Where?!

view from my studio 11:04am today

Yesterday I posted a map of Iceland on Facebook to show everyone where exactly I am. Blönduós is located in Northwest Iceland, population 881. It is not far from where I lived the first time I came to Iceland, Skagaströnd, which is about 9 miles farther north. Blönduós is situated on either side of the Blanda river which flows into the sea. Right now, the horizon starts glowing around 9:30 or 10 as the sun begins to rise. It appears around 10:30 and rises just a little and then starts to set, maybe around 2.  It's dark by 4. It's much brighter during this time than I thought and often everything appears to be bathed in blue. The weather changes frequently, and quickly, and within the span of an hour there might be gale-force winds, stillness, a near white-out, pink clouds, bright sun, and a complex blend of periwinkle, slate gray, lavender, and robin's egg blue in the sky. Sometimes the sea is lighter than the sky, while other times it has an orangey-pink tint, reflecting the sunset above. I've been lucky to see the Northern Lights a few times already, too. I walk every day despite the cold and wind, just wearing extra layers as needed and maybe walking not as far due to strong gusts. I cannot imagine not being outside every day so I will continue to venture out as much as I can.

Blanda river and snowy mountains at 12:20 today

blue light at 3:02 a few days ago

sea and sky and some of that orangey-pink tone 

around 1:30 on my first day

Thanks for reading.

Texílsetur Íslands

Currently, I'm living and working at Texílsetur Íslands, the Icelandic Textile Center, in Blönduós, Northwest Iceland. Texílsetur is housed in Kvennaskólinn, a former women's school, situated at the estuary of the Blanda River and Húnaflói Bay. It occupies the top two floors where there are private rooms and two large shared studios. I have a private room and studio and feel very fortunate to be making my work in such a special place, a transitional place, where the river meets the sea. I have long been fascinated by estuaries and brackish water, and given my most current work, In Between, which is about transition, being here at Texílsetur seems very, very appropriate. I'm also curious about the history of the school and like thinking about the years of women who lived and learned here, too.

I will be here for a month and will be creating a black version of "Island of 14,264 Days," something I've been wanting to do since I first made that piece in May, 2013. I came up with the idea then, to make a companion during the darkness of winter, the opposite of when I made the white version. I began working yesterday and will complete the piece by the end of the month. Other plans include walking and documenting my observations outside, but also studying the interior of this building and taking pictures of what I see inside. I also have a lot of reading to do.

the view from my room on my first day

Thanks for reading.

Total Immersion

I spent the day in Blönduós last Wednesday and surrounded myself in textiles. I went to Heimilisiðnaðarsafnið (Textile Museum) first and was there for four hours. (I also visited the week before but found an hour and a half was simply not enough time.) I looked at everything, and I mean everything, very, very closely. I took tons of photos and did some research, thinking, and writing. 

There are many things I love about this museum: the collection is rich and well-curated and organized thematically, presenting a story of textiles in Iceland from traditional costumes complete with jewelry to the production and use of wool to lace and other finely detailed stitched pieces to contemporary works by Icelandic artists. There is also a section dedicated to the collection of Halldóra Bjarnadóttir, an early Icelandic feminist, one might say. She was dedicated to helping women and was also an avid collector of textiles and textile-related tools. You can also touch everything, normally unheard of in museums, but there is a basket of white cotton gloves available as you walk in the door.

Halldóra at 35

About half-way through my visit, I was able to meet with the director of the museum, Elín S. Sigurðardóttir. We had a very nice time talking and getting acquainted. I really liked how she spoke about the importance of patrons being able to touch things on display, that it helps with understanding and appreciation. I completely agree. I also had a great visit with Margrét Arna Vilhjálmsdóttir, who works at the museum and who studied textiles in school. We got to talk a lot about textiles, making work, the museum, and Iceland.

Next I went to Textílsetur Íslands (The Icelandic Textile Center) to work on the Vatnsdæla Saga tapestry, a 46 meter (!) embroidery begun by Jóhanna Erla Pálmadóttir. Jóhanna gave me a short lesson on how to make the different stitches and then set me to work as she sat across from me and also worked. It felt very special to learn from her and to work side by side on her piece. I am going back to Blönduós tomorrow to finish the boat.

