Hi everybody!

Just wanted to share some thoughts about the state of my painting process, inspiration, or lack thereof, I should say. I currently live in Oslo, which is south eastern Norway, not too far from the Swedish border. The landscape around here (well, outside the city itself) is your typical Norwegian "fairytale" scenery. You know, mountains, pine forests, dramatic valleys, waterfalls, the lot. I'm not complaining, however, I'm originally from a town called Stavanger, and grew up over there on the south west coast. There, the landscape is completely different, more akin to that of Shetland and coastal Scotland, and I ponder if this is the main reason for the painting rut I've recently found myself in. The pine trees and the mountains don't quite do it for me, I guess, as my mind unwillingly wanders to thoughts and memories of those white, sandy beaches facing a lunatic North Sea, the grassy fields with all the farms with their stone fences, the big skies, the moody weather. Is this is "my" landscape, I wonder, the landscape I need to revisit, learn how to paint? I think so.

I've thought a lot about this for the last couple of years, and as my parents are getting older, I also want to be with them more during the winter of their lives. So finally, my wife and I have decided to actually move back home. Moving cities is another ball game vs moving house within a city, as you also need to sort out new jobs, navigate totally different housing markets, all that stressful stuff that does nothing but kill all creativity, but hopefully temporarily! That's also why I haven't posted much lately, and probably won't do for another while, until we're good and settled in our new home. I still love this forum, and I was quite active in here in the early days, but life always takes a turn or two, no?

Anyone else found themselves not being particularly inspired by life and the landscape around them? Have you done anything to "correct" it? Would love to hear about your own similar experiences.