Artists

Evy Eftestøl is a Norwegian artist, architect, and founder of ABE Studio – Art, Architecture & Other Creative Activities. Through intuitive abstraction, she creates vibrant paintings that explore the emotional and psychological layers that shape human experience. Her work is inspired by nature, relationships, personal reflection, and the delicate balance between seemingly opposing forces — strength and vulnerability, movement and stillness, joy and sorrow.

Working instinctively, Evy allows each painting to evolve organically through color, texture, and expressive mark-making. Rather than presenting fixed narratives, her compositions create open spaces for interpretation, encouraging viewers to bring their own memories, emotions, and experiences into the work. The result is a body of art that feels deeply personal while remaining universally accessible.

Although architecture has been a central part of her professional life for more than two decades, art has always remained an essential part of Evy's identity. Her creative journey has unfolded gradually, existing alongside her architectural career before eventually becoming an indispensable form of expression. What began as a personal passion slowly transformed into a deeper necessity — a way of understanding and navigating life through visual language.

Travel has played a significant role in shaping her artistic perspective. Over the past twelve years, extensive journeys throughout East Africa exposed her to extraordinary landscapes, cultures, colors, and human stories. These experiences expanded her understanding of connection, resilience, and creativity, leaving a lasting influence on both her worldview and artistic practice. Today, each painting carries traces of these encounters, woven together through intuition and reflection.

Today, Evy divides her time between her architectural practice in Stavanger and ABE Art Gallery in the coastal village of Korshavn, Norway. Her paintings often emerge through multiple layers of color and texture, reflecting her belief that both people and life itself are constantly evolving. Curiosity remains at the heart of her creative process, guiding her exploration of emotions, relationships, identity, and personal growth.

Beyond the studio, Evy is motivated by the possibility of creating meaningful impact through creativity. Through ABE Studio, a portion of profits supports charitable initiatives, including House of Hope in Tanzania. This commitment reflects her belief that art extends beyond aesthetic experience, serving as a bridge between people, cultures, and communities while contributing to positive change in the wider world.

For Evy Eftestøl, life is composed of countless interconnected layers. No experience exists in isolation, and every individual carries a unique combination of memories, emotions, and stories. Living by the ocean in Norway continually reinforces this perspective. The changing tides, shifting weather, and unpredictable nature of the sea serve as daily reminders that transformation is an inherent part of existence.

This philosophy influences both her creative process and her outlook on life. Rather than attempting to control every outcome, Evy embraces uncertainty and allows intuition to guide her work. Through abstraction, she creates visual spaces where complexity, contradiction, and beauty can coexist, inviting viewers to reflect on their own experiences and discover meaning within life's continual evolution.

Evy believes that art possesses a unique ability to connect people across cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Through color, texture, and intuition, she transforms observations about humanity into visual narratives that encourage dialogue, empathy, and understanding. Her work invites viewers to slow down, contemplate, and engage with emotions that often remain difficult to articulate through words alone.

Guided by Thomas Merton's reflection, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time,” Evy continues to create paintings that celebrate creativity, connection, and the richness of human experience. Through every layer she builds, she offers an invitation to explore the shared threads that unite us while honoring the individuality that makes every journey unique.