I have put all my pinhole cameras in place! Spend the morning and early afternoon walking along the sea shore and find various posts and a bridge where I can attach them. Am feeling a bit low as I leave the house this morning - sometimes communal living gets you down, but a walk with the sea wind sky and their sounds and the sense of space opening up around me as I breath in clear air always helps - I'm never alone out there.
I spend a long time out there - walking and breathing. And putting up the rest of cameras made from tins collected from my neighbours in Coleford, Somerset (thanks neighbours!) ..and here they are sitting out in the wilds of Skagaströnd.
Just checking south
Found amongst the volcanic black - some burnt orange - or maybe it's brick colour
Clambering down to the ice water flowing fast off land into sea, there's a sheet of ice just hanging on and looking like vertebrae or the skeleton of a fish. Bet it won't last the night.
And more drawings made by the landscape... sigh.
Back to the studio for a group meeting - feels a bit tense at times, and there's a lot to remember. We are warned about the impending traditional Icelandic festival event that happens all over Iceland in February, called þorrablót (pronounced thora-blot) and allegedly it is to celebrate the Viking ways. I wonder if, as with Up- Helly-Aa, it's also not really so old. The townsfolk come together for an evening of speeches about the year and making jokes. There is a special dinner, a play put on by the locals which is always about the local goings-on of the previous year and makes fun of people and events, and there is dancing to a band. It's also where the food is fermented fish, gelatinous sheep testicles (yes), sheep head, smoked lamb, and sometimes whale....and they drink a lot. We could go - I'm not - call me a whimp, but it costs a lot and there would be nothing for me to eat. In fact most of us have declined; only two hardy souls are up for it and hopefully they can live to tell us the tales. We have been told not to let them into our houses or the studio. Clearly it's lock up your daughters time!!!
I spend what's left of the day sitting outside drawing as darkness falls.
Some good evening clouds over the mountains tonight..
Okay - I am definitely hungry now... only two of us left in the studio... not sure what I'm eating tonight. Have 3 day old left-overs... any ideas? With Iceland prices can't afford to waste anything - I'll live