to use their art to make a political, environmental or controversial statement. The message may be subtle and more about beauty, or it can be bold and in your face.
Art has always been very influential on society, and I believe this will continue. Right now, humanity is on the precipice of great change, and art is needed to provoke, heal and transform us. There are so many diverse ways to make art today, and I love that anything is allowed. I believe we are all born creative, and the form this creativity takes is made by the choices the individual makes. We can express it through our hands, our body, our brain, or a combination of the three.”