Artist Biography — Iben Dwight

Born and raised in Skødstrup, Denmark, Iben Dwight (pronounced EE-ben) grew up surrounded by Scandinavian design, natural materials, and an appreciation for simplicity. Creativity was woven into her childhood. She often rummaged through her father’s paint cans — opening each one just to study the texture, dip in a brush, and marvel at the colors. Her father built modern brick homes, while she loved visiting the construction sites with him. Absorbing the clean lines, minimalism, and the way light moved through those open spaces.

At age ten, after watching Blue Hawaii, she announced to her mother that she would one day live in Hawai‘i. Nine years later, she arrived on Kaua‘i, where she has lived since 1997, with her husband, a photographer, and is the proud mother of Malina and Makai.

Iben’s artistic journey began in 1998, shortly after she and her husband completed their Scandinavian-inspired home on Kaua‘i. Struggling to find artwork that reflected both her Nordic roots and the island environment, she began creating her own. This led to her signature style: mixed-media originals built with natural textures, layered surfaces, and a serene palette that merges the calm of Denmark with the warmth of Hawai‘i.

A key element of Iben’s process is her use of repurposed materials. She loves transforming unexpected or discarded elements into refined, tactile surfaces — a way of honoring both sustainability and the raw beauty found in natural forms.

For more than a decade, she created exclusively for her own home, family, and close friends. Encouraged to share her work more widely, she released her debut collection, Wailua Palms, now featured at Sway in Kīlauea and Hanalei.