What a
wonderful evening, dining with my husband Siggi and mother-in-law Anna at La
Perlan in Iceland! It was the end of a special, family vacation exploring “the
motherland” and reconnecting with their Icelandic heritage. It was especially
meaningful to me because of the family ties. How exciting to hear Anna speak
the language and introduce us to the foods of her youth! How interesting to
visit the homes of Siggi’s grandparents and see the beauty of their country. It
was clear to me that they belonged to both Iceland and the USA. And, by
extension, so did I. I felt an attachment to history, heritage and home unlike any
I had experienced traveling before.
Add to that,
a gourmet meal, elegant architecture and the warm conversation at the close of
vacation and I was complete. Or so I thought. Mother nature decided to turn a
wonderful evening into something spectacular with an ethereal sunset.
I live in
the Sunshine State, so I’ve seen some amazing sunsets, but this was out of this
world. I felt like I’d fallen into a pastel painting. It occurred to me that I
was seeing the same sun, over the same ocean, that I would see at home. The
same beauty, except it would’ve been four o’clock at home. But it was still the
same sun, just viewed from a different perspective.
I vowed to
keep that perspective even when I returned home; to appreciate the specialness
of the ordinary. To look up at the late afternoon sky, plain and nondescript,
and know that there is, perhaps, a beautiful sunset connecting me back to
another place. It’s all in your point of view.
Quilt
Construction: I painted the sunset on muslin with acrylic paints; the structure
of the building is made from fusible interfacing colored with paint and
markers.
I love this sunset too Lisa-Marie. What an amazing colour reflected through the ceiling in the photo, onto everyone below. Interesting to imagine others watching a sunset in another part of the world.
ReplyDeleteSue, our sunsets in Florida usually feature clouds...the one that night in Iceland was soft and smudgey (if that's a word :-) my husband said it looked like a meteor. Of course I've never seen a sunset I didn't love.
DeleteGorgeous! Even with the metal beams and rigid lines, you somehow made this structure seem soft and warm. I love the colors. Okay, Iceland is now on the list of "Places I Must Visit Someday".
ReplyDeleteOh Kate, Iceland is amazing! Geologically diverse, great people and food, 100% literacy, and a quick flight from the USA. It is a great stopover on the way to Europe and it makes acclimating to time zone changes much easier. I definitely recommend it!
DeleteWhat a lovely piece, Lisa-Marie. It really gives the perception of being inside - with a beautiful sunset outside. I love the rhythm of the lines and lights! Iceland would be a fascinating place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI can feel the changing of color and temperature from you work! Very careful observation!
ReplyDeleteYou did the photograph proud, L-M!! The beams show the texture of the architecture, while the soft, ethereal sunset draws your attention. Well done....it makes me want to visit Iceland someday. BTW, Iceland is one of the HAPPIEST countries in the world, according to a book I read on happiness.
ReplyDelete