It's the Weekend!!

 Good Afternoon and HaPpY SaTuRdAy!!!

You may be wondering why the large font and weird writing. Well a number of things have made me very happy. Apart from speaking to Steve and the kids, which did make me miss home, I have continued to be bowled over by the amazing light and surroundings in Iceland. The aftermath of the storm was sorted out by the workaholic icelanders with their massive diggers... I have some pictures of the street where I live:

This is the snowdrift on the street outside the house

After digging out the path to the house

The back, which still looks like that...

My mode of transport for getting past the ice and snow was to pile everything onto an old sledge and pull it along. The only problem was that I couldn't go the normal way as there were too many snowdrifts, so I had to walk around the main road which had been ploughed. It took ages and my stupid bag kept falling off... Plus I was too fat to actually get on it and have a slide. ps, yes, this is the main road...

Heading up the street at the end of a really productive day, the snow drift had been cleared. The next pictures are the close ups of the drift and me and my shadow...!

I have spent most of the last 2 days photographing the sea - which is beautiful, powerful and  wild. For anyone who knows me, they will understand how important this is. I have spent hours in the same spot, because of course, the images are never exactly the same. I have also made a variety of images using different techniques which I am still working on. The following are a few from today, where the sea was deep blue/black and the sun was catching the surf.

Sorry, that was a bit indulgent. So todays blog is a bit delayed because I spent such a long time looking at the images I made and deciding which ones to keep. I have also still had no luck in spotting an actual skagastrondite.... During daylight hours there is no-one about an it's Saturday and it's a ghost town. I have, however, discovered the delights of Borgen restaurant and BAR! First drink in ages and I had a G&T which cost £9! Only one obviously and now back to the studio. 

One of the fabulous things about the beach is that the the sand and the snow make this image seem to be black and white. This is full colour. The textures are amazing as the light is reflected from the black sand.

I have organised a road trip..... Slightly scary because of the snow and ice, but we are mainly going to be using the Route 1 ring road. The journey will take myself, Penny, a painter from Australia, Louise, a songwriter from Australia, Jujin, a painter from South Korea and Louise's son, Arthur, who is 7, first to Akureyri, about 2 hours drive from here. Akureyri is a town with restaurants and shops and a camera shop - which is essential as my cable release is broken and I need a new one. (keep everything crossed please!) We will then go on to Godafoss, which is an impressive waterfall just off the route 1. I am hoping to get some images there, but so much is dependent on the weather. This is it and it looks marvellous! This is not one of my images.

Reading up on this waterfall, it seems that it's best to photograph it at sunrise, which is around 10am, so hopefully we'll manage it. From then we will travel to Myvatn lake where we are staying for one night to visit the nature baths, an outdoor thermal pool which stays at around 40 degrees. The weather forecast doesn't really give much chance of the aurora, but I'm hoping and wishing with everything I've got!! We go on Wednesday and come back Thursday night. I daren't look at the weather forecast....

This is not one of my images.

Ok, I think that's it for today. I'm very tired for some reason and need to sleep. It's only 9pm but feels like midnight. I am trying to upload this little bit of video to show you how difficult it is getting back and forth from studio to house, but it's not working. If it doesn't work, have a look on Aly Jackson Visual Artist on Facebook as I'll try to post it there.

Closing thoughts for the day courtesy of ABBA:

Chiquitita, you and I cry

But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you

Let me hear you sing once more like  you did before

Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Try once more like you did before

Sing a new song Chiquitita

See you tomorrow and have a happy Saturday night

Love,

Aly x

And the storm goes on...

Sorry for the abrupt ending to yesterday's blog. It was exciting stuff to be told that a terrible storm was coming and we should stay indoors for at least 24 hrs.

It's now 9.49am, Friday. The storm started properly around 6pm yesterday with winds which you couldn't stand up in. It gradually got worse and has basically been going strong all night with little signs of abating. 

This was the tiny drift yesterday before the storm started. This morning, we can't see out of any windows in the house and it's very claustrophobic. This is my bedroom window, about 5 minutes ago. 

So imagine every single window to the outside world looks like that, the front door is barricaded by 2 wheelie bins and 2 chairs as the door kept flinging open, the wind is howling and there is a strange dull yellow light everywhere. That's my current world. 

Here is the supplies cupboard:

For 4 people. 

The dining room window:

And the lounge:

What to do....? I did try to photograph the storm last night, but visibility was so bad that this is all I got:

I may well use this in something though. 

I did have some time to think about what I really want to achieve while I'm here. I suppose the first thing I've learned is that it's not a good idea to have too definite a plan in mind - particularly when going into another setting which is so different. I had a vision of massive waterfalls, northern lights shining and lighting my way wherever I went and photogenic beauty at every turn. In fact, the storm has shown me that even if all of that was 200 yards away, I couldn't access it right now. 

Skagastrond is a working town/village. There are only about 450 residents. I have only seen about 5 local people actually walking around in the time I've been here. It's very much a 'car' society. It has to be as the weather is so unpredictable. 

What I really want to achieve, and two people really helped with this (probably without knowing), is to use my time here to explore the memories it holds for the people who feel they belong to the place. I am trying to get to spend time with the people who are residents at the elderly people's home. I'm hoping to be able to have some dialogue with them and even access some of their personal artefacts. 

From there, I will see what seems to work, but thank you Linda and Caroline for prompting that method of working and remembering how much it inspired me - even when I'd misplaced that memory. 

