Gro Moe: A workplace of colourful, intuitive art

A quintessential Norwegian, painter and tapestry-weaver Gro Moe finds inspiration in nature for her vivid, many-hued creations. After “painting herself well”, she now has a thriving business that has blossomed on Instagram, despite the limited exhibition opportunities during the pandemic.

Moe came into herself as an artist as an adult, but she has always considered herself a creative person, and long before whole-heartedly pursuing art, she spent much of her time with a knitting needle. The rest was spent taking care of her three children and working part-time at a kindergarten – unsurprising, given her broad smile and the swirling colours of her paintings.

When she fell ill in the late ‘90s, she found therapy in her art and, through an education programme, studied art formally for the first time. “I then understood that you could actually learn to become an artist, that this was something you’re not just born into. So there was some fortune in all the misfortune.”

It’s been a year since she officially registered her business and made a “workplace of art”, as she puts it, and two since she set up her website and Instagram account, and business has been thriving. “It’s never too late to learn something new and find out what you want to do with your life!” she remarks. “Even when you’re about to turn 60. It’s all very fun.”

The fact that her work is fun keeps coming up – and abstract painting in particular. When asked to describe her work in one word, she answers “colourful”, and she certainly does love bold colours. Different colour palettes will inspire whatever she works on that day. She calls this ‘intuitive painting’. “There are definitely periods when I tend more towards one colour, however – often blue – and then I challenge myself to try new things.” She also looks for colour palettes on her daily nature walks, which are her chief source of inspiration.

Moe elaborates more on intuitive painting in one of her saved Instagram stories. She’s become very adept at using social media over the past couple of years and sees it as an integral part of her work. She shares her day with her followers, as well as ongoing projects, tips, and invitations for title suggestions for newly completed paintings. “It’s quite a big job, but I get to be creative there, too – luckily, I think it’s fun to make content for Instagram,” she says with a smile.

Left: The Eyes That See. Right: Gro Moe loves working with colours.

Web: gromoe.com
Instagram: @gromoe_art