In a series of exploring the young Norwegian art scene, we met with self-taught artist Elise Hisdal Johannessen at TooManyPrints. An art print shop in the middle of Oslo, showcasing and selling the prints of Elise’s paintings that is inspired by the everyday and what she experiences around the world. Read our quick Q&A with Elise and discover her art.

First up: name, age, and artform?
My name is Elise Hisdal Johannessen, and I’m a 27-year-old painter that lives in Oslo, Norway.

What is your artistic background?

I have been painting and drawing as long as I can remember. The last couple of years I started to paint and draw every day, and during the pandemic I started to share my work with friends, family and on social media. After a lot of hard work, I have now made it my full-time job, which makes me very happy. If I could, I would paint everyday all day.

How would you describe your art? Or what themes do you pursue in your art?

It’s difficult to describe my own art. I don’t want to influence my audience by limiting my art to one or two styles. I want them to explore their own impression and find their own meanings in it.

I paint a lot of women and I believe this is because that’s what I’m mostly familiar with, and what I have been inspired by in movies and books my whole life.

What inspires you and/or motivates you?

Movies, books, coffee, people, and cultures. I feel inspired almost all the time. I am very grateful to be able to wake up every day and have the freedom to create what I want.