#4 of 100 Creations in 100 Days, "Home for the Winter"

#4 is finally finished! I began the piece about a week ago and wasn't able to get it finished until today! The reasons for that: it was a busy week; we were out of town one day; but mostly it took a while because it is very complex - the perspective of the boat is a challenge - in the past I would have gridded it to make it exact, but I chose not to grid it this time, so it took a lot of time to get it right (I hope I got it right!) The textures are also tricky - the grass, the water, the reflections, and especially the wood in the boat - but that was my favorite part - I really enjoyed making the wood look aged.

Home for the Winter
pastel painting
18"x24"
$750

I am imagining that this row boat has been around a long time - that it was made by the owner whose family has (in my mind, at least) lived on the lake since the middle ages and is now making its living as a host at the cabins they've build in addition to their older living of making smoked trout to be sold throughout the country. I imagine them taking the boat out in the seasons other than winter to fish for the trout and just to enjoy the lake. For now it's moored in a small protected cove next to their family home which has more recently become a guesthouse. The family has hired several young people from Eastern European countries to help them run the place - cleaning rooms and cottages, setting out the breakfast, speaking with visitors when they arrive, etc. The owner doesn't speak any English, so it's helpful to have help who do, though I'm not sure how they communicate with each other, as the help don't speak Icelandic!

The main building feels like a single story family home which has been expanded to become a guesthouse. Their location is perfect, directly on the lake, and across the street from Dimmuborgir Rock Formations (more on that later). They added a beautiful glass room on the back where visitors have breakfast overlooking the lake. What a treat! There are also two rows of 1-2 BR cottages near their house. We stayed in one of them which had a kitchen and a nice living room/dining room that looked directly onto the lake. The weather wasn't gorgeous, but it was still wonderful to be able to see the lake and to be surrounded by nature AND be in a comfortable house.

Our first morning at Dimmuborgir Guesthouse, after our breakfast in the room overlooking the lake, we came outside where we were greeted by a couple of very welcoming pups. Having nothing better to do, we let ourselves be led to the lakeside, past this row boat, to where the one pup could access the lake easily. He went straight onto the lake and began digging fast and furious into the ice, at times breaking through and following into the 7" deep water. He didn't seem to mind - he just hopped right back out and started in a new place! I don't know what he was trying to do, but the marks he made looked like an abstract painting, and the sounds he made resonated through the ice and sounded like New Age synthesizer music. I was enthralled watching him!

Once he was done creating his art for us, he hopped back on land and grabbed a stick and insisted we throw it for him - though he wouldn't let go of it! There aren't many sticks in Iceland since there aren't many trees, so we played a lot of tug-o-war and cavorted and laughed for quite a while until we gave in and let the dog keep the stick. Of course that was the moment when he gave it up so we'd keep playing!

Across the road from the guesthouse was a set of rocks called Dimmuborgir also. They were formed by an ancient volcanic eruption and looked like troll homes or some other fantastical structure. We spent about 5 hours there fascinating exploring, following the challenging path into and out of caves and arches and so many other amazing places. It was so much fun!

The largest cave we saw.  Large enough to provide shelter
from the weather. We wondered if people
had ever lived there?  

A little guy we saw at Dimmuborgir who
seems very appropriate for our snowy
icy weather today!

Here are a few pictures of the day today - so gorgeous I kept going outside to admire the view. I think this is what we're going for when we decorate trees - this sort of beauty with the lights and tinsel - but Mother Nature does it so much better than I've ever been able to!

The back of our home with the deck that's in the process
of being constructed to the left and brilliant sparkling
trees surrounding it all.