Transforming an Abandoned MOUNTAIN HOTEL in Norway into an art space

Follow the project and read more about the artists at: www.lifjellkunstsenter.com and our instagram @lifjell_kunstsenter
In this video I tell you the crazy story of how I joined a group of artists and turned an old abandoned mountain hotel in Norway into an art centre and art studio space!
When we first walked through these hallways we were thinking, could these hotel rooms become art studios? Could this old bar become a gallery..? In this video I show you what happened and also give you at tour of the building.
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[@frederiquedelage1831]

I bet that international artists from all over the world will soon ask to come for a few months - this place is magical :) Congrats to all of you for the hard work and for bringing it back to life!!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

That would be something 😁 ♡. Thank you so much!

[@shaunhall6834]

I would love to visit!

[@LolaMarigold]

Oh my if I was in my twenties again I would Love to be part of this. I went to art school in the 80's and I just loved that atmosphere. The possibilities there are endless! Great work.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Art school in the 80s must have been quite something too!

[@LolaMarigold]

It was fun. We all shared a large studio. It was here in Canada so the methods were nothing like teaching one would get in say France or Russia. Pretty bland actually. But being around other like minded people and having space to make a huge mess was great! @@Mariaandtheforest

[@taisachirovsky2645]

Maria! I saved this to watch when I could focus on it. Thank you for making such amazing work. This whole video is so beautiful and inspiring.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much ♡

[@MrOj53]

Lycka till!

[@miamolin]

So wonderful news Maria. I am so happy for you all about the art studio. ❤ Wonderful things can happen ❤️❤️❤️🙏

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much Mia ♡ yes they do!

[@miamolin]

❤️❤️❤️🙏

[@purpleicewitch6349]

I love this place so much! Would love to be part of such a thing if I could.

[@jayantiiamonico6966]

Congratulations on this fantastic transformational project. So nice to see the building being brought back to life with such love and consideration. Art Is Life! All blessings ~*~

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you ♡♡♡

[@NordicMicrofarm]

What a magical place and a bunch of inspiring people! Masse lykke til videre:)

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Tusen takk ♡

[@johnmelissaziech6207]

How wonderful that this old hotel is being restored and used by artists who see the beauty of the place and the furnishings you found. Have you thought about shades and /or curtains for the windows to keep the cold out? They could be opened when you need the light and closed when you're gone. It would really help your heating costs.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thanks ♡. Yes we have thought about it, will see what happens this winter 😊

[@ellentaylor4351]

So very BLESSED hopefully you really value all its magnificence and beauty. Love it so much. 💕

[@ellystormervadseth4772]

Love this and the storytelling weaving the past, present the grit and excitement about the future so beatifully!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you love ♡

[@agirlnamedsaskia]

What vision you all have! This is an amazing project. All I can say is WOW, and well done!! 😀

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you ♡♡

[@urksal]

What a dream! Great!

[@IngridConno]

Wow❤ i love it! What a lovely hotel full of creative people

[@barbaramassey3787]

What a beautiful story of strong, creative people! What a view! Fantastic! Thank you!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you Barbara ♡

[@nicholewade8233]

That was really fun to watch and I so wish I lived there as I would move right in! :) Its so cool to see such an amazing place be used to encourage even more creativity. Loved it! And I was also reorganizing my studio during the video so that was good company.

[@MaureenAstrid]

Wow, absolutely amazing ❤ such a great way to repurpose this beautiful building.

[@aislingbooks]

Yes, a fantastic project w-an interesting community of artists

[@MarkGalbraithVideos]

Superb ! Well done to all of you who made this a reality and breathed new life into an old building. You told the story so well as ever Maria.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank so much you Mark ♡

[@farah_herself]

You filled me with inspiration and hope. Can’t wait to see more from you. And congratulations to Bendict!

[@savingsiskola]

What an amazing and inspiring project! Such a treasure trove and the building itself is so beautiful with so much potential. Would love a similar project and artist forming a community. Omg! That clown door was really scary!!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much ♡♡. It really has so many possibilities to it, which is also somethimes a bit challenging to navigate, but so nice too. Yeah, the clown is really something...😅

[@magnoliidae5794]

Just seeing the place in video makes me inspired to create art so I can only imagine how incredible it is in person!! How exciting :)

[@Mariaandtheforest]

That is so awesome! Thanks, it is a special place for sure ♡

[@skyqueenstudios]

I have been sooo curious about Bendick’s art practice and what he has been creating for himself, so this video was really inspiring to me. I’m an artist too and have been fortunate to have a little place at home to create, but if I didn’t have that, this art collective would be my dream. To be surrounded by so many other artists must be very motivational and inspiring. I look forward to any clips you might share from the opening. Lots of love to you from Canada 🇨🇦 ❤

