Petter discovered his passion for art about a decade ago. At a time when he was looking for a new hobby to delve into, he came across painting, and it soon became a serious passion. Despite having no formal art education, he has since been able to make a name for himself in the industry. Today, his work is featured in exhibitions around Trondheim, but the truth is he never planned on becoming a painter.
Growing up, Petter was drawn to music and dreamed of becoming a pop star. In the mid-90s, he released his first single at the age of 18, and was quickly recognized as a rising star on Norway’s pop music scene. Suddenly his future was looking bright, but shortly thereafter, darkness hit and Petter disappeared from the music scene. The moment he started painting, however, he experienced the same positive feelings that music had given him several years earlier.
His unique style of combining acrylic paint and charcoal to portray the shadows of the human mind is heavily influenced by his own life experiences. “Many people ask me if there is an element of depression behind the paintings, but I would rather use the word melancholic to describe my work.” His art was featured in a solo exhibition titled “Rebel” at Akron Gallery in 2017, and he is now working towards his next exhibition.
Petter describes his creative process as intuitive and iterative, and his technique can change from one day to the next. In fact, he was once asked to teach a course about his painting technique, but found that it was almost impossible to explain to others how he worked. “I try to create strong impressions and voices, and I am especially fascinated by the light I see displayed in nature with the transition from spring to summer.”
More often than not, Petter doesn’t know what his paintings will look like in the end, only a general idea of what he wants to paint – such as an urban landscape or a person. “Sometimes I repaint the background several times until I find the right combination of colours and light.” He creates his work in complete silence, since music can change how he expresses himself on the canvas, and there is usually no specific message that he wishes to convey with each painting.
When asked to share who inspires him as an artist, Petter mentions Edvard Munch and Lars Lerin. That said, he is careful not to copy or compare himself to other painters. While Petter would love to make a living from his art, he says that marketing his work and increasing his level of production are two of the things that are standing in the way of making this his full-time job. For now, he enjoys working in healthcare and finds tons of inspiration for his art in his daily life.
