Recently, I had the chance to help an intriguing Nepali artist, Ugem Manandhar, launch his first website and create an artist logo to go with it. His portfolio site—ArtPop by Ugem Manandhar—showcases his rich and diverse body of work. I’ve known Ugem through Facebook for several years, and my respect for his talent and curiosity…

I need to embrace the fact that I’m genuinely trying to do something meaningful with my life—and with all the experiences I’ve gathered along the way. A lot of what I’ve lived through has been difficult, even painful. But I keep working to turn those challenges into something positive, something that becomes real life knowledge.…

Feelings are complicated. Full stop. Sometimes they’re too much, sometimes not enough. They arrive at the wrong moment, show up late, or don’t show up at all. The tricky ones are the worst—messy, unpredictable, hard to pin down. Some days, life just sucks. You feel less than your lowest self—darker than coal, greyer than all…

As a writer and author, I’ve published articles, poems, essays, short stories, and books—mostly self-published in both print and digital formats, but occasionally through Norwegian publishers as well. I didn’t start writing until I was 35, back in 2001. Before that, I only expressed myself vocally—my handwriting was awful, I made tons of typos, and…

What is art? Wikipedia says: “Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas.” There’s no agreed definition, and I don’t see myself as a “capital-A” artist—more as someone who enjoys exploring artistic expression. I’m drawn to…

Stage VardeteatretAs a stage actor, I’ve worked for Vardeteatret (Beacon Theatre) in Oslo for several years. Vardeteatret is a small private theatre focused on socio-political topics, giving a voice to those often outcast or marginalized in society. Our productions often centered on inmates and their journeys from imprisonment to freedom, such as in the project…