Small study of Frederick Varley’s Canadian Soldier, 1942. — Studies such as this one (of Varley’s original painting) inform my research and development for my large, multi-year graphic novel project, “Occupation: The Long Shadow.” This project centres mainly on my Norwegian grandfather’s written accounts of his time as a POW from 1942–45 in Norway, Germany,…
Category: Visual Storytelling
“… colors in a parched landscape.”
“Summer […] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape.” — Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird A contemplation in china and alcohol markers on newsprint. 16.5″ x 16.5″ (42 cm x 42 cm).
Sketches in Secret: Drawing, Resistance, and the Human Spirit
My quick study of one of Gunnar Bratlie’s sketches in his book, Skisser i smug: Glimt fra livet på Grini [Sketches in Secret: Glimpses of Life at Grini]. Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, 1945. Gunnar Bratlie (1918–1990) was a Norwegian illustrator known for his book covers and illustrations, including the complete works of Selma Lagerlöf. —…
Micro-peek at Potato Nose: Narratio Retrógrada
“Everything has been thought of before, but the problem is to think of it again.” — Goethe Here is a micro-peek. Final art is nearly complete for Potato Nose: Narratio Retrógrada. Next stop: scanning, printing, and finally mailing copies to the Kickstarter backers! Potato Nose: Narratio Retrógrada is a 24-page, self-published, midi-size comic with a…
Rowan tree studies, Stanley Park
Rowan tree studies, at Park Lane and Lagoon Drive, Stanley Park, Vancouver, Canada I always stop for Rowan trees. They are particularly glorious right now in the park. Rowan reminds me to stand quiet for a moment in awe of all the magic both seen and unseen… to contemplate the whole world in a single…
Studio play: dance studies, cutouts, choreography
Today’s studio play: human figure/dance studies –> cutouts -> choreography while listening to The Catherine Wheel (David Byrne)
“The end is where we start from.” — T. S. Eliot.
“The end is where we start from.” — T. S. Eliot. As I enter cave time to work on a number of projects – with initial focus on completing the 24-page midi-size comic, “Potato Nose: Narratio Retrógrada” – I say “see ya” by sharing the back and front covers. The story starts in 2026, moves…
I sing [to my] body electric…
“I sing the body electric… To be surrounded by beautiful, curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough…” – Walt Whitman My edit: “I sing [to my] body electric…To be surrounded by [my] [-], curious, breathing, laughing flesh is enough…” Why did I delete that one particular word in my edit? — This is one of several…
Temporal ambiguity…
The MRI, March 17, 2026. “Illness narratives do not always begin at the beginning.” — Catherine Kohler Riessman, “Ruptures and Sutures: Time, Audience and Identity in an Illness Narrative,” Sociology of Health & Illness, Vol. 37, No. 7 (2015) Experimenting with “temporal ambiguity” and messing around with imagery for my upcoming 24-page midi-size comic, Potato Nose:…
Ars longa, vita brevis (art is long, life is short)
Two years ago (July 2024) around this time, I was finishing up the artwork for my first graphic novel, Salt Green Death, which was released by Conundrum Press in May 2025. This past weekend, I completed the artwork for my second graphic novel, Full Bleed (a very special collaboration with writer Sea Conlin, scheduled for…
Unraveling knits… a recurring theme
“Pull a thread here and you’ll find it’s attached to the rest of the world.” — Nadeem Aslam Unraveling knits are a recurring theme in my work. Drawing them is a comforting, meditative process where perfection isn’t the goal. The realism is simply implied, leaving space for imagination.
… what the alcohol markers have left behind.
“To paint is to love again, live again, see again. To get up at the crack of dawn in order to take a peek at the water colors one did the day before… is like stealing a look at the beloved while she sleeps.” — Henry Miller I’m in the FINAL STRETCH of a collaborative…
“For these dead birds sigh a prayer.” – Shakespeare
This is my 12th year living a block from the heronry in Stanley Park. Each year cycle is a profound joy and awe for me. I love the hunched adults showing up on the apartment buildings in the neighbourhood, I love the gorgeous bare trees silhouetted against the sky and spotted with the stick sculptures…
Sacrifice: a story in three panels
A story in three panels: contemplative snippets of rough sketches based on one of my father’s recollection from growing up during World War II in Norway. This particular memory was one he returned to again and again. I’m struck by how the shadow of those wartime experiences lingered long after the war itself had ended….
To embody what it feels like when your dreams come true…
On July 27, 2015, I took a workshop facilitated by my friend and mentor, Peter Breeze (co-facilitated by Odin, who joined us online from Germany). Peter has been absolutely instrumental in my journey as artist/author, showing me I could and would create my passion project that became Salt Green Death, published with Conundrum Press….
