I am comfortably set up at the Philadelphia Art Hotel, run by two fantastic people, artists Zak Starer and Krista Peel. Here’s a great article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about the residency. I also have become fast friends with my co-residents Danielle Rante and her dog Kanga.

After running around town for two days exploring the Kensington neighborhood in which the PAH is situated, getting groceries and visiting the Reading Terminal Market, dropping my work of at Pterodactyl for my upcoming show, and generally recovering from the 11- hour drive, I have gotten to make some work. Here are some scenes from my urban studio:

I’ll post some work soon. I need to get to more making first. Aaaand a parting shot of my new best friend who keeps me company in the studio while I work (that’s my chair, by the way).

Out of the Blue and into the Black 2.1, liquid gold leaf and ink on photographic digital print, 15″x20″, 2010

I sent this piece off to a group show in Budapest today.  It is the first of a group of drawings on photographs.  Although I know of plenty of other artists doing this, my friend Abbigail Knowlton Israelsen, for one (who does it quite well, I might add), it’s a new turn for me.  I am going to work on them at my residency in Philly, for which I  leave in the morning.  Since its such a long drive, I am going to make a pit stop in Pittsburgh to eat at a veggie diner and see what’s on at the Mattress Factory.

More time in the studio = another finished painting. Now I need to figure out how to wrangle these three (and the rest of my schtufz) into the van for the drive to Philly.  I head out Sunday and hope to stop in Pittsburgh to see some museums en route.

I recently found out that I get to go back to Iceland again for another residency in November.  I’m certainly going to make the most of the opportunity once again.  This time we’ll get to see what night time is like there, the stars, and hopefully the northern lights.  I already have project ideas up my sleeve.   I am so excited to go back!

Here are some images from our group show, SKIPTI / SWAP at the end of the residency at SÍM.  On Monday we installed the show, had the opening, followed by a picnic in the garden, and de-installed the show.  Then I had to pack and say my goodbyes.  What a day!

Also, in addition to the drawings I made at the residency, I worked on a couple of photo-based projects and along with many of the other artists, became quite the collector of maps, stamps, postcards (new and vintage) and objects from the land such as shells, stones, sea glass, lava rocks and the like.

On Sunday I did a photo shoot of one of the Amelia Earhart islands in the Icelandic landscape set against the sea.  Here are a few images from that shoot.  I wonder what they’ll become when they grow up?

I am, once again, so grateful for this phenomenal residency and the opportunity to see breathtaking sights in a remarkable country, make work unimpeded, and become friends with such a fantastic group of artists.

Gleaned on my walk back from the lighthouse last evening.

Here are the drawings I have made so far, all of them gouache and ink on paper (some with cut-outs):

These are just Photoshop-tweaked snapshots.  I’ll post better images to my website eventually.  I am having a lot of fun with mapping and engaging negative space.  I’m excited to see where this all leads…

I am completely inspired by the variety of blues in the landscape in Iceland. The fact that three of these images were taken from my studio window is a testament to my good fortune at having been granted this residency…

Considering all of the day trips, socializing and wonderful meals at this residency, it’s a wonder I’m getting any work done.  I am making progress slowly but surely and am making untold discoveries along the way.

The state of the studio:

The state of the art:

On Sunday, we went to the Fish Festival.  It was entirely interesting and bizarre.  On display on ice were many of the types of fish typically caught in the Icelandic region.  It was fascinating the range of types of sea-life caught as well as the depth to which the nets can access (as evidenced by some freaky black fish with little lights and whatnot coming out of the tops of their heads).  Here are some sights from the day.