Land and a Sense of Place
Mt Kaldbakur - oil on artboard on wood panel (8”x10” x5)
The Energy Zone - The Eastern area of Hrísey is said to be full of energy and is considered to be the second most powerful area in Iceland after Mt. Snæfellsjökull Glacier…
Mt Kaldbakur - oil on artboard on wood panel (8”x10” x5)
“The Energy Zone - The Eastern area of Hrísey is said to be full of energy and is considered to be the second most powerful area in Iceland after Mt. Snæfellsjökull Glacier. The energy is transferred to Hrísey from the stunningly beautiful Mt. Kaldbakur across the fjord. Here you can sit down and enjoy the scenery while inhaling positive and relaxing energy.”
I am drawn to northern landscapes. The vast, rugged, and often stark beauty of the north stirs deep-rooted memories of a land where my ancestors came from.
Growing up on the West Coast of British Columbia, I’ve been fortunate to live on the edge of nature, between the forest and ocean here in North Vancouver. This place, where I’ve lived most of my life, has helped shape who I am and what is important to me. As an artist, I’m inspired by the beauty of nature and my art reflects this, with my colourful flower and nature paintings, and more recently my Forest Tales project. While creating this series, it’s brought me back to my childhood love of fairy-tales and the mythical beauty of the forest and nature.
It’s also re-connected me to my past and I’ve recently travelled back to my mother’s homeland of Norway. Here, where I spent many summers and magical winter holidays as a child, I felt deeply connected to the land, the people and the culture. When I was eighteen I attended art school on a small island along the wild, west coast of Norway. Even at this young age, I valued the beauty and connection I felt with this country and knew I would return one day.
Now, as an adult returning to my ancestral home, I feel this deep connection at a soul level and I realise how strong these ties are… I feel it in my blood and bones, this feeling of “home” and a sense of place through the people and the landscape.
Lande, The Homestead - Then and Now
During my recent travels to Norway, I had a stop-over in Iceland along the way…
Again the awe-inspiring northern landscape spoke to me, urging me to explore this connection and sense of being ‘home’ that, for me, comes through the very land itself.
So, on returning to Vancouver I decided I wanted to explore this theme further by spending time in the north to immerse myself in the land and with the people that live there. I applied and was accepted to a few residencies, but chose the Old School Artist Residence in Hrisey, Iceland. This residence is located on a small island near the arctic circle and is surrounded by beautiful nature… (you can read about my residency here).
The Midnight Sun over Hrisey, Iceland
And so begins my next project - Land and a Sense of Place - and exploring how this feeling of ‘home’ is experienced through the landscape. How does the land shape the people that live there? How are the people and culture an expression of the landscape? What is the importance of the land and environment to a ‘sense of place’ and the feelings of connection to oneself and one’s place in the world?
Hestar meðfram firðinum (Horses Along The Fjord)
In April this year, I’ll be travelling once again to Iceland. This time I’ll spend a month at the Gullkistan Artist Residency in Laugarvatn, Iceland. This residency is located in another quiet remote village by the Laugarvatn Lake (with a view of a volcano!).
More art adventures to come!! Until then, I’ll be quietly working away on paintings and projects in my studio…
The Science of Art
I've been working on some little paintings (very little for me!), and I've been thinking about nature, observation, science and art. Specifically, the science of art…
Details from a work in progress…
I've been working on some little paintings (very little for me!), and I've been thinking about nature, observation, science and art. Specifically, the science of art.
Science:
The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.
Art:
The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
For me, every painting begins as a thought experiment. I ask myself, "What if?..."
And then my imagination goes to work. As Einstein said,
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
So, I observe, then imagine, and then I experiment...
I'm having fun creating these little paintings. They're definitely an experiment! But each painting then triggers a new idea, and then I begin all over again...
“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
Upcoming Event
We're having a group show at Welch Street Studios on December 6th and 7th. It will be all small works (hence the little paintings!). The first day will be an evening opening (with refreshments!) and on Saturday, December 7th, we'll also have our studios open for day two of this event. Stay tuned for more info!
“Fiction is experimentation; when it ceases to be that, it ceases to be fiction. ”
Views From a Car Window, My Iceland Roadtrip
Many people have asked me what I like most about my time in Iceland. There are so many things... The fantastic landscape and scenery, seeing humpback whales playing in the fjord, riding Icelandic horses along the river to the fjord…
"Stop every now and then. Just stop and enjoy. Take a deep breath. Relax and take in the abundance of life." - Anonymous
I'm back in my Vancouver studio and slowly returning to the busy city life (but I'm keeping my small island attitude!).
