The Fjords

Today I am leaving Svolvær, it is bitter sweet. I am sad to leave but very excited to go to Tønsberg. It is raining again, I hope it is nicer in Tønsberg. Though the clouds are moving higher now, I get to see the tops of the fjords before I leave. I will never forget these fjords.

By Sarah Zuckerman

Last Day in Svolvær

My last full day in Svolvær. 

My last night in Svolvær.

Had tea and cookies with Lotta and then everyone came to join us! A couple who traveled all over the world sat with us and poured us all small glasses of whiskey and gave us some cookies. We all sat and talked for hours. The single malt whiskey was so strong, I could only have very few sips. The couple talked for hours about energies and chakras. 

I think it was a good ending here, I started here all by myself and I spend my last night with a group of people and even some friends I have made. 

It makes me happy.

Some informal shots of some of the work I produced while at the Kunstnerhuset. 

The Puffin Man

Today I met Lars Erik Karlsen (he told me sometimes people refer to him as "The Puffin Man"). Oh, his work is so wonderful! He showed me his studio, prints, and presses. He uses multiple blocks and prints up-side-down on an electric press. He said he never uses white so that the paper can really show through. The colors he uses are so vibrant and alive, they truly represent how he sees the nature of Lofoten.

Images by Lars Erik Karlsen

He also said he liked my work and to keep it up. I don't think I could have smiled any bigger.

Rainshowers and Galleries

Today I was drinking a cup of tea while sitting on the front steps of  Galleri Lille Kabelvåg with some fellow artists and a small rain shower came from one small passing cloud while the sun was still shining. The raindrops evaporated as soon as they hit the pavement. It seemed so magical and unreal for whatever reason at that moment and I thought, "Yeah, I could live here". 

I woke up late this morning and printed the third layer of my midnight sun print. I finally got around to some laundry and later took a bus to Kabelvåg. There was an opening, Thor Erdahl had some work being shown, as well there was a large piece by Kjersti Andvig; a knitted prison cell called "Knit Until Death". It was powerful and something I had not seen before, a kitted structure of any kind. 

 

"Knit Until Death" by Kjersti Andvig

Utakleiv

Today I went to Utakleiv! I went to rent a car but I hadn't made a reservation so... no car. I took a bus to Leknes and from there I walked....a lot, but it was well worth it.

There were sheep on the beach! Sheep! So I walked down further away from the two people on the beach, the only other two there, it was so silent and serene. I put on my suit and went to swim in the Norwegian Sea. I was up to my waist and had to run out it was so cold! I laid on the sand and warmed up a little while taking photos of the sheep and the lucid blue water. Then I decided there was no way I could come all this way and not go swimming so I went in and went swimming, all the way, over my head and all. It was freezing and invigorating and wonderful! I loved it. Soon thereafter I saw a jellyfish and bolted out of the water. I changed out of the cold suit and walked back. Passed a good deal of cows and more sheep (the sheep were everywhere!) By the time I had reached the bus stop I had to wait for three hours for the next bus to come, with nothing around at all. Things get interesting when you stare at clouds for three hours.

Utakleiv Photographs by Sarah Zuckerman

Expedition of Printmakers

Today I went to see the "Expedition of Printmakers" at the Kunstnersenter. Saw Cecilia, Tine, Maria, and Thor, (and more I have met previously but for the life of me can't recall their names!). I was able to speak with so many artists and was invited to some more openings, one on Sunday at Thor's Gallery in Kabelvåg.
The artists who worked on the expedition of printmakers were from Norway and Poland, their work really complimented each other. There were woodcuts, etchings, and some other processes I wasn't as familiar with.

The Artists at the Exhibit

Found at a site about the show

A piece from the show, I can't find the name of the artist though, 

(found here) 

It is a linocut though, which totally blew my mind because of how the detailing was with the lines.

By Elisabeth Alsos Strand "Passasje II"

By Marta Bozyk, Lofoten II

By Janne Juvi Rasmussen "Dancing in Zakopane"

Janne was staying at the Kunstnerhuset as well, I didn't get to see her when I left and walked back but she was very kind, I thoroughly enjoyed talking to her.

Tine and her trip to Mongolia

Today I went and met with Tine Lundkvist and was able to speak with her about her work for nearly two hours. She recently went on a trip to Mongolia and was making art pertaining to her trip. A lot had to do with the sound of the place, the train tracks and the rhythms. She had recently had a show where she had written her entire trip on a copperplate, printed it (so it came out backwards), and hung these very large prints as sort of curtains in a row while playing the rhythms of Mongolia in the background, really wish I had been able to see the show. She did show me a piece of the show and played the "sounds" for me so I got a general feeling for it, but I know it would have been much grander to see it as she had wanted it when it was on display. She also went through all her paintings and showed them to me. It was really interesting because she had so many large scale paintings, a lot of them seemed to portray landscape mixed with emotions, and a bit of darkness, maybe the darkness of the winter there I have yet to experience. When I left she gave me some herbs from her garden.

By Tine Lundkvist

By Tine Lundkvist