Þórdís in Her Wedding Day Dress

Þórdís (pronounced Thor-dees)

in Her Wedding Day Dress

One year old Þórdís Atladóttir at her parent's wedding at Syðsta Mörk, Iceland
on June 28, 2014, sketched on July 1, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper 
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

 

The bride, Rannveig, with Bruce

This tie was worn specifically for this wedding. Rannveig, the bride, got it years ago in Denmark and surprised me with it as a gift a long time ago, around 2006, one black sheep among all the white sheep, perfect for a farm wedding. She'd said, "I saw this and I though of you and I had to get it." She brought it back from Denmark, gave it to me for no special occasion. I watched her face at the wedding reception to see her reaction, a smile of recognition.

Brúsi on a Brúsi at the wedding,
where a good time was had by all.
(Brúsi is Icelandic for milk jug.)

The 1959 Massey Ferguson . . .

 The 1959 Massey Ferguson
Country Wedding Limo

driven by father of the bride Ólafur "Óli" Ólafsson
for bride Rannveig Rós Ólafsdóttir, with Stóri Dímon
in the background at Syðsta Mörk, Iceland on June 28, 2014, sketched on June 29, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, white Crayola crayon wax resist, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper
NFS Gift to the parents of the bride

Wedding Photos
Rannveig Rós Ólafsdóttir and Atli Örn Hafsteinsson
 June 28, 2014, Syðsta Mörk, Iceland (farm country in the south coast)

 4:33 pm

The wedding coach awaits;
a vintage 1959 Massey Ferguson tractor
with easy chairs on the wooden trailer.

 4:35 pm

Father of the bride, Ólafur Ólafsson,
escorts his oldest daughter, Rannveig Rós,
to the wedding coach outside the family farm
for her ride up the lane to the summer house.

 4:50 pm

The wedding ceremony on the deck,
the bride, Rannveig Rós, with her father, Óli, on the left
and the groom, Atli Örn Hafsteinsson, with his father,
Hafsteinn Gunnarsson, on the right, and with
almost a hundred guests in attendance, relatives
from as far west as Minnesota, US,
as far south as Aruba, as far east as Holland,
and as far north as Akureyri, Iceland.

 

5:08 pm

Now married, they are joined by their children,
Egill Atlason and Þórdís Atladóttir, on the wedding coach
for a ride to the glacial stream for photographs.

5:24 pm

The guests wait with rice and song
at the no longer used barn for the bride and groom,
enjoying each other's company.

 6:33 pm

The champagne toast to the happy couple,
farm fields with fresh bailed hay
and the ocean in the distance.

7:27 pm

The hay barn, transformed to elegance,
for the wedding banquet followed by
speeches, presentations, toasts,
and silverware clinking of the
glasses, kiss, kiss, oh, and dancing.

 2:55 am

The happy bride on the barn's deck
with her parents, Jakobína "Bína" Vilhelmsdóttir
and Ólafur, "Óli" Ólafsson, my dear friends
for the past twenty-one years.

 2:59 am

Bína and Óli walking granddaughter Þórdís
back to the summerhouse to go to bed,
the landmark hill, Stóri Dímon,
in the background.
Óli begins and end his wedding day giving rides.

Pre-Wedding Day Hay

Pre-Wedding Day Hay

with Egill, the son, Atli, the father and groom, and Óli, his father-in-law-to-be,
in Syðsta-Mörk, Iceland (the south coast) by Stóri Dímon
on June 27, 2014, sketched on June 27, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper 
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping
NOTE:
This art was also published in Iceland in the Daily Life Section
of Morgunblaðið on Tuesday July 8, 2014, as a featured web site.
and can be seen on this art blog HERE.

On a Rainy Island Day

On a Rainy Island Day

looking North over Torfey Island from Buðey at Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on June 24, 2014, sketched on June 24, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper

NFS

Looking East at 12:33 am . . .

Looking East at 12:33 am
from Buðey Island, Bjarneyjar, Iceland

on June 24, 2014, sketched on June 24, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper

NFS

Bjarneyjar Tern Beach

Bjarneyjar Tern Beach

seen from Buðey in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on June 24, 2014, sketched plein on June 24, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper

NFS

Photo at 12:16 am looking at the distant West Fjords over Tern Beach
with Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea) (Kría in Icelandic), turning on no dimes,
economy of flight, besides they only use krona in Iceland,
overhead on a beach in Bjarneyjar, Iceland on June 23, 2014

The Grass Painting with Buttercups

The Grass Painting with Buttercups

on Buðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on June 23, 2014, sketched plein air on June 23, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper

NFS

The Grass Painting

A vista lay before me of
islands and ocean to paint but
when I lay my watercolor
board down in the lush tall green grass
the sun presented another
idea; so with Arctic Terns
calling overhead, asking me
to please leave, I ignore their pleas
wondering if they might add to
the painting on one of their swift
dive bombing runs. I paint on,
washes of Prussian blue mixed with
Winsor violet, then Hookers green,
then enjoying the drying time,
by writing this note before I
play with the grass in more detail
with mixes permanent sage
green, more Hookers green and
that other green I use that I'll
remember its name after I need
to order it again. The terns
missed, good. The red shanks, named stelkur
here in Iceland, are calling me,
I think, I don't understand their
Icelandic, wish they were red shanks
and then I'd know what they're saying.
Anyway, inspired by the
island grass of now and the grass
I'd photographed earlier in
the day on another island
this painting is done. The bombs missed.
I must remember this painting
experience for the grandboys,
plein air next time. Oh, I almost
forgot - red wisps and buttercups. 

By Bruce McMillan ©2014, permission required for use

"I lay my watercolor board down in the lush tall
green grass the sun presented another idea."

 

"Arctic Terns calling overhead"

 "the grass I'd photographed

earlier in the day on another island"

The Grass Painting, Oh . . . buttercups.