GRO TORVALDSEN RYKKELID

GRO Was born in Kristiansand, but lives in Nordland, more specifically in Røsvik. She is married and has 3 adult children. After completing her master's degree at the Norwegian School of Arts and Crafts, she worked as an illustrator and visual artist. She has illustrated 22 children's books, written 5 hobby books, had a number of exhibitions and taught in Norway and abroad. She is the creator of the visual communication tool Hjertespråk with over 100 different illustrated themes, teaching and 4 accompanying books.

Acrylic, watercolor and collage are her favorite techniques…and Gro loves colors. Lots of colors, and playing with the different techniques and expressions they give!

Contact me

Contact info

September 13, 1965 in Kristiansand
Nesveien 5, 8220 Røsvik
+47 992 33 081
art@grorykkelid.no
www.grorykkelid.no
www.heart-language.com
Org: 870007582MVA

Gallery The Bank

Gallery Bank – Røsvikveien 1545
Opening hours: All year round: Sundays 12 – 4 pm.
Summer time: Every day except Monday 12 – 16
(follow on Facebook)
Otherwise, I open upon request. Call or email me for further arrangements.

Play with colors

An online teaching portal where you get 4 new videos with lessons every month.

Start your play with colors

Teaching portal

Join the MEMBER PORTAL, where you will gradually become familiar with and gain access to images and metaphors…

Use the language of the heart

Free watercolor course

You will learn 8 different techniques that you are sure to enjoy when painting your next watercolor!

Join a free course!

Heart language

How can you benefit from the Language of the Heart? Discover 7 ways in which the Language of the Heart works!

See, hear and understand life

Hi, my name is Gro!

You may know the children's books I have illustrated, my hobby books, have been to art exhibitions, seen me paint on stage, in sand or have been to painting courses? I have almost 30 years of experience as a visual artist and illustrator, and a master's degree in illustration.

I have created my own language with over 100 illustrated words and themes. The "Heart Language" is unique, simple and different and works across cultures and languages. It is now its own company with accompanying books, courses and a separate membership portal for those who want to use it.

A little more about me, since I have the floor first 🙂

I may never have had a traditional A4 life. Then I would have lived in the south where I was born, and continued as a floral decorator. My husband would probably have worked as a teacher, and we would certainly have had a nice car, boat, cabin and big house like so many others.

My father was a fisherman. A contented fisherman who never understood that anyone "bored going to school". I experienced little pressure and great freedom to make my own choices, and I loved to create! I have a Christian faith with me that became even more alive through a stay in Hawaii and Fiji. Eventually I got into the Norwegian National Academy of Arts and Design, and as newlyweds we moved to Bergen to become students.

A master's degree in illustration offers very few job opportunities, so the work had to be created yourself. It's more about will than talent and little about an A4 life. A newly renovated house was sold and a little daughter joined the move north. There we fell in love with the coast and the people. Several children's books were illustrated, new projects, exhibitions and another daughter! When we discovered a closed boarding school even further north we said: why not make it a little more exciting? The studio joined, we rented the school, and moved with the family, which soon numbered five. Here we helped start up the same school I went to in Hawaii, and an international center for Youth on Mission.

The art techniques I have used have become several hobby books. People have come to courses, and I have given courses in many places around the world. I have made decorations and done many strange things. Financially profitable? No, far from it, but I look back, rich in experiences and knowledge, perhaps both stronger and braver.

This is where Hjertespråket was also born, somewhat by chance when a heart-shaped sketch with a theme became several, into pictures and exhibitions. People who were “tired of words” thanked me, saying that the pictures gave meaning to “things that couldn’t be explained with words”. It became an AS with courses and lectures, pictures and books.

In recent years, we have moved our studio and company to Røsvik, a small village north of Bodø. In the summer of 2020, I opened a gallery, selling art, gifts and ice cream. This is where the idea of a digital teaching portal with art emerged, and "Play with Colors" was launched the following year.

