photo by Andy Bate

Lene is a Danish Artist who grew up in Belgium but now lives and works in London. Travelling and moving between countries has sparked a passion for exploration and discovery of other cultures which continually inspires her studio practice, alongside imagery from the natural world.

Working as both a graphic designer and visual artist, Lene’s work has an inherent design-based aesthetic as she often incorporates typography, grids, and repeating patterns. She has built a dynamic visual language which blends illustration, design and fine art to capture the hidden beauty of the mundane, and to elevate the ordinary. Taking this one step further, Lene often uses recycled and unusual materials to create artworks – changing their form so viewers can discover the material afresh.

Read about Lene’s journey and inspirations here…

Please tell us a bit about yourself, and the journey you took to become an artist.

I’m originally from Denmark, but spent most of my childhood in Belgium. In 1995 I moved to England to study Graphic design at London College of Printing (which is now London College of Communication). When I finished, I realised quite quickly that I didn’t want to work in an office, so started doing graphic art instead and haven’t looked back.

What helped you to get to where you are today? Are there any people, events, or experiences that encouraged you or influenced you to do what it is that you do?

I think my sister, Tine Bladbjerg, has inspired me a lot. She’s a jeweller designer and for many years, we shared a studio, until she moved out last year to open a shop. I started out doing arts and craft shows with her.

What was the first piece of art that moved you? What was it about it that grabbed you?

Growing up in Brussels, I think it was probably Magritte. As I child, I really liked his ‘illustrative’ style and think it probably still influences me. He came from a graphic background too. 

Where do you get your inspiration from?

I find inspiration everywhere. Anything can inspire me. Things that make me smile, things I hear or a simple thing as a flower or a tree. I always have a sketchbook with me that I write or draw ideas in and bring my camera everywhere. I often get inspiration when I’m travelling. I go back to my sketchbooks a lot when looking for inspiration for new pictures. 

What is your ‘Je ne sais quoi’? That special something that makes your artwork unique.

I use a lot of humour in my artwork. My background is in graphic design, which shows in the way I mix images with words a lot - and I love wordplays. I also think my Scandinavian upbringing plays a big part in my work. My pieces are often quite minimalistic. 

What do you hope that your work communicates to the world?

I hope my pieces make people think a bit and look at things in a slightly different way...

Where do you work best from? Do you have any habits, or a routine, that help you harness your creativity?

I have a studio in Crystal Palace, where I love to be. I have 2 young boys, so at the moment my day is very affected by the school run. I’m in my studio 3 days a week and 1 day in a printing studio. 

How has lockdown been for you, artistically?

Being a mum with two younger boys and married to a key worker didn’t give me much time to do any art! But any spare time I’ve had has been spent in my studio and I have managed to create some new pieces inspired by the situation. For example, ‘Homeschooling is not for everyone’, ‘Self isolation’, ‘Bending in the wind’ as well as other bigger paintings (my new bird pieces) and collages.

We've all had time to reflect this year, and to think about how we’d like the ‘new normal’ to look. What changes would you like to see in the post-COVID art world?
To be honest, I just miss things the way they were before the lockdown... I can’t wait to be back at Art Fairs meeting people and talking about my work.

What was the latest piece of art that you bought yourself? If you could choose four pieces of work from the Artsnug collection, what would they be?

I love buying art! I do a lot of art fairs where I meet other artists, so I like collecting their work. I think the last piece of art I bought was by a Swedish illustrator, Staffan Gnosspelius, who lives in London. I have several of his pieces. The style is so different to mine, but I love it. 

Oooh there are so many great artists at Artsnug, it’s hard to choose! But these 3 stand out to me:
Helen Bridges ‘Barbican’
Matt Jukes ‘Which way home 3’
Rachel Barber ‘Beyond the shore’

What is your current favourite piece in your own body of work? Why does it hold a special place in your heart?

I love gold and for years I’ve been trying to find a gold paint I could print with which didn’t stick to the screen. I was very excited when I found one! So I have done a series of gold prints; ‘Where flowers bloom’, ‘Chinese Whispers’, ‘Spring Fever’. They are all inspired by nature, which influences me a lot in my work. 

Do you have any advice for people just starting their art collection?

I always say ‘If you love a piece of art and you can afford it, buy it!’ Our house is full of art I’ve bought over the years and I love all the pieces. For years we didn’t have much space and I had drawers full of prints, but since we’ve moved to a bigger place, they’ve all come out. I love hanging them together on gallery walls.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

Thanks for reading about me! You can see more behind the scenes pictures and what inspires me on my instagram Lene Bladbjerg.

SHOP LENE’S NEW ARTWORKS