Many people have asked me what I liked most about my time in Iceland. There are so many things... The fantastic landscape and scenery, seeing humpback whales playing in the fjord, riding Icelandic horses along the river to the fjord (and laughing the whole time like a little girl chasing butterflies!). Seeing the puffins up close on the cliffs... I loved the simplicity of the small village life on the island, and getting to know the locals (who are so kind and helpful and seem to just want to be of service!).
But what I loved most of all, was how I lived each day.
Here are just a few favourite photos from my Iceland trip…
The Object of Art
The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable. - Robert Henri
Soon I’ll say good-bye to this little island paradise… It’s been really wonderful to stay here with no pressures, no deadlines, no expectations… time to just BE…
The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.
- Robert Henri
Soon I’ll say good-bye to this little island paradise… It’s been a wonderful month with no pressures, no deadlines, no expectations… time to just BE.
It’s a simpler life.
And it’s actually been really good to have less choices. The small convenience store, for example, is only open a few hours a day with limited food choices, which means… simple meals, less shopping time, (I can walk there in two minutes) and a little more creativity in the kitchen! There are less things “to do”, so that means less distractions and more focussed time to paint and create!
Hrisey mountains - Triptych, work in progress
Most days I’m in the studio painting, or out in nature filling myself up with fresh, mountain air and inspiration. And if I do want a little more stimulation and people, the “city” is just 45 minutes away.
It’s everything I wanted and needed.
But before I return to Canada, and the busy city life of Vancouver, I’m off on a 10-day road trip around the West Fjords of Iceland, so more adventures to come!
To walk into nature is to witness a thousand miracles. - Mary Davis
Magnificent Mountains
I’m surrounded by mountains here in Iceland. There are very few trees, so I can see every crevice and cranny, every shadow and shape within their huge forms… They define the environment.
“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
I’m surrounded by mountains here in Iceland. There are very few trees, so I can see every crevice and cranny, every shadow and shape within their huge forms… They define the environment.
My favourite mountain is Rimar, which I can see from almost everywhere on this island, including my bedroom window. Every day I watch the changing weather reflected on this mountain. Sometimes it’s completely hidden by the clouds… but when the clouds lift, the mountain’s presence is like a majestic jewel across the ocean.
Mountain at Midnight
I’m working on a “mini” mountain series and I have just a few supplies and some small 8'“ x 10” canvas boards to paint on. I’m used to working on large canvases, so it’s an adjustment to scale everything down… especially mountains! But it’s a good practice and it’s giving me more ideas and inspiration… (and it’s nice to finish a painting in a couple of days!!).
Rimar might just have to wait for a larger canvas though…
Rimar
The mountains are calling and I must paint…
66 Degrees North
There’s something special about the northern light at this time of year. Especially during these long summer evenings… everything just glows, bringing out the vivid colours of the majestic landscape….
Hrisey Town at Midnight
It’s 24-hour daylight now in Hrisey, Iceland, and I have the opposite of “S.A.D.” (I’m suffering from G.L.A.D. - Good Light All Day!).
The light in the north is truly beautiful and the sunset just goes on and on and on…
There’s something special about the northern light at this time of year. Especially during these long summer evenings… everything just glows, bringing out the vivid colours of the majestic landscape.
Mountain and Moors at Midnight
When the sun is out, the sea looks cerulean blue. In the evening, the mountains reflect pinks, purples and greens… and the moors become golden.
There’s a celebration as everything comes alive… and the birds seem to go crazy in the never-ending twilight!
It’s hard to know the time of day… There are people here out doing yard work at 3 am! But somehow I’m getting lots of sleep… My days consist of going for hikes across the moors to the cliffs, swimming (in the geothermal pool just down the road), napping, making food or going to a local cafe, writing, reading, and of course painting!
I love the northern landscape. It’s rugged and wild… and I always feel a sense of “home”. Perhaps it’s in my blood…
So this is what I’m exploring - What is the importance of the land and environment to a ‘sense of place’ and the feelings of connection to oneself and one’s place in the world?