You can find me in the old local bank where I have a studio and art exhibition. In Galleri Banken Du you can also buy ice cream and coffee, take courses or rent a workspace, meet exciting people and get inspired. Welcome!

10 things you might not know…

01.

I have made floral decorations for the King of Tonga, and am a Nordic champion in modern floral art! (Team competition)

02.

After 3 years of study, I took 6 months off and left my husband to work voluntarily at a printing house in Sri Lanka and India.

03.

After 21 illustrated children's books, I have suffered an "occupational injury". It is difficult for me to work on one image at a time! To make the most of my time, I often work on many motifs at the same time.

04.

With no money in our accounts, we took out loans, took the kids out of school, and traveled the world. Ladies in Mexico learned bookbinding and collage, in Fiji they made paper, and there were art classes in Hawaii.

05.

I often destroy paintings and pictures. The urge to explore makes me paint over them, tear them apart and put them back together in completely new ways. Sometimes they turn out better, other times they end up in the trash.

06.

I gave my Angel Workshop book to an excited Queen Sonja, and had to explain to an interested King Harald what kind of glue I used in my collages.

07.

I have a couple thousand books in stock. (My 5 hobby books are book club books and translated into several languages. However, the market is changing and sales have stopped.)

08.

I am often seen with paint and easel on stage at Christian conferences, in front of thousands of people. I try to get the essence of the message across by painting, or by using "sand painting" to illustrate and animate along the way.

09.

I got the publisher to agree to engage former prostituted girls in the Philippines to create a material pack for one of my hobby books. I taught and trained them, they got work and the publisher was happy to be able to make a difference!

10.

2 years ago we bought an old bank in a small place in Nordland, and the goal is to fill it with color, art, inspiration, and life.

PROFESSIONAL GROUP
Painting, drawing, illustration.

EDUCATION / PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

1982 – Kristiansand Handicraft School: Drawing, Form and Color 1983 – Kristiansand Handicraft School: Weaving

1984 – Sagavoll Folk High School: Outdoor Activities

1984 – (6 months) Kristiansand Handicraft School: Sewing

1985 – Beder Gartnerskole, Denmark: Flower decorator

1986 – University of the Nations, Hawaii: Disciple Training School 1987 – 1990 SHKD Bergen: Bachelor Illustration

1991 – 1992 SHKD Bergen: Master Illustration

2002 – Leadership Development Course, (6 weeks) U of N, Scotland

2004 – Bodø University College: Innovation and Entrepreneurship (30 credits)

2017 – Coaching academy, Oslo Over the years, I have participated in various courses in innovation, entrepreneurship, online marketing, course development, life skills, etc.

PRACTICE

1982 – 1992 Floral decorator Kaktus, Kristiansand, Atelier Flora, Bergen (about 3 years in total)

1990 – Design and printing practice, NLL, Sri Lanka and India (6 months)

1997 – Teacher and student advisor at art school (3 months), University of the Nations, Hawaii

1992 – Established as a self-employed illustrator and visual artist. 2001 – 2007 Establishment / management of international school center at Engavågen in Nordland, Ungdom i Oppdrag.

2004 – 2007 Shorter teaching assignments in art for the University of the Nations, Hawaii, Kenya, Australia and Norway.

2004 – Art project and teaching in the Philippines

2005 – Art project and teaching in Albania

2007 – Art project "The Garden of the Heart" Cultural school bag, Enga school.

2008 – Courses and teaching, Mexico, Hawaii and Fiji.

2009 – 2013 Employed as a teacher in a 20% position in art at Meløy Cultural School

2010 – The art project "Kraft" Cultural school bag and all the schools in Meløy.

2006 – 2021. Development of "Heart Language" with online courses and teaching

2020 – Launched art education portal "Play with colors"

2020 – Established by Galleri Banken in Røsvik. Cafe, gallery, studio

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

1992 - Marbel's Gathering Exhibition, San Francisco

1993 – Major exhibition, Bergen Art Association, Bergen

1994 – The Norwegian Artists' Association, Oslo, Henie Ohnstad Center, Oslo.

1998,1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, Grafill, Oslo.

