The early medieval age in Northern Europe is known as the Viking age. The vikings were curious explorers and artists with extraordinary craftmanship. It is often I long for the nights I spend around a campfire telling stories with friends and strangers. These are times I expercienced during reenactment weekends, sharing skill, knowledge and craftmanship. I imagine it is much like the gatherings during William Morris' Arts & Craft movement.
This is where my inspiration comes from. Will you come and explore with me?
artist statement
My name is Signe. I illustrate the unseen and the half-forgotten. My illustrations and artworks intertwine history and folklore into contemporary handcrafted art.
My work shows a quiet, suspended moment: inviting the viewer to linge and let their imagination wander wild and free.
Again and again I return to the stories of Northern Europe for inspiration. Anglo-Saxon and Germanic folklore is the foundation I build on. These stark and untamed regions hold a wild ancient magic. I thrive in the inbetween. The middle road between a modern world hurdling to an unknown future and a history we never lived.
I am drawn to the liminal spaces where light and dark, past and future, man and nature dissolve into one another. Horses are my guides and companions as I explore these realms. They understand how to navigate life by being in the moment.
Whether I’m illustrating picture books or developing my own body of work, I seek to create images that leave space for the viewer to dive into and create a story of their own without losing their way. Using symbolism and icons as wayfinders and steppingstones of the journey into their mindpalace.
Signe of Horses | Signe-Sanne Oortgijsen
Illustrator & parttime Viking