I’m getting to know this land. Through the sights and sounds of nature… and the colours, shapes… the feeling of this place.
I brought just a few supplies with me, including some small canvas boards with a limited palette of paints.
I made a time-lapse video of a little painting I made. I’m calling it ‘Wildflower Eruption’, inspired by the wildflowers and flora of Iceland.
Hrísey, Iceland
I’m spending a month here on Hrísey near the arctic circle. It’s a small island in Eyjafjörður (fjord), north Iceland, with approximately 200 people living here. Today I walked around town and checked out the amenities…
I’m spending a month here on Hrísey near the arctic circle. It’s a small island in Eyjafjörður (fjord), north Iceland, with approximately 200 people living here. Today I walked around town and checked out the amenities…
There is a grocery store with basic supplies (but they will also order other items for you by request), a museum, a restaurant and cafe, a guest house, a church, a geo-thermal pool, and of course, the Old School Arthouse, the international artist residency where I’m staying.
Right now the sun sets at 12:30 am and then rises again an hour or so later, so it doesn’t really get dark… despite that, I’m sleeping like a baby! Must be all the fresh air hikes and stress-free living. Soon we’ll have 24 hour sunshine…
It’s so quiet here (except for the birds and howling wind out on the moors!). A perfect place for me to rest and recharge…
An Evening Walk on the Moors
Tomorrow I start art-making!
Arrived! - Settling In And Exploring: Hrisey, Iceland
It’s my first full day here on Hrisey island (called the “Pearl of Eyjafjörður”) for my art residency at the Old School Art House in northern Iceland. I arrived in Akureyri, the closest city (pop. 18,000), and spent my first night there…
Arrived!
Art Adventures in Iceland
It’s my first full day here on Hrisey island (called the “Pearl of Eyjafjörður”) for my art residency at the Old School Art House in northern Iceland. I arrived in Akureyri, the closest city (pop. 18,000), and spent my first night there (sleeping a glorious 12 hours after my long trip!) and planned on making my way to the island yesterday by bus. I discovered, however, that no buses run on Saturdays! Fortunately I had a contact number to call and was able to catch a ride with a local last night. From Akureyri it’s a 30 minute drive and a 15 minute ferry ride to Hrisey .
I unpacked and settled into my room yesterday evening and then (despite the light skies) slept another 10 hours in my comfy bed.
My new home for the next month…
My Humble Abode
Gamli Skoli - Old School Arthouse
Arthouse Front View
I have a private bedroom with shared living-room, kitchen, bathroom, laundry and a studio space. There are three other artists here with me… a film-maker from Belgium and two “sound artists” (electronic) from the US. (They use headphones and it’s very quiet!).
So today I just settled in and went exploring a little…
Wind, Birds and The Fountain of Energy… Exploring the Land
It’s pretty cold here right now (about 5 degrees C) so I bundled up and headed out towards the cliffs. I came to the “Fountain of Energy”, a place to sit and meditate while listening to the sounds of nature… the wind, the sea and the multitude of birds… while receiving the peaceful energy from the mountain Kaldbakur across the fjord.
There are over 40 species of birds on this island, and right now it’s nesting season. A large part of the island is a bird conservation area where eider ducks come every year to nest. The soft eiderdown are humanely gathered every spring after the eggs have hatched (there are no predators on the island).
Although there are a few smaller trees around town (not much taller than me!) most of the land is rocky with small shrubs and wild flowers scattered about, creating pretty bursts of colour and a gentleness in this vast, rugged land.
And the wind!
I love watching the birds soaring around the cliffs in the wind…
Tomorrow I’ll check out the town’s amenities…
Hope for the flowers - part one
In a couple of weeks I'm heading off to Iceland to stay at an artist residency for one month. I'll be staying on a small island in the north of Iceland for the month of June (and then a two week driving tour of the West Fjords!) …
I've been painting away in my studio… but soon it’s time to put my brushes down…
In a couple of weeks I'm heading off to Iceland to stay at an artist residency for one month. I'll be staying on a small island in the north of Iceland for the month of June (and then a two week driving tour of the West Fjords!) …
I’ll be exploring the beautiful northern landscape for some new inspiration to create (and it won’t be trees!).
So now it’s time to put my paints away and prepare for an all new adventure…
Hope For The Flowers - work in progress
Stay tuned to hear more from the land of fire and ice!
Hope For The Flowers - detail