In the summer of 2020, Cody Lehman and I were invited to paint a large mural for a newly built shared home in Trondheim, Norway.

The project, named Selbukassa, was built around the idea of reusing and repurposing wherever possible. The house itself incorporated reclaimed materials throughout, including a timber frame salvaged from an old house in Selbu that was due for demolition. That connection eventually gave the project its name.

That spirit of resourcefulness became the starting point for the mural. We painted a giant Eurasian magpie building its nest from found treasures, a nod to the way the families had brought their home together piece by piece. It felt like a fitting symbol for the project.

We spent three weeks painting whenever the weather allowed, using mostly leftover linseed oil paints sourced through Traditional Paint Works. From the materials to the final image, it was a project shaped by making the most of what was already there.