Here is a little about Ingrid Thortveit. - I remember the first time I won a prize. I was about 9 years old. Primary School. We where drawing our favorite fantasy house. My drawing ended up to win the prize of the best drawing in my class, and they hung it on the wall through the rest of the years. I was super proud and it felt good. A year later we had to paint our classmates, in pairs. I painted my best friend at that time. I remember the teacher was very pleased with my painting, as I managed to make the nose look three dimensional. It ended up hanging at the Headmaster's office the rest of my time at primary school. I realized how much I loved painting portraits. - High school I did not study art, it was something I did a bit on my free time. It studied maths, chemistry, physics and biology. My plan was to study maths at college. I got in but I had this feeling that this was not right. I didn't feel passionate about it. I loved doing art. Completely change of direction as I one day woke up and decided to pursue art instead. I moved to Paris in 2006, and got inspired. Buildings and portraits. Got super inspired in by all the portrait painters in Montmartre, the artist area of town. - In 2007, I loved to London to work like a nanny. On my free time I did portrait commissions. Lots of families saw these portraits and I did a few commissions of kids. I loved it. My passion for portraits where growing. - Up until now all I did was self-thought. But I wanted to learn how to paint professionally. In 2011 I enrolled to The Florence Academy of Art, Swedish branch, in Gothenburg. One of Europe's best academies for fine classical art. The traditional techniques and secrets of the old masters. I lived in Gothenburg for 3 years. I won a scholarship and lots of prizes for best paintings throughout the years I was there. - In 2014 I won a prize, Fourth year prize. I got another year for free at The Florence Academy of Art in Florence. Also with specialized studies with the founder and Director of the school, Daniel Graves. I was teaching there too. Such an inspiring year. - In 2015 I moved back to Norway where I had my very first exhibition. Did very well. Stayed in my home town for half a year, with atelier in nature. In 2016 I moved to London again, where I worked full-time with art. - Settled in Oslo in 2017 where I now do art fulltime. Lots of exhibitions, commissions and workshops all over Norway, in Provence and also in London. Would love to get to Usa as well at some point. I keep on climbing to reach out more places with my art.

What does Ingrid Thortveit find yummy? I don't have lots of time to cook, but if I do, I love salmon(of course, Im Norwegian ;-)). I'll say that if I went to to an island where I had to survive with two foods the rest of my life, I'd bring salmon and avocado. The avocado is also inspiring to paint, it has a beautiful color and shape if cut. Or any fish with Omega 3(tuna, Marcella etc.) I feel omega 3 is important for my art brain. I will go to a workshop to make Thai food the beginning of March, I love Thai food. If i cook I would put weird things together. As a student at FAA I was called the ""bird girl"", as I managed to make strange meals out of seeds. I eat oat porridge for breakfast every morning. .

Here is how to connect with Ingrid Thortveit.

www.ingridthortveit.com Through my website: www.ingridthortveit.com, or e-mail: ingridthortveit@yahoo.no I would love to exhibit all over the world, USA in particular. Also I do all sorts of commissions, portrait commissions in particular. From life or from photo..