artist residency Lofoten Islands May 2023
The Lofoten Islands are situated off the Norwegian Arctic Coast an archipelago on the edge of world with a breathtakingly beautiful landscape and unique blue light that has inspired artists for centuries. Several years ago I discovered the Kunstner Huset AIR (Artist House) residency for Norwegian and Swedish artists since 1934 situated in the historic fishing harbour of Svolvær and the opportunity arose for a recce in February 2022 during the Hurtigruten coastal voyage, the boat stopped for 2 hours , just enough time to walk the compacted snowy streets in a white out blizzard, receive a warm welcome and be shown around. My application was accepted for May 2023
Spoilt for choice with amazing views from all the studio windows, I decided on this corner and unpacked my studio stuff and once settled made a little watercolour of the view.
Arctic Spring 2023 - 24 hours daylight, flying into Tromsø over the mountains I would drive through to the Lofoten Islands. Suitcase packed with studio essentials: sketchbook, watercolour paints, pigments, brushes, linen cloth, soya beans, some threads and a few warm clothes.
the famous blue light from the 24 hour daylight caught early one morning looking across to the mountains silhouetted against the eastern sky that mirrors my collection of shells and coral found on the nearby beach
culture & heritage
the indigenous Sami culture
A day spent immersed in the Sami Culture Permanent collection at Tromsø Univisity
The indigenous Sami traditionally lived a nomadic lifestyle hunting reindeer that are now herded across the tundra on the same migratory routes. I was drawn to the symbols that characterise the Sami gods, they have strong ties with nature with rituals being symbolised with primitive animal shapes. A bone needle dating back 1000s of years was discovered buried in the ice, making the Sami one of the oldest cultures to have sewn originally using sinew as thread to make fur clothing
There is a strong Norwegian craft tradition in weaving, knitting and embroidery. I was shown the rya (rug) stitch used to make traditional Scandinavian long pile wool rugs. The Norwegian boat Ryas originated in the early fifteenth century as heavy covers used by fisherman, the course wool pile gave extra insulation offering excellent protection against the freezing cold sea. It creates a lovely textural looped or cut tapestry stitch on cloth.
Beautifully exhibited on a long curved wall in the University Library Britta Marakatt-Labba incredible 24 metre long embroidery narrates the history of the Sami People. Britta uses thin yarns of wool, silk & linen, the motifs in her work often originate from Sami culture, blending memories, tradition and mythology she moves effortlessly between the past and present. Read more about her work on the National Museum in Oslo website
Walking daily down to the stockfish factory on the harbour wall witnessing the traditional way of life in this small fishing community unchanged for hundreds of years. The Barents Sea Arctic cod spawn off the Lofoten Island between January and March where they are caught and hung to dry on wooden racks in the cold dry Arctic wind, the oldest known method of preserving fish with records showing that Vikings took the dried cod on their voyages
for centuries itinerant fishermen visit for the stockfish season, originally staying in the red painted Rorbu cabins (now tourist accommodation) Traditionally the cabins were painted using red ochre (iron oxide pigment) in fish oil, an excellent preservative
work made in response to residency
connecting to the landscape
experiencing first hand the elements as the landscape emerges from winter into Spring - the emptiness of the sparely inhabited countryside, the stockfish drying on the wooden rack, the soft earthy colours of nature, the mountain reflections on the still icy lake
recording the ratio of colours in this typical Lofoten Island landscape, the buildings were an old sardine factory that is now a designer artist residency for writers and film makers
a day spent repeatedly blending my pigment watercolour paints: cobalt blue with gris, ochre & umber making charts of the minuscule variations in tone as drifting clouds alter the light and colour on the water’s surface
