How the Norwegian artist uses atmosphere, intuition, and nature to create abstract paintings that invite viewers into moments of calm and reflection.
How the Norwegian artist uses atmosphere, intuition, and nature to create abstract paintings that invite viewers into moments of calm and reflection.
During my visit to Mana Contemporary’s ASAF Residency Program, I had the opportunity to sit down with Norwegian artist Heidi Jahr Kirkeby, whose vibrant abstract paintings capture something that is often difficult to describe but easy to feel.
Standing inside her studio surrounded by newly completed works, I immediately felt a sense of calm. Her paintings seemed to create their own atmosphere—spaces filled with movement, color, light, and emotion. It quickly became clear that this feeling was no accident.
For Heidi, atmosphere is at the heart of everything she creates.
Based in Oslo, Norway, Heidi is a visual artist whose work is inspired by nature. Rather than painting traditional landscapes, she creates abstract interpretations of natural experiences, focusing on mood, memory, and emotional connection rather than specific locations.
“I try to paint atmospheres,” she explained.
That goal is evident throughout her work. Her paintings invite viewers to slow down and bring their own experiences into the image. Each person may see something different, but the emotional connection remains.
Inspired by Nature
Nature has always been an important part of Heidi’s life.
Growing up in Norway, she spent time surrounded by mountains, forests, oceans, and open landscapes. Today, she continues to draw inspiration from the natural world, often photographing scenes during her travels and daily life.
These photographs are not used as direct references. Instead, they serve as reminders of colors, compositions, and emotions that later influence her paintings.
The final artwork rarely resembles the original photograph. Instead, the image evolves through intuition and experimentation, becoming something entirely new.
Her work highlights the importance of nature in a world that often feels increasingly fast-paced and overwhelming.
Through painting, she hopes viewers can reconnect with the sense of peace and calm that nature provides.
Trusting the Process
One of the most interesting aspects of Heidi’s practice is her willingness to embrace uncertainty.
She begins each painting by exploring color relationships. Once she has established a palette, the process becomes intuitive.
Rather than following a strict plan, she allows the painting to develop organically.
Layers are added, removed, and reworked until the composition begins to reveal itself.
Sometimes the results are unexpected.
In fact, Heidi admitted that many paintings do not end up looking anything like she originally imagined. Occasionally those surprises become some of her strongest works.
When a painting reaches a difficult stage, she often sets it aside for days, weeks, or even months before returning with fresh eyes.
This patience allows the work to mature naturally over time.
The Power of a Creative Diary
For more than fifteen years, Heidi has maintained a creative diary.
Filled with sketches, notes, color studies, clippings, and ideas, the diary serves as a personal archive of inspiration.
Whenever she feels creatively stuck, she returns to older entries and discovers ideas that may have been recorded years earlier.
The practice reflects a valuable lesson for artists: creativity is rarely linear.
Ideas continue to evolve long after they first appear.
What may seem insignificant today can become the foundation for an entirely new body of work years later.
Learning Through Community
While much of an artist’s life is spent working alone, Heidi values the creative community that residencies provide.
During her time at Mana Contemporary’s ASAF Residency Program, she enjoyed engaging with fellow artists, discussing creative processes, and exchanging feedback.
She believes criticism can be valuable when it comes at the right stage of a painting’s development.
Once an artist reaches a point where they no longer know what to do next, outside perspectives can often reveal new possibilities.
The residency also gave her access to New York City’s world-renowned museums and galleries.
During her stay, Heidi spent considerable time studying the work of Helen Frankenthaler, whose approach to abstraction and color influenced many of the paintings she created during the residency.
As a Norwegian artist, she also cited Edvard Munch as one of her enduring artistic influences.
A Studio Built Around Water and Color
Unlike many painters who work on vertical easels, Heidi paints her canvases flat on large tables.
The reason is simple: water.
Her process relies heavily on diluted acrylic paint, allowing colors to flow naturally across the surface.
Painting horizontally gives her greater control over these movements and helps create the layered, atmospheric effects that define her work.
She prefers acrylic paint because it dries quickly, is non-toxic, and allows for experimentation without the restrictions associated with oil painting.
The resulting surfaces contain numerous layers, creating depth, transparency, and subtle shifts in color that reveal themselves over time.
A Productive Residency
In just a few weeks at Mana Contemporary, Heidi completed an impressive fourteen large paintings along with several smaller studies and sketches.
The productivity reflects both her dedication and the inspiration she found during her time in New Jersey and New York.
Many of these works will return with her to Norway and may appear in an upcoming solo exhibition later this year.
Looking around her studio, it was easy to see how each painting belonged to a larger conversation.
While every piece possessed its own identity, together they formed a cohesive family of works connected by atmosphere, color, and emotion.
Looking Ahead
After the residency, Heidi will return home to Oslo to continue painting and preparing for future exhibitions.
Her goal remains simple.
To keep creating.
To keep exploring.
And to continue translating the feeling of nature into paintings that offer moments of reflection and peace.
In a world that often demands constant movement, Heidi Jahr Kirkeby’s work reminds us of the value of slowing down, observing, and simply being present.
To learn more about Heidi’s work, visit her website and follow her on Instagram:
Website: HeidiKirkeby.no
Instagram: @heidifjahrkirkeby
About Tarik Talk Podcast
Tarik Talk is an independent podcast hosted by artist and filmmaker Tarik Mendes, featuring conversations with artists, curators, museum professionals, collectors, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders from around the world.
With over 200 episodes spanning 50 seasons and guests from more than 10 countries, Tarik Talk explores the stories, challenges, and inspirations behind today’s creative voices. Recorded inside artist studios, museums, galleries, art fairs, and cultural institutions, each episode offers listeners an intimate look into contemporary art and creative life.
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