Meet Valerie Østvik
Artist.
Builder.
Visionary of
Earthen Sanctuaries.
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Hey there—
I'm Valerie Østvik, the guide behind TerraTheta—a project dedicated to creating artful roundhouses built in harmony with the soul & the earth.
I believe that each of us is sacred space—and that true ceremonial dwellings serve as a container for, and extension of, the sacred within the individual. The purpose of these dwellings is to be a protective sanctuary and retreat, one that puts the body, mind, and soul at ease so individuals can better lead their own journey of healing. Ceremonial spaces should only speak in whispers—offering safety, inviting reflection, reconnecting us with our ancient inner knowing, and gently encouraging us to let go. Clay, earthen building, and artfully reflecting one's essence in form are mediums perfectly suited to this vison taking shape.
Come along as I share why I'm passionate about these dwellings, my journey here, and what TerraTheta has to offer.
A playful photo my parents snapped of me as a child eating one of my favorite snacks—dirt! I’ve been told the trend continued, and eventually they gave up chasing me around the yard to stop me. Fortunately, I grew out of it and instead invested my efforts in playing in the mud, exploring my home's wetlands, and raising my flock of laying hens.
A Childhood of Mud & Magic
I’ve been in love with mud since before I could talk—secretly building homes for the fairies in small pockets I dug in the backyard. I was enchanted by the earth’s colors, textures, and absolute messiness.
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I first discovered cob by accident as a child—wild, barefoot, and free—intuitively mixing sand, clay, and dried grass to sculpt odd, sleeping faces, each crowned with tufts of grass hair.
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Many years later, I rediscovered this medium, learned its name, and experienced a call to create earthen sanctuaries brimming with art and soul—designed for retreat, healing, and connection to the earth.
This medium—clay, sand, straw—felt natural in my hands. Intuitive. Human. I didn’t know then that many years later it would call me back.
The Detour—A Life That Didn’t Fit
I followed what I called at the time a “practical” path—in my mind, art wasn't safe, sustainable or reliable.
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But squeezing my soul into a 9–5 slowly drained me, and I lost touch with my sense of self.
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In an act of near desperation, I quit everything to work on a sustainable farm and try to catch my breath. And I did.
With my feet and hands in the earth, and sun on my back my vitality returned.
Taken years later, this photo demonstrates the uninhibited joy I invited back into my life by embracing my true nature. I'm so grateful for my time farming—where I nourished my soul and body, and empowered myself to have the moment pictured here: muddy, joyful, and dancing on my first batch of cob.
The Moment That Changed Everything
While farming, I saw my first photo of a cob cottage—something primal and instinctive tugged within me. I was stunned, frozen in place slack-jawed as a wave of goosebumps coursed from head to toe.
I knew in that instant: This is what I’m here to do. And I was baffled by the fact I didn't yet have a clue how.
Here I am adding a photo of the first cob cottage I built as part of a CruzinCobGlobal workshop to the vision board I made shortly after this life-redirecting moment. My joy was palpable as I realized what I had created held all the heart and wonder of those very first photos of cob dwellings that had ignited my passion and demanded my awe.
After this moment, I began to dream. Not just of earthen walls—but of artful spaces that truly held their inhabitants.
Of colored light, elaborate mosaics, sculptural flora and fauna, and tactile earthen floors and plaster. I didn’t have the words for it yet, but the seed of TerraTheta had been planted.
Learning The Language of Earth
I studied earnestly, devoting the spare minutes between my day jobs to burying myself in textbooks and mixing buckets of plaster in my tiny backyard—tucking away every extra penny for future training.​
It felt like a mycelial web was rooting—quiet, unseen, but preparing to bloom. And when I finally stepped onto my first build site, bloom it did.
With muddy hands and a willing heart, I built my first cob cottage from foundation to roof. Within a year, I was traveling, building, and teaching full time.
I didn’t know in this moment that the sacred space I was working on was foreshadowing for the ceremonial dwellings I'd create in the future. What I did know was that working as a complete rookie for a few days on this local project, 'The Womb', was absolutely the rejuvenation I needed to persist in studying—and saving each penny I could to eventually attain full training as an earthen builder.
I’m laughing with joy—and maybe a touch of disbelief—as I finish the final touches on this window piece. When I first dreamed it up, I was told it wasn’t possible. Combining sculpted earth with painted glass in this way hadn’t been done before—or at least, not like this. But I couldn’t let go of the vision: an Art Nouveau-inspired design woven with sacred local flora, brought to life through sculpted plaster and custom-painted glass. Months of sketching, sculpting, problem-solving, and painting later, the light now pours through, casting color across the adobe floor. This piece is an embodiment of the wonder that can be realized when you follow a wild inspiration all the way through.
TerraTheta is My Offering
My time traveling, learning, teaching, and building gifted me with new skills, lasting connections, and soul-filling experiences.
In my heart, however, the call to create truly artful dwellings that connect with the soul was relentless. I needed to bring the spaces I envisioned to life.
So, stepping on to my own path, I became a licensed contractor and launched TerraTheta: a project dedicated to Earthen Dwellings (Terra) that are Elevated through Art (Theta).
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These aren’t just buildings. They are Earth-Sculpted Sanctuaries—spaces designed to truly hold & heal while reconnecting us to something ancient and grounded within.
TerraTheta Blooms: 'The Lily'
The Lily was the first dwelling where I was empowered to guide the entire vision as an artist. It was shaped from the earth itself—deeply artful, and inspired by the essence and taste of my muses—the patrons of this work.
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Their unwavering support and trust in the vision—in me—was the catalyst that brought this space to life.
Only when all those elements came together did I witness what I had long imagined: A space that held its inhabitants exactly the way I had dreamed of.
From groundbreaking to ribbon cutting, this work was a ceremony in itself—just as unique, as potent, and as healing as any that will take place within its walls. I could only truly comprehend this truth in this moment after the work was completed and I sat in awe of the journey we all were invited into as we brought it to life.
The Invitation
Let’s bring your sacred space to life—one that reflects your essence and holds you uniquely in healing, beauty, and connection to the earth.
These sacred dwellings don’t begin with my hands in the earth. They begin with you—your essence, your intentions, and the mycelial network of your life experience. The way you are moved by beauty, the textures, symbols, and feelings that resonate with your soul.
Without you there is no vision to sculpt. No dwelling to call into form.
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You are the catalyst.
The patron.
The muse.
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I have the skills, the vision, and the hands in the earth. But it’s only when your energetic and financial contribution mingles with my devotion that these spaces become possible.
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'The Lily' is the first in a series of ceremonial roundhouse installations,
designed to truly hold their inhabitants in healing, ceremony, and earth.
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Let’s have a conversation, share a spark of inspiration,
and see if yours might be next.
​With muddy hands and all my love,
Valerie Østvik
Founder & Artistic Visionary, TerraTheta