Last day in Skagastrond

It's now late Thursday night and tomorrow will be my last day in the village I have called home for the last month. Skagastrond is not raved about in the Iceland books neither is it really an obvious stopping point in the round trip, being a good 45 minutes off route 1. It is however, to me and to the locals I have spoken to, a place of industry, community and sublime beauty. Watched over by a majestic rock with the look of a miniature table mountain, it nestles in farmland on the very edge of the sea. It's black beaches and inky sea lead the eye to the fjord and the next peninsula west, ever changing with whatever the weather decides to spin up on any given day. Every day has been different and it's no myth about the Icelandic weather changing in the space of minutes. I have experienced so many variations of snow and ice - wet, dry, powder, slush, sheet, hard on the surface and soft underneath (as witnessed by the numerous bruises from falling...) and I'm sure there are still more. 

I have been lucky enough to experience the extravaganza that is the northern lights around six times, each different from the last, as well as sunrises and sunsets that redefine beauty. 

I have worked alongside amazing people: Penny, Joe, Zata, Megan, Hannah, Chelsea, Masumi,  Yujin, Louise, Arthur, Shaye, Andrew, Nadiia and Toshiaki. All of these have taught me something and we have shared so much - a sense of wonder at this place, the experience of seeing Aurora for the first time, eating, drinking, singing(?!?) and simply enjoying each other's company. 

I will miss seeing this every day when I arrive at the studio. 

So today was the open house and we had a bus load of 16 to 18 year olds from the next village (45minures away..) as well as local people visiting the studio to look at the works in progress. I ran a slide show of around 200 images which was well received, but the highlight was definitely Louise's singing!

It's not a video - sorry! Just a screen shot of a video. The performance was superb. 

It was really good to see people's work, particularly as at the beginning of the month each artist talked about their ideas, motivation and what they hoped to achieve. To be honest, I wasn't really sure what I would get from this experience. My proposal was along the lines of my previous works of layering images to create new narratives from a place, it's people and their history. I have the raw materials to do that, but I'm not sure if I will work in the same way as before. Much of my previous artistic language was dark and monochrome - very much pathetic fallacy. This experience has an overriding sense of light and more light and I can't imagine making images using shadows and darkness as I have before. 

The fabulous Penny has just brought me my very own Japanese home cooked meal as I'm now going to attempt to eat after having an upset tummy all day. 

Well, that was delicious. Now I just need to stay awake long enough to see if the beautiful aurora makes an appearance around midnight. 

I'll give a shout out to Nadiia who took the best photograph of me ever! I was busy trying to grab sunset images a couple of nights ago and she got this one of me. I love it. 

Well. It's now 1.18am, Friday morning and I need to report that I have just spent an hour and a half in the company of the most impressive dancing sky I have ever seen. What a privilege to experience. Photographs to follow at some point, but for now I have so much to be thankful for.  

Thursday started with the total (if temporary) happiness felt after gaining Bruce Springsteen tickets in the mele that is Ticketmaster. (Temporary because of the price...) This was followed by the most beautiful, crystal clear, crisp, sunny day imaginable after which we all got to share our work with the community and some lovely kids. A sunset walk in the beach, some Japanese food and finally the best light show for miles. I know how lucky I am and I'm taking none of it for granted. 

I'll try to put up some of the aurora photos tomorrow but I have an exhibition at 5, the opening of a fantastic piece of public light art at 7.30, saying goodbyes as well as packing ready for the final leg of Iceland 2016. I'm not sure if I'll have wifi over the weekend but I'll try to post something after the black beach and the ice lagoon in the south!

Sleep well. 

Love,

Aly x