Finally, I taught my basic embroidery class at the Textile Center, which I wrote about yesterday. It was so much fun and a wonderful way to end my day of total textiles immersion.

I posted lots and lots of new photos on Flickr.

Thanks for reading.

Ég var Kennarinn

That title means "I was the teacher..." I taught two hour-long, basic embroidery classes last week, one here in Skagaströnd at the Nes studios and the other in nearby Blönduós at the Icelandic Textiles Center. I started with the running stitch and ended with my personal favorite, the colonial knot, with couching and satin stitch in between. All together I showed nine stitches and also talked about separating and blending thread. It was a challenging experience to teach embroidery for the first time, to have only one hour to do it, and to teach a group of mostly Icelanders, both adults and kids. But, it was so much fun and reminded me just how much I love to teach! I had a palm reading the other day and was delighted to learn my hand says I am "great teacher." I think that's the kind of thing one wants to hear in those moments!

I am looking forward to the teaching gigs I have lined up for when I return to the US...

Thanks for reading.

Teaching in Iceland!

announcement for the class

I just got an unexpected opportunity to teach some classes here in Iceland! On Wednesday and Thursday of next week I will lead a basic embroidery class in Skagaströnd and in Blönduós. I will demonstrate a variety of stitches including line stitches, filling stitches, and knots. I will also introduce a different materials and show how to separate and blend thread. After my demos students will have a chance to try the stitches themselves and work with me individually as needed.  Here's a translation of the announcement:

*Basic Embroidery Class with textile artist Amy Tavern (USA)

www.amytavern.com

Amy Tavern is a textile artist and jewelery maker. Amy is here at Nes

Artist Residency for May and June, during her artist residency she will give

2 classes to teach some basic embroidery to anyone who would like to

join in! The class is free, but you need to bring some things to use.

Please email Amy before Tuesday 18 June to tell her you will come to the

class. Amy will then email you a list of what you need to bring.

The 2 classes will be at Skagaströnd and Blönduós.

Skagaströnd:

Wednesday 19 June

5:30 - 6:30

Nes Artist Residency (Fjörubraut 8)

Blönduós:

Thursday 20 June

6:30 - 7:30

Icelandic Textiles Center

I am so pleased to have this opportunity and look forward to spending time with locals from both communities as well as some of my fellow resident artists. 

Thanks for reading.

Resonance

traditional Icelandic costume with jewelry

I finally made it to the Textiles Museum and the Textiles Center in neighboring Blönduós. The museum was closed for the winter until June 1 and I've been trying to get some time with the very busy Jóhanna Erla Pálmadóttir, director of the Textiles Center. What an amazing day it was! I went to the Textiles Center first and was greeted by intern/artist and my new friend, Ashley Lamb. She showed me around the Center which was once a school for women and now serves as an artist residency. The building is lovely with original furniture and beautiful light. Then I met Jóhanna and we had a nice talk and organized the embroidery class I will teach there next week. (More on that tomorrow!) After a long walk around town, I went to the museum and was blown away. I had read that it was a great place, but I really had no idea. So many exquisite things: traditional costumes complete with jewelry, more historical clothing, lace and embroidered pieces, blankets, tapestries, more jewelry, and wonderful antiques. I was overwhelmed and quite moved--to be in Iceland working on embroidery and to visit a place like this, as well as the Textiles Center, is incredibly meaningful to me.

weaving looms at the Textiles Center

some lovely chairs at the Textiles Center

the Vatnsdæla saga tapestry, a project of Jóhanna's at the Textiles Center--anyone can help stitch and I will make my mark next week

a contemporary installation at the Textiles Museum

thimble and case at the Textiles Museum, part of the collection of objects that once belonged to Halldóra Bjarnadóttir

antique lace at the Textiles Museum

I will go back to the museum next week to spend more time and really look closly. The hour and a half I allowed there just wasn't enough.

More pics on Facebook and Flickr.

Thanks for reading.