[@Mariaandtheforest]

So cool you are an artist too ♡♡. I love my home studio too but I am glad this community excists here in the town, makes a big difference for our lives here 😊😊. Glad you enjoyed the video ♡♡♡. Lots of love

[@ashildlvasborgersen4865]

yey🤩har venta på denne💃🏻

[@sarahinscotland]

What an absolutely incredible project! It makes me really happy to see a place like this come to life in a more remote location. It's inspiring on many levels. Thank you for such a beautiful video.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much ♡♡

[@malc121]

Congratulations on your new art studio,hope all goes smoothly 👏🏻❤️

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you ♡

[@malc121]

@@Mariaandtheforest 🤗

[@judiemjacobson4613]

A really wonderful wonderful Place yeah. I am a watercolor artist and a journal maker a slow Stitch artist and a quilter how I would love to have had a room in a place like this surrounded by other artists place. A place to have a gallery

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you ♡. How cool you are an artist too! A place where one can have a room of ones own but at the same time be surrounded by other creatives is the dream for many I think, being an artist can be lonely work at times

[@sophiehallen6048]

What a great video, I think one of your videos I enjoyed the most. Can I also say, I love how relatable you are. I just finished my education and have no idea of where life is going to take me and it is just so reassuring to see that whatever you do, it is possible to find a new community, have new adventures. Also, it is so nice that not every single image and videoclip you show is made perfectly. You show yourself in your casual clothes, show the mess and I can just see so much of myself in you, even though I would not describe myself as a creative person. Anyway that was my rant, thank you so much!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much for this incredibly kind "rant"♡♡. So glad my video is of some reassurance to you. I truly believe things can work out in the strangest ways if we just dare to dive in. But it can be hard for sure to figure it out, I hope you find your next step ♡. And thank you for noticing my messy clips, I intentionally leave them in because I dont like to promote perfection, even if I look so strange sometimes 😅

[@IsobelleOuzman]

How exciting! You have all done such a fantastic job bringing this project to life (I absolutely love Bendik's studio), it's truly inspiring. ❤

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you Isobelle♡

[@NewstromJulianna]

Congratulations! It’s beautiful! I wish I was closer I would love to visit and even rent space there. What a dream…🥰❤🎉

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you. I would be so cool having you there

[@shaunhall6834]

As an artist myself I am blown away! Much love to you all!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much

[@shaunhall6834]

@@Mariaandtheforest :)

[@sarahjrgensen7577]

Wauw!! Stort tillykke, hvor er det fint!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Tusen takk!

[@geirandersberg5902]

oj, superkult :) finfint fortalt!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Takk ♡

[@Squarepeg57]

Fantastisk!

[@bearticboy9297]

reaaaally cool and inspiring!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you ♡♡♡

[@gather.sip.flourish]

Wonderful!!!

[@linesyverinsen9215]

Aaaah. Sååå gøy å se prosessen! For et sted! Og så magisk å se hva dere har fått til. Hvordan dere har blåst liv i bygget. Wow. ❤ ❤ ❤Veldig veldig gøy. Takk for tour! :D

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Super gøy å dele med deg også Line! Det er så fint å bygge et lite nett av kunstnere rundt om i verden og Norge

[@kajakaasa5453]

Det har vært så spennende å følge med på prosessen, dere har virkelig fått til noe unikt der oppe! Lei meg for at jeg ikke fikk med meg åpningsuka, blir spennende å følge med dere videre☺️ Det er så fint at hotellet blir tatt i bruk igjen, var der nå og da som barn å spiste i restauranten, og foreldrene mine hadde bryllupsfesten sin der😊

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Så hyggelig du syns det Kaja! Det setter vi stor pris på. Det blir helt sikkert mulighet for å komme og se i fremtiden også på andre arrangementer og aktiviteter 😊. Håper vi sees!

[@sisselkogstad6516]

Lykke til! Fantastisk ide og gjennomføringskraft.