1997 – University of the Nations, Hawaii

1999 – "66 degrees North": Rana Art Association in Mo i Rana, Frankfurth Art Association and various municipalities in Helgeland

2003 – Gallery Geitodden, Flekkerøy

2007 – "Festival of the Nations", Herrnhut, Germany

2008 – Summer day in Meløy, Meløy

2008 – European Arts Gathering, café Lyspunktet, Ålesund

2010 – Summer Day in Meløy, Own premises

2013 – Gallery Bakery, Ørnes

2015 – Graphite, Oslo

2019 – Christmas exhibition Røsvik motif, Røsvik

2022 – Oslo Convention Center, Women in Networks

SEPARATE EXHIBITIONS

1998 – Nesna Village Museum, Nesna, Gallery Stensland, Mo i Rana

1998 – The Catacombs, Oslo.

1999 – Gallery Geitodden, Flekkerøy, Own premises, Nesna.

2000 – Own premises, Nordtun, Engavågen

2001 – Gallery Almenningen, Bergen

2004 – Festival exhibitor Viking Festival, Ålesund

2005 – National Women's Conference, Kristiansand.

2008 – Own premises, Flekkerøy

2009 – Festival exhibitor Oase, Skien

2012 – Festival exhibition Rosendal Food and Art

2012 – Heart Language Pictures, Gallery Geitodden, Flekkerøy

2015 – Nordlandsmotiv, Rødøy, Halsa, Nordtun Health Center

2019 – Opening party, own premises, Røsvik

2021 – "25 years in Nordland", Gammelbutikken" Røsvik.

2022 – Galleri Banken, own premises in Røsvik, 2022 and 2023

CHILDREN'S BOOKS (illustrator)

1994 – The Life of the Sheep, Cappelen.

1994 – Jungelword, NW Damm & Søn

1995 – My boat is so small, Luther Publishing House.

1996 – Children's Animal Songbook, Cappelen.

1997 – Kråka Knas, University Press.

1997 – Who is the King of the Jungle?, Luther Publishing House.

1998 – Christmas songs, Luther Forlag

1999 – Kråka Knas 1-6, University Press.

2000 – 2002, 1 – 6 easy-to-read Jesus books for IKO publishing house.

2001 – World's best teddy bear, Cappelen

2003 - Shall We Be Friends? Luther publishing house

2023 – Christmas book, Prokla publishing house

SPECIALTY BOOKS /HOBBY BOOKS (author and illustrator)

2002 – Papirglede NW Damm & Søn

2004 – Make beautiful cards, NW Damm & Søn

2005 – Angel Workshop, NW Damm & Son

2006 – Paper patchwork, NW Damm & Søn The books have also been published as main books in the book club Hobbyglede, translated and published in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland.

2008 – Play with colors! Paint pictures in acrylic and watercolor, Cappelen/Damm

OTHER BOOKS (author and illustrator)

2011 – Hjertehagen, Own publisher.

2015 – Gardener in my own life, Prokla Media

2015 – The Garden of the Heart, gift book, Prokla Media

2017 – Hjertetro, Own publisher

PURCHASED BY Nordtun Health ReHab, Meløy Municipality, Rødøy Municipality,

SCHOLARSHIPS / AWARDS

1993 – Project support, Grafill,

1996 – Travel grant, Illustration Fund,

1997 – Winner of the poster competition for the World Ski Championships in Trondheim.

2000 – Travel grant, Children's Book Fair in Bologna, Grafill,

2001 – Travel grant, teaching/study trip to Kenya, Grafill

2004 – Founder's Grant, Art With A Mission, Innovation Norway

2007 – Scholarship, International marketing and brand protection of Hjertespråk, MNU, Meløy

2008 – Founder's Grant, Heart's Language, Innovation Norway

DECORATION

2012 – Transformer Art, Engavågen, Meløy Municipality

2016 – Entrance to Hånes Frikirke / Solkollen kindergarten

MEMBER OF

Norwegian Visual Artists, Artists' Association, GRAFILL