Sven Svendsen

 

Here I am in March, as spring is springing perversely remembering the depths of dark winter that was so recently shrinking our world. These paintings by Sven Svendsen (1864-1945) capture perfectly that darkness and the puddles of light that are like stepping stones and contain our worlds in these winter months. 

Øyvind Torseter I

I found a wonderful book by an illustrator I hadn't found before, it is Norwegian illustrator Øyvind Torseter. My version is in French 'Perché Il Cane Ha Il Naso Bagnato?' written by Scottish poet Kenneth Steven; 'Why dogs have wet noses' is a new interpretation of Noah and it is wonderful!

Øyvind Torseter has a unique style which uses singular blocks of colour to enhance and create the environment or characters used in conjunction with detailed line drawing.

'They sailed away. Land had long since vanished. Only sea and sky remained. The rain fell heavier and heavier, and lightning shot from the black clouds, gleaming like snakes’ tongues. But apart from the crashing sounds of rain and thunder, it was completely quiet. As though there were no other sounds left in the whole wide world.'

Poor Noah struggles to satisfy the needs and wants of the animal, whom he tends day and night, and then disaster strikes as the ark springs a leak.

Noah is at a loss as to what to do . . . until he sees the soft round nose of his dog, and it is in this way that he plugs the hole.

Whilst all the other animals party and relax the poor dog is left with his nose in water blocking the hole.

Until there is a crash

They have struck land and everyone emerges from the ark.

Except the poor dog with his nose stuck in the hole.

at last Noah remembers and runs back.

'Noah gently stroked his dog’s tummy.“Good boy,” he whispered.“Woof!” the dog replied, leaping up to give his master a kiss with his wet nose.Never again would Noah’s dog have to go to sea. But from then on, every dog in the world would have a wet nose.'

Paul René Gauguin II

Så Rart ( How Strange) peotry by Inger Hagerup (1905-1985) illustrated by Paul René Gauguin (1911-1976), published 1950 created using stencil screen prints and pen work. 

Paul René Gauguin I

Poetry by Inger Hagerup, illustrated by Paul René Gaugin, grandson of the painter Paul Gaugin.
Paul illustrated three of Inger's books of poetry; Så rart (1950), Lille Persille (1961), Den Sommeren (1971). It is difficult to find out which illustrations are from which book on the internet, I believe these more loose linear ones are from Så rart. 

Øyvind Rustad Johansen

An editorial illustration by Øyvind Rustad Johansen, I like his use of colour and layers in the finished composition, and of course having a pet wild seagull I love the top stack of gulls.

Eric Formoe

 

 

 

Eric Formoe is a Norwegian painter who paints faces, his style is loose and reminds me of monoprinting with some portraits having pattern and others formed by thin glazes of translucent bright slabs of colour. Because of Eric's concentration on portraits and character his work also seems the perfect compliment to Claire Loders ceramic heads, now that would be a great exhibition. (thank you)