Litli Botn

Littli Botn is an abandoned farm deep in Hval-fjord in a valley called Botnsdalur. It is very close to the tallest waterfall in Iceland called Glymur which I have often visited and painted a few times. This painting of the farm is a larger work done from smaller sketches. I was lucky because just as I was beginning to sketch, the sun was coming round the building which made for a dramatic play of light and shadow. I was fascinated by all that texture both in the concrete of the old building as well as in the grassy patches of the foreground. 

As I was painting on location I was visited by some very curious sheep. We have more sheep than people here in Iceland so your quite likely to run into them in the wild. At one point they were so close that I was starting to be a little concerned.  But when I stood up to take a picture of them they decided they had had enough of art for one day and ran off.

Vinter at Lake Helluvatn

I did this painting of the red cabin about a month ago. I have been hiking at lake Helluvatn many times before, both for my own enjoyment and also for painting. I love to paint there. It is a large lake right out side of Reykjavík surrounded by small forrest´s and lots of summer cottages.

This particular one grabbed my attention early on, but I always put off painting it for some reason. I think I was saving it for the right moment, and anyway there are so many different subjects there so I was in no rush. I did take a little artistic license with this house, especially the placement and shapes of the windows on the building, but I don´t think anyone will mind that. All in all I am pleased with the piece, it was actually larger than this, but I ended up cropping about 3 inches from the bottom of the canvas. I felt it was stronger like this with less foreground showing.

The colors for the red of the cabin are mainly: Terra Rosa, Cadmium Red, Transparent Oxide Red and White. The colors for the background, sky and snow are mostly: Terra Rosa, Cobalt blue, Yellow Ochre pale with white and some Viridian.

I wanted to do a painting that showed off this beautiful building and I am happy I finally gave it a shot. I am looking forward to the next time our paths cross, perhaps when that red of the building will be complimented by all the greens that summer will bring.