Having made the place sound like an industrial hub with little traditional beauty, I suppose I should put that right. It is a stunning setting and I try not to leave the house (ha ha if only..) without kit. Namely a tripod, shutter release, camera and 2 lenses. Considering the ground is around 4 inches of sheet ice covered by snow, the fear of falling is great and I accept that I will save the camera before I save myself, hence the massive bruise on my knee... Yesterday's trip out of town - pre storm, and 30 yards out of town, did reap some rewards for you crowdfunders:

Slight breakthrough. Some ice just fell off the window and gave a momentary view of the outside world. These from my camera back:

What these don't convey is the noise. It's so blinking loud. Someone should harness all of the different wind sounds and make music! If this tiny piece of video from my phone works, it will give you my total view of the outside world, through this small chink in the houses armour...it didn't work!! I'm sorry. Might try to put it into Facebook.

Ok then, I'll sign this off for now and maybe come back later. I'm very aware that the power is a bit iffy, so I think I'll snuggle down and listen to the fantastic Icelandic band Libby told me about. 'Of Monsters and Men' thanks libs. 

Love,

Aly x

Batten Down the Hatches

Good Morning!

This is a fabulous map which is hanging up in the studio. It reminds me of the ones that we had in primary school. Iceland reminds me of Scotland and from the map, you can see why. There seems to be water at ever turn - although much of it is ice at the moment. 

As the house is about 10 minutes walk from the studio, I decided to venture out in the opposite direction this morning to get a feel for the extent of the village. There is a flat plain on the edge of the sea which is where I am, however the village is surrounded by hills and mountains which don't look so big, but as I walked towards them this morning, they became more intimidating, particularly as a storm approaching was visible across the fjord.

The light is very blue and as the sun isn't up until after 10am, there is a strange cold light hanging for ages before the sun creates a slight warming colour with some yellow and even gold fighting their way through. These are just from my phone as I wanted to get an idea of the terrain before having to carry lots of 'stuff'.

They were only slightly less blue than this is reality.

Well, alert time! I've arrived at the studio to be informed that there is a storm coming. By 4pm we need to be where we intend to stay for 2 days..... That's either the studio (with a range of sofas and hard floors... or the house, which is cosy and warm, with a lovely quilt and bed, but no TV, music, wifi or anything really. We have been advised to go home and 'enjoy' the experience of being snowed in. Apparently it's the wind that's more of a problem than the snow.

Anyway, I may not have contact for a couple of days but rest assured, will be gathering images, experiences and stories, ready for the next one. 

I did go out along the sea front a few minutes ago and nearly got blown away. managed to get some decent images I think, but I'll work on those tonight. In the meantime, here's the ones from my camera as I was getting ready to come back.

The last 2 are of the river, which is frozen solid. I desperately wanted someone to magic some ice skates out of their pocket and give them to me.... It would have been brilliant skating on this. I may ask around....

I'm going to sign off and send this just in case I'm off the net...

Wish me luck and watch this space!

Welcome to Skagastrond!

So yesterday - After a gorgeous, sunny, fresh and long... journey, we arrived at Blonduos, the next town to Skagastrond. There waiting, was a minibus driver to take me the last 25km of the trip. Within 5 minutes, the sky darkened and it began to snow - horizontally across the carriageway. We lost visibility of the mountains which had been alongside us all the way. Arrived safely at the house which had a 5ft drift outside the door. Scrambled over that and entered a warm, larger than it looks for the outside, bungalow. The image above is my first venturing out of the 'tardis'. Trying to find the shop I fell over on the sheet ice which covers everything. Twice. I also walked the 10 minutes or so to the studio where a warm welcome from what someone from Mars would recognise as 'artists'. 

Very friendly and welcoming they were too. So far I've been introduced to 2 Australians, 1 Korean, 2 Londoners, 1 Japanese, and a few others who I haven't worked out the geography for yet.

Got wrapped up in:

Thermal leggings, jeans, socks, boots, fantastic - and I mean FANTASTIC rubber things you put on your boots to stop falling over, snood, hat and parka. Oh and 2 pairs of gloves, and went to take photographs. 

These are taken with my phone of my computer with today's images from the proper camera. I was quite warm, except my face. Glad the tripod has a foam grip as I couldn't just hold the metal. 

I woke up at 6 but it's not light until around 10. The studio is an old fish factory - no smell lingers, unlike the hot water, which is limitless as it comes from under the earth but stinks of rotten eggs!

This is the studio:

Which is quite roomy, light (you wouldn't think so, but the sun isn't up yet..) and warm. 

This is my current view, complete with shadow of snow shovel...!

We were just welcomed to the residency by Kerryn, co-director of nes. Lots of information and 3 invitations. One to an artists talk for all 5 of the current 11 artists to share their work progress. The next invitation was to 'Porramatur' a traditional festival of food, mainly meat. Apparently lots of Sheep testicles and sheeps heads as well as more usual dried fish and liver...

The next invitation was to a birthday party, so someone will take a trip to blonduos, 25km away to get some alcohol! Since not drinking I have become a coffee addict. 

I am venturing out in a minute to get the sunset (yes it's only 3.11pm but it's already closing in a little. I have walked a bit today but it's so cold. Just the top of my face exposed and got a horrible 'ice-cream' headache without the pleasure of the ice cream... I did, however, get a few decent shots on my way to and from the house to the studio (as I kept forgetting stuff..)

These will hopefully form some of the raw materials for some montage work. 

See you tomorrow. 

Love,

Aly x