housing, art | When the aura came, a new interest grew: – Now we’ve spent our entire holiday budget on this

art: It really all started when Solveig Stødle was in Bergen several years ago. I saw one of Martin Watson’s artwork and fell totally in love. However, it will be a few years before she actually gets that exact picture in her living room.

We’ve always loved going to galleries and galleries to look at art, but when corona came along, we got more time and money to spare and saw that there was room to take that step forward, say Solveig Stødle and Kjetil Jansen.

Previously, they only had mass-produced pictures of furniture stores on the walls. Now all rooms are full of art. Rather than redecorating during the pandemic – as many have done – the pair became art collectors.

– It was a very nice hobby – and it was a joint project we could share. It is important for all relationships. They say even the oldest boys, ages 16 to 18, participated.

Bite her stick

The first artwork to enter the house in Sandved was a portrait by Hammer Art. Solveig was the most willing to start with him, but when Kjetil found a picture of Bjor he liked, he noticed he had been bitten by a bacillus.

– Then the ball began to roll and it grew into a common interest. We were still learning new things about art and the art world. We always find something new that we want and develop our tastes, as they say.

Over the past year and a half, they have purchased about 40 artworks. There are still a lot they want, but now it’s starting to taper off a bit on the wall space. The older boys have artwork adorning the rooms. In addition, there is art in the living room, in the hallway, in the bedroom, in the kitchen, in the bathroom and in the garage.

– It’s a bit dangerous and easy to drift in. There are a lot of nice things to do—while we might not have a wall to wear, Solveig says.

Watch the art collection here:

I used my vacation budget

When Corona put an end to their vacation plans, the couple got a little extra money to spend. They have now used it in art.

Instead of traveling, we prioritize having fun around us and having something nice to look at. Some have money in the bank, while we have it on the walls, says Kjetil and laughs.

Their most expensive picture cost about 30,000 kroner, so it cost a few thousand kroner in the new hobby.

– We view it as an investment. We can’t go back to putting posters on walls now, Solveig says.

When you buy a little expensive art, they also deserve a beautiful frame. The couple found Hana’s favorite frame maker and they sent all the pictures to Rammeboden.

– These are things we have not thought of before, but art needs special frames and special art glasses. You can’t just put them in Ikea tires, says Solveig.

They learned a lot about how to preserve art in the best possible way, should it ever be sold.

We buy to get it ourselves, but sometimes we have to throw something away to make room for something new, says Kjetil.

for all the family

The two are completely different about which photos they like. So, it becomes somewhat similar to pictures of Solveig hanging in the living room, while pictures of Kjetil end up in the garage and hallway.

– There will be some discussion. We boys often get along and love the same art, but she’s the one who owns the living room, says Kjetil and laughs.

The couple feel street art hits them better than the traditional paintings their parents painted on the wall.

– I like that pictures often contain a message. It often becomes a topic of conversation when we have visitors. Plus, you can look at the photos over and over again and constantly see something new, says Kjetil.

– It also captures us and the older boys. Solveig says it’s nice to have something we can get together.

I got my favorite picture

Martin Watson has always been Solveig’s favorite artist. At first I got “The Stag” which has now been given a place of honor at the dining table. But she always dreamed of the picture she saw in Bergen.

And after several attempts, she finally bought a picture of a ballerina named “Bass”. He arrived home just before Christmas and is already hanging on the wall in the living room. Now she dreams of buying the image of another ballerina “In Point”.

– It’s high on my wishlist now. I was so happy when I finally got a picture of Watson. She says it was just really luck that made us understand.

Solveig likes his images to be feminine, while also having a boisterous street art personality. Now she is waiting for two more pictures of Whatson, which she received as a Christmas gift from Kjetil.

Many have asked about the art they already own and this summer Solveig created a separate Instagram account to display the photos. Kunsthjemmet quickly became popular and receives many inquiries from people who wonder where they got their art from. Either from the inside or the outside. They themselves prefer to buy art directly through the artist or via a gallery and stay updated when new works arrive through the artists’ Instagram profile or the Kunstveggen website.