Getting ready for Iceland!

I’m a procrastinator by nature. It’s not so bad, really, as necessity can be a great motivator, but it also means that I occasionally run myself ragged trying to get everything done in a short time. Such is the case with this upcoming trip. I’m going to Iceland in 5 days for over a month. Last fall I applied for an artist residency at the Fish Factory Creative Centre in Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland, and was welcomed to join them for the month of June. The facility is amazing, and I am exited to take some time to work without the distractions that come with living in a big city full of opportunities and events. Plus going to Iceland has been a dream of mine for quite some time. I fly into Reykjavik on Monday, June 29, where I’ll meet up with a fellow resident, and we will drive around the south side of the island, first to Vík for a day/night of hiking, and finally to Stöðvarfjörður, our home for the next month.

What the month has in store is still a bit of a mystery to me. I hope to learn a great deal about the little town and the people who call it home. I hope to collect memories and stories and make work with the people I meet. My usual tools—projectors and various forms of light—aren’t really ideal in a place with 24 hours of sunlight, so I’m hoping to explore other means and media. I’m packing a 360 camera and VR headsets, but I’m open to letting the place and the people inspire. I hope this blog will be a place to sort through it all, all the while keeping my fam in the loop. This is my process and documentation. (Dear students, take note)

In the meantime, I have a lot to do. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime and REI. I have a lot of new things: hiking boots, an intense day pack with a water reservoir, rain pants (ew, btw), and way too much more. Now to wrap up some business that needs to happen states-side, like getting my claws tamed, and packing! The month will fly by, I’m sure. At the end of the residency, my dearest Ashley is joining me for a northern adventure part 2—full of food, soaks, spectacular hikes, and glacier tours. After a final week in Iceland, we’ll hop on over to Ireland where we are taking a train tour starting in Dublin, taking us to Galway, Limerick, and the Cliffs of Moher! It’s going to be good. I hope you, whoever you are, enjoy the journey with me!

Cheers,
Lauren