Arnor G. Bieltvedt is an artist whose intuitive, expressionistic abstract paintings have a connection to the landscapes of Iceland, the country of his birth, and southern California, where he currently resides. Born in Akureyri, Iceland, he spent his youth in Reykjavik, both cities known for seaside beauty. As a teenager he played first division team handball as a goal keeper for a local team. To further his education he moved to Europe, and then the United States, receiving a degree in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Augsburg, Germany and a B.S. degree in Marketing and a M.S. degree in Managerial Technology at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I.
In 1989, Bieltvedt switched his interest to art, and received a B.F.A. degree in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and M.F.A. degree in Painting from Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Bieltvedt’s paintings are in private and public collections in the United States, Europe and Asia, including the collections of the Akureyri Art Museum and Reykjavik Art Museum, Iceland. His work is represented by Galerie Beeldkracth, the Netherlands, Gallery Bakari, Reykjavik, Galleri Tornby, Denmark and Anne Loucks Gallery in Glencoe, Illinois. Besides painting Arnor is an avid category A chess player who has won first place in several chess tournaments. Currently Bieltvedt serves as Visual Arts Department Chair and Gallery Director at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, California. He lives with his wife and three young children in Pasadena, California.