Scotland-based Norwegian illustrator and printmaker, Bjorn Lie, takes center stage in our artist spotlight as he delves into his recent series of “flower studies.”

Liberating Creativity

For Lie, these studies serve as a playground for experimenting with shape, pattern, and mark-making, providing a liberating escape from the constraints of composition concerns. Rather than viewing them as traditional compositions, Lie perceives these creations as ‘two-dimensional sculptures’ endowed with a distinct physicality.

Creative Solace

As an illustrator by profession, Lie finds solace and creative freedom in these works, offering him the opportunity to explore without the burden of deadlines. Despite the outward appearance of precision in the finished pieces, Lie emphasizes that the process is an intricate dance with serendipity, where unexpected twists and turns contribute to the final outcome. He shares, “the outcome is often a complete surprise,” highlighting the spontaneity that defines his artistic journey.

Diverse Inspiration

Lie draws inspiration from a diverse range of sources, spanning from the realm of ‘natural curiosities’ embodied by figures like Ernst Haeckel and Albertus Seba to the avant-garde designs of Ettore Sotsass and contemporary ceramic artists.

Materials and Techniques

The materials and techniques Lie employs in crafting these floral marvels include soft pastels, stencils, paper marbling, mono printing, and rubber stamps.

Artistic Exploration

In essence, Bjorn Lie’s “flower studies” become a manifestation of artistic exploration, where the intersection of inspiration, technique, and the unpredictable nature of the creative process converges to produce visually stunning and conceptually rich pieces.