Astri Styrkestad Haukaas
Astri Styrkestad Haukaas is an artist driven by her passion for the materials she works with. Her approach is experimental and focuses on elements such as tactility and the power of different combinations of color and light. We have asked her to give an introduction to herself and her artistic practice.
"I am Norwegian, but have been living in Denmark since 2010. I’ve studied art and creative leadership. I’ve been painting ever since I was a kid - like we all do. I just kept going, and now that’s what I work with. I have had breaks from it, long and short and I often do other tings simultaneously, but I always come back to it. Even when I'm not actually painting, it is still going on in my head.
Cause and effect are important parts of my work. The process itself and the way the materials I use, react to each other. The first stage is very free in a way. No rules or plan. I use a very watery base and very watery acrylic to start with, and then add spray paint, acrylic ink, oil paint or other types of acrylic paint. The water lets the materials react freely and allows the pigment to move so I can step back and look at it happen. This creates the base from which I continue to work more consciously.
I'm especially inspired by specific places but also new terrain I haven’t explored. A stone, a mountain, a river bed - anything basically. Human nature or human reactions when being in/with nature."