"Being a painter suits me perfectly since I like to be my own master. I consider myself an artist belonging to the group of new realists where the human being is looked upon in a new light and painted strongly figurative. To be able to convey a story with a single painting—your art must go in a direction where the photograph cannot follow."
Read a Q&A with Jon Bøe Paulsen
Talk to us about your work featured here. What are the main themes and ideas you explore in it?
Mary Magdalene, the Apostle, the closest and most devoted disciple of Jesus Christ and possibly his girlfriend and wife. Texts in the Bible suggest that after his crucifixion she may have been the first to discover the empty shroud in the Garden Tomb that bore only traces of his body. Mary still felt strongly his presence in the cave which could later be described as his resurrection. She may later have given birth to his child which continued the royal bloodline. Sangreal. Mary is canonized as a Saint in several major denominations.
Describe your creative process.
The meaning of Clair Obscure, in Italian chiaroscuro, is light in the darkness. That is some of the reasons why I work with plain and few earth colors and very seldom part from that rule unless it is absolutely necessary. I start the work on a canvas that I have prepared myself using raw umber and I use a painting medium called black oil. A medium I brew myself according to an old Italian recipe
What are the main influences and inspirations behind your art?
Personally, I love a good TV series where they have also put energy into the photography. The Count of Monte Cristo. Directed by Bille August is a recent example.
What do you consider the strongest aspect of your work?
People say I can draw and soon I start to believe them.
What message or emotion do you hope viewers take away from experiencing your art?
Regarding this picture "Mary Magdalene SangReal" I hope readers enjoy that it was painted by a person who does not consider himself religious. I felt that this gave me a greater and necessary distance from the subject and the content.
What is the biggest challenge for an artist? What is the hardest part of this job?
Falling into the trap that if you have a good financial situation for a period after a sale, you will remain at that level. You have reached a new business platform. 50 years of experience has thought me otherwise though.
What is the most rewarding part of being an artist?
If I were to highlight a story, it was that I experienced the painting "Son of Mary and Joseph" being presented darker and better on the wall at Sotheby's in New York than in my crazy little studio in Oslo.
How do you balance tradition and innovation in your practice?
I mix old techniques with a, for me, fresh motif with possibly a different angle. That is the essence of neorealism.
What does "good art" mean to you? What makes a piece of art great?
When it comes to figurative, I think many colleagues forget that the technique and the idiom are just the toolbox. It must not stop there. That is where it begins. The artist must have a story to tell. The figurative is not an end in itself. If you can convey a motif that is best shown through a clear figurative language, you have a good chance of presenting a good image.
What is the role of the artist today?
The power of art. Don't underestimate it. I did it once when my compass needle got too close to other cultural forces in society and lost its direction. It won't happen again.