Contrasting days

We’ve had some fairly changeable weather over the last two days; rain all night Wednesday which continued most of the day, so snow has been disappearing, although still pretty icy underfoot and plenty of snow over the mountains and a cold ice wind. Anxious I wasn’t going to get out of the studio, but having staked out the harbour and beyond for potential pinhole sites I have to get over to the opposite side and walk the beach – time is of the essence. Rain ceased and I’m out there with camera and sketchbooks.

Over the wooden bridge and have to jump across some fast-flowing ice melt pouring off the land and into the sea, to get on to the beach. Lots of large sea birds hovering in the air where the waves were breaking - not sure what they are, and small waders with pointy black and white markings darting about.

Where black volcanic earth had been blown onto white snow is like looking at drawings – don’t know why I’m bothering to make any myself when the weather can do so much better.

Good to walk by the sea and taste salt against a backdrop of moody mist hanging over mountains, with dark clouds moving in. After a bit I sit on a rain-soaked mound and make three drawings. They’re okay; might use them for some larger work in the studio.

Here's what I was looking at.. pretty good hey - can't beat nature.

Over night a storm comes in, battering the house and makes getting to the studio in Thursday morning interesting. I adopt the tacking into and then running with the wind approach – not for nothing my time talking to sailors and fishermen.

After a bit of work in the studio and a fight with a phone trying to get through to an art shop in Reykjavik I’m off out with a rucksack full of pinhole cameras. Manage to put five in various places along the harbour side secured well with cable ties, so hope they survive out there and all stay roughly pointing south - well according to my compass they were when I put them up

Just got to remember where I've put them. It seems to have taken hours of walking along the harbour and the back road out of Skagströnd, and climbing onto the hill, selecting poles, and struggling with cable ties in a strong wind just to get these five in place, although there has been a bit of meeting people and talking and tea drinking on route.

I’ve another five sitting here in front of me waiting expectantly… tomorrow.

Found this tin on the ground in the harbour not sure what had been in it.. any ideas?

and a face painted on the side of a building in the harbour.. who is it?

When I left the studio early evening the light over the mountains across the bay was good.

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Nearly forgot…. there was a northern lights showing tonight and people rushed outside to see. John the New Yorker and I merely turned off the kitchen light and looked out the window; how nonchalant is that!

I seem to be always writing these Blogs late at night when I’m tired.