[@janinafisher101]

Oh Maria, what an incredible project! I wish I could move there and have my art studio there too! Especially now that my Norwegian language is getting better! 🙂 I love Bendik's studio - what a great idea to have a small room in the big space which could potentially be used in the winter to keep the electricity bills down. This is a beautiful old building and the countryside is so pretty. I hope I can come and visit one day. I am definitely overdue for a visit to Norway and my family there. Be well and happy!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

I wish you could too! That would be wonderful

[@salilsahani2721]

Takk :)

[@saraharrison8544]

Dear Maria, this was so beautiful and inspiring. I just feel so happy after watching it ❤❤🙏 Sending best wishes to all from Texas

[@perlagaffney4776]

A beautiful life being well lived ❤ …

[@blueb6815]

Creative idea

[@user-kn4mm8tx6y]

Maria.....very nice.glamour,glittering.... hearty welcome.shamim zahuri from bangladesh near india❤🕊👬🎎🧚‍♀️🌹

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much 😊

[@Rec426]

I’m a bit late to this video since it only popped up in my recommended now but I’m glad to have seen this! I think this is the kind of thing that I want in life. I’m actually looking into creating this sort of a project myself but not specially for artists. Watching this was very encouraging and interesting. Hope it’s still going well! :)

[@Mariaandtheforest]

How cool you are thinking about a similar project! It is still going well :-). Lots of challenges always, and a lot of work for no pay, but still so worth it.

[@lisaramscar]

Hi Maria You have really helped me today. I havent done art fir a ling time, low mood, and after watching your videos I have tevamoed my bedroom studio. I would love to vidit your art community so fantastic. I have subscribed to your email. Thank you again. Wonderful ❤

[@Mariaandtheforest]

I am so glad my video helped you

[@DrWegasOslo]

great video, very motivational, Suvi is soo cool. all the best . Cheers from Oslo friends

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thanks so much!

[@alivarshalart824]

Thanks!

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you ♡!

[@forever3797]

Would love to hear some contemporary and retro Norwegian language music in your videos. Love from Australia.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Me too, maybe one day ;-). There is the copyright to be sorted on things like that.

[@forever3797]

@@Mariaandtheforest You can do it! some 60's and 70's Norwegian folk and pop would be awesome.

[@megreads9]

I like the gathering of this beautiful artists community I made one but unfortunately their situations didn't go as we planned to make cultural events.

[@Smartgran]

This is a wonderful old building. It deserves a life of its own. Do the artists also live in the hotel part or do they all live locally? I wish I could visit as I want to see Norway and the area is so beautiful. I'm sure Bendick must sell his art-work as it looks very interesting.

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you so much. The artists live locally, it is not possible to live in the hotel at the moment. So glad you like Bendiks art, I will tell him :-). I am hoping to open some sort of webshop with some of Bendiks art in the future, but it will be a long time in the making...

[@megreads9]

I like the idea that the hotel owner gave you all a chamber to make your own arts or writings, how cool is that but how much time he gave you all ?

[@Mariaandtheforest]

I am not sure I understand the question :-)

[@pipfox7834]

​@Mariaandtheforest we are all wondering: the practicalities are not made explicit? Leasing, indefinitely or..?

[@megreads9]

I would like to see more of the renovation if this abandoned hotel please how it turn ?

[@Mariaandtheforest]

You can see more of the process from start to finish by going to our instagram @Lifjell_kunstsenter :-)

[@WyrdHag]

Så utrolig kult, jeg skulle ønske vi hadde noe lignende i området her!! 🤩 Hva heter grønnfargen dere har brukt i studioet til Bendik? Den er fiiiiin

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Tuusen takk ♡. Den heter Olivenrot og er fra Fargerike (tror jeg). Veldig kul!

[@christinalotzsch6779]

Kann man Bendiks Kunst irgendwo im Internet anschauen oder kaufen?

[@Mariaandtheforest]

You can look at some of it on his instagram @vatne_paperart 😊. We are working on maybe creating a webshop in the future ♡

[@birkauraendahl6400]

kan jeg bli med i gjengen

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Så klart Birk 😎

[@birkauraendahl6400]

takker

[@Ролтун]

Hello I didnt watch your video

[@Mariaandtheforest]

It's good 😎

[@Ролтун]

@@Mariaandtheforest Ok I do not remeber video

[@Justafonso]

What a great video doc!🙏🤌 Before anything else, congrats on keeping on growing your channel, I’ve commented this multiple times, and really makes me happy because I’ve been here since almost day one eheh. I also want to ask you if you’re looking to hire people to the Art center. Me and my girlfriend have been looking for new jobs, and Norway is on the list as country to move to 😍. Please, let me know, would be very exciting 🙏🙏

[@Mariaandtheforest]

Thank you friend ♡. Yes you have, and I really appreciate it! I wish we had money to hire people, but we can not even pay the people that work with it at the moment. If we are hiring or starting an artist residency in the future I believe that will be shared on our instagram @lifjell_kunstsenter! Maybe on my channel too 😊

[@Justafonso]

@@Mariaandtheforest we’ll keep an eye on the ig page, for sure 🙏😊