I lived in Finnish Lapland for six winters. That is long enough to know a landscape in every season, every light, every kind of silence it has.
I worked through the dark seasons, watched the Northern Lights more times than I can count, and spent a lot of time in a wilderness that does not make concessions.
Somewhere along the way, I started making art about it.
Not because I planned to, but because I could not stop thinking about what I had seen.
What Aurealis Creatief is
Aurealis Creatief is an independent art studio. It's just me, Els Bancken, creating original wall art and free-standing art blocks inspired by Nordic nature, Arctic wildlife, and the wild landscapes of the world. This is where my Nordic nature wall art comes from: every illustration starts from a real experience.
With over ten years of experience in illustration, design, and custom projects, there is a lot of craft behind what looks effortless.
The work is available on three materials: metal plate, acrylic glass, and art block. Each one brings something different to a space. You can feel the depth of acrylic, the sharpness of metal, the warmth of an art block standing freely on a shelf or surface.
The collections cover Lapland across all eight of its seasons, the Scottish Highlands, Arctic wildlife, Nordic wilderness, underwater worlds, and a few other directions that grew naturally from the same starting point.
Why eight seasons and not four? I explain the Sámi calendar behind the collection in The 8 Seasons of Lapland.
For the Arctic side of the North, from husky trails to whale safaris, read Six ways to experience the Arctic.
Who this is for
My customers want art that's been thought through, not mass-produced, not generic.
A private home, a carefully designed interior, a hotel that wants to give guests a real sense of place.
I also work with Nordic experience operators (hotels, cabins, lodges, retreat and activity centres) who want the spirit of the wilderness to come indoors. Custom commissions are available for both private and professional clients.
Explore the full collection at art.aurealis-creatief.com
If you'd like to stay updated on new work, a new season or a story about one of my pieces, I send a newsletter every two months.
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