Art is Practice. Practice is Art.
A contemplation on colour. Today I am playing with china markers, alcohol markers, and dabbing of ultra soft pan pastel (on my go-to paper choice, newsprint) as I explore how to colour pages for my upcoming self-published limited edition 16 page comic, “Potato Nose: Narratio Retrograda” (the prologue to my larger graphic novel project, Potato…
Listening Across Time: Portrait Studies for Occupation: The Long Shadow
As I sink deeper into the delicious research and development phase of my next large-scale non-fiction graphic novel, Occupation: The Long Shadow, I find myself using again quick portrait studies. These sketches are more than exercises in likeness. They become conversations with the dead, a way of listening across time. Recently, I completed studies of…
From the back, it’s a messy map
“Embroidery is beautiful not only for what you see, but for all you don’t. From the back, it’s a messy map—absolute chaos… Knots upon knots… Each one a prayer, on a string.”— Robin Brown (Glitter Saints: The Cosmic Art of Forgiveness, a Memoir) When my thoughts start racing with messy chaos… when I need grounding…
Spring Update: Endings, Beginnings, Explorations
Happy spring! Here in Vancouver’s West End, the ducklings and goslings are out, and the heron chicks are chirping away in their nests. It’s a beautiful season to be deep in creative work. Before I share project updates, that on May 4, my kids and I sadly said goodbye to our beautiful old Queen, Reina….
Woke up to this nomination news!
Thrilled to wake up to the news that my book, Salt Green Death (2025), has been nominated for Best Book at the Doug Wright Awards 🎉 I feel incredibly honoured to be alongside such powerful artists. Huge thanks to my publisher, Conundrum Press, and to everyone who helped bring this passion project into the world….
Sound collage to inspire creative process
“November 21, 1948” As I was creating my graphic novel, Salt Green Death (Conundrum Press 2025), I made a list of sounds corresponding to events that were happening (sounds I imagined happening internally and sounds I knew may be happening externally) on November 21, 1948 when Joseph O’Dwyer walked in a psychotic state across…
The past and the present came face to face today.
An overwhelm of emotions today, of ups and downs, of wrestling great news and confronting old fears and anticipating too much. The past and the present came face to face today. I am here but still too much there. Expand and contract. Expand and contract. “Slow down,” said my daughter. I took a deep breath…
She is filled with secrets…
Laura Palmer (July 22, 1972 – February 24, 1989) In honour of Laura Palmer, central character in Twin Peaks, who disappeared on the night of 23 February 1989 [based original SEPTEMBER 12, 2017 post] I process my obsessions through creativity. And there was a lot to process when we have reached “the end” of Twin…
Behold the handmaid of the moon…
Hanora (Norah) Morriss O’Dwyer (February 19, 1900 – September 19, 1963 Released in May 2025 with Conundrum Press, Salt Green Death is my 21-year journey into the documented life of Joseph O’Dwyer (1929 – 1963). My graphic novel pieces together patient files, archival fragments, and historical research. While the book is Joseph’s story, today I (re)turn to the…
Notes from the Studio: Projects, Process, and What’s Ahead
I won’t go too deeply into what last year was like. It was an extreme year, marked by both real hardships and real gifts. There were intense highs and lows and moments of scarcity, but also the grounding presence of family, friends, creativity, and a surprising amount of travel. The artist’s struggle is alive and…
“When Death Comes…” (embroidered drawing preparation)
Mary Oliver, Poem 102: When Death Comes When death comes like the hungry bear in autumn; when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse to buy me, and snaps the purse shut; when death comes like the measle-pox; when death comes like an iceberg between the shoulder blades, …
Bean Around Books Bookstore Appreciation Day Dec 6 2025
A day of books, coffee, community and joy! What a delight to present Salt Green Death and to listen to incredible readings by local authors at Bean Around Books today in Maple Ridge BC. Huge thank you to my brother, Fredrik Thorsen, for introducing me to this magical place!
“Maybe some day you can write a book about your adventures.” A letter from Pierre Berton, 1973 #potatonose
Pierre Francis de Marigny Berton (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) Of his forty-seven books, this was Berton’s personal favourite, partly because the characters were inspired by his own children. The Secret World of Og brought the author more fan mail than anything else he wrote – at least a dozen letters a week from children across…
30 HOURS TO GO — FINAL PUSH #potatonose
As we head into the last stretch of my Kickstarter, a gentle reminder: Kickstarter is all or nothing. If I don’t reach my goal, the project won’t be funded. And yet, whatever happens, I am profoundly grateful! And if I fall short, please know: your encouragement has already carried me so far. I’m honoured to…