Situated on ‘The Golden Road’ which passes through scenic parts of Inderøy in Nord-Trøndelag, Gallery Mitsel belongs to a special community of craftsmen, farmers, and cultural attractions. Run by Heidi herself, with a little help from her family, the gallery showcases her multidisciplinary work over three floors. The building features a workshop, a boutique, and an attic gallery, where visitors can not only purchase Heidi’s creations, but also observe her in the creative process. The journey to the opening of Gallery Mitsel, however, was not linear.

Despite knowing that she wanted to become a ceramicist from an early age, life happened and Heidi found love, got married, and had three children before pursuing her dream. In 2001, she enrolled in a year-long ceramics course at her local county college. At the same time, she started experimenting with different glass art techniques to develop her skills and broaden her understanding of various art disciplines. “I am driven by a very strong desire to always learn new things and try new techniques, and I want my art to be unique and special.”

Fast-forward to 2014, Heidi was working full-time as a youth worker when she received the opportunity to open her own gallery. In doing so, she would join ‘The Golden Road’ cooperative and aid in their mission to increase awareness of local attractions in the area. Heidi jumped at the chance and today she sells most of her art directly from her gallery, as well as through a handful of ‘Husfliden’ shops in Trøndelag. She is very content with the size of her business, but remains driven to explore new ideas and concepts.

Heidi shared with Localfolk that the market is tough, and she feels very lucky to be able to make a living doing what she loves. At the same time, she admits that working with ceramics and glass can feel more like a job than a hobby, especially when the objective is to produce enough stock before a season. She says that 18- to 19-hour days are not unheard of, especially when stocking up for the busy summer months. That said, she finds peace and tranquillity in painting, creating beautiful landscapes with acrylics and watercolours.

At Gallery Mitsel, Heidi operates under the philosophy that each piece should be unique, while also adapting her products to the current market conditions. Around Christmas, for example, she increases her production of usable art such as ceramic cups, which many people buy as gifts. When summer comes around, she has more flexibility to experiment with her products, since customers have the time to shop and are willing to spend more on things they love. By matching supply with demand and adjusting her production accordingly, Heidi enjoys working on different art disciplines all year round.