Three days have gone by

Three days have gone by and we are gradually settling in. Following a serious case of overwhelm, the group is bonding well after a show and tell yesterday in which we were all blown away by each others creative endeavors. 

Donald began as a furniture maker and brings this aesthetic to his sculpture. I really like his work which has similarities to Richard Deacon and Martin Puryear.

Mark is an artist photographer based in New York. He showed us a series of very interesting found—in Panama—billboard montages where local people had stripped sections revealing layers of material. He searches out and photographs marginalized cultures.

Tove is a sensitive artist from Norway. Having recently spent some time in Cambodia. She is finding a way to integrate her experience of the Cambodian and Icelandic cultures in an experimental work where she combines the native materials of each country.

Linda does wonderful drawings of water and is definitely in the right place! She has been carefully observing all around her, taking photographs and has found her spot in the landscape which will inspire new work.


Our wonderful host Steinunn bought Baer with the vision to create an art centre that would provide a retreat for artists and architects to rekindle and renew creative experience in an exquisitely beautiful, tranquil environment. She is an architect and with a colleague designed the buildings specifically for this purpose. Nothing has been overlooked.

We’re all taking our time to explore to see what direction we will take individually. Yesterday I spent about 4 hours photographing the geometric rock formations—that look to me like stone flowers—and shooting a video footage of the sun on the water. The light is warm and as the sun circles the sky over the day in a very subtle sweep, the light appears to stay on a similar trajectory and it seems that only the direction of the shadow changes. I came out with my camera in the late evening just before the sun swept the horizon and got some dramatic images.

This morning some of us took advantage of the new warm swimming pool on the edge of the fiord in Hofsos, the nearest town, only five minutes drive away. It felt so good to swim and I think this will be a regular activity to be followed up when I get back to CA.

Pordarhofdi (‘P’ is pronounced a bit like ‘th’ and the ‘d’ is not in the Icelandic alphabet) is a bluff—no pun intended—at the end of a pebble causeway connecting the land owned by Baer. I spent the afternoon making my way over about 2 miles of large pebbles that lead to the bluff.

The Arctic terns are aggressively protecting their young and in Hitchcock style were dive bombing me and screeching aggressively. They have a very sharp beak and were a bit to close for comfort. I decided to film this scene as I walked. The sun was casting a long shadow and I filmed my shadow with the shadow of the birds making dives and sounding as if they meant business. I think I have some very interesting footage. I was intending to make rubbings to make impressions of the land but so far have used video and photography.

Baer Art Center. The studios and lounge on the left.

Pordarhofdi / bluff 

                                                           The lounge in late afternoon.

                                                                      Studio

Black-tailed godwit

Today is the 12th and the weather perfect for another walk to the bluff, Pordarhofdi , to take some rubbings/impressions of the land.
Walking the gauntlet of the arctic terns and over the big pebbles is quite a challenge but I practiced Taji walking which put no strain on my feet or legs. I'm enjoying a new freedom!