Welcome Home Day Lilies

Welcome Home Day Lilies

in Shapleigh, Maine on July 30, 2014, sketched on July 31, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Strathmore 500 Series Premium cold press 100% cotton acid free watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

Heimaklettur

Heimaklettur

in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
on July 29, 2014, sketched on July 30, 2014
6" x 4", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Strathmore cold press watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

 Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland

The center peak is the north side of Heimaklettur.

 The south side, harbor side, of Heimaklettur.

 At the other end of Vestmannaeyjar, more islands.
(This photo of me by Ólafur "Óli" Ólafsson)

Flower Lovers

Flower Lovers

walking in the park by the Alþingi in Reykjavík, Iceland
on July 26, 2014, sketched on July 29, 2014
6" x 4", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Strathmore cold press archival watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

Bæjarins Pylsur Stand at 12:23 am

Bæjarins Pylsur (Hot Dog) Stand at 12:23 am

in Reykjavik, Iceland on July 26, 2014, sketched on July 27, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

Hot Dog Stand's Web Site English Icelandic

 After Midnight

by Bruce McMillan

Hot dog stand shines bright,
summer's night light getting shy,
a beacon beckons.

haiku poem © 2014 Bruce McMillan

not for reuse without permission

Little Sister, Big Brother, Always

Little Sister, Big Brother, Always

Bína and Gústi, both grandparents, still sister and still brother,
watching and listening to the waterfall in Gljúfurá, Iceland
on July 23, 2014, sketched on July 25, 2014
6" x 4", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Strathmore cold press acid free watercolor paper
online at my art blog HERE where you may leave a comment
NFS: Gifted to Bina's brother Gústi

 My temporary set up:

I found a shop with a fine brush, #10 Rounds S, Galeria, Winsor & Newton in Akureyri, along with a palette, and still have tubes of some colors, though with a small #10, all they had, I'm back to painting small sizes for the next few days, maybe, you never know what might happen when traveling.

Grandmother's and Grandson' Hands

Grandmother's and Grandson' Hands

Bína and Egill Óli near Vopnafjörður high on the cliffs 
looking down to the sea in Gljúfurá, Iceland
on July 23, 2014, sketched on July 24, 2014
9" x 7", Uniball waterproof pen, my index finger painting using
Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb. Tiger watercolor paper
NFS Private Collection

My creative tools when limited by travels. "Handy" brush. Ah, the urge to create . . .

Grandfather and Granddaughter . . .

Grandfather and Granddaughter,  
Óli and Þórdís

in the far north of Iceland, Vopnafjörður, Iceland
on July 22, 2014, sketched on July 23, 2014
9" x 7", pen, on 140 lb. cold press Tiger watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

Why a Drawing Today?

While traveling in Iceland my watercolor brushes and palette were lost in transit in Borganes so no watercolors for a while, sigh; now we'll see how creative Brucie can be. I was bummed for just a bit, then quickly took on the creative challenge. Until I return to the US, I still have paper and pen for drawing, and who knows what else in another bag when I get back to Reykjavik; oh a fun challenge. Also on the same day on the same trip my Nikon D610 fell out of its case onto the pavement; it's not working, so it's off to Nikon Repair upon my return to the US. Just stuff. I can still create. And so it goes.

One of the thoughts I play often in my mind, a mantra of sorts: The secret to a successful life is to take what seems to be a disadvantage and turn it into an advantage.

A Guest Poem by one of my email Postcard of the Day Readers:

Ode to an Icelandic Poet

by PCoD reader Dee

There once was an artist named Bruce

Whose camera, when put to good use,

Was his source of creative juice.

When it dropped from its case

Bruce made, oh, a long face

The Nikon had parts now quite loose!

To compound this bad thing, occurred,

His palette and brushes, I heard

We're lost along the way,

Borganes, to his stay,

So the state of his blog, absurd!

Ystabúð in the Sun

Ystabúð in the Sun

on Búðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on July 20, 2014, sketched plein air in the sun on July 20, 2014
My "Island Office" is in the top window.
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, wax resist, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
SOLD

On Departing
Island life, sunshine
between the clouds, tidal highs,
bird flights, just ducky.

haiku poem © 2014 Bruce McMillan

not for reuse without permission

Torfey Island at Mid-tide

Torfey Island at Mid-tide

seen from Búðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on July 20, 2014, sketched plein air in the sun on July 20, 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

Tern Pause Turn

Tern Pause Turn

over Búðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on June 16, 2014, sketched on July 19, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
SOLD

Torfey Beach from a Window

Torfey Beach from a Window

seen from the house on Búðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on July 17, 2014, sketched plein air on July 17, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

The view

 The window view, my sketching location

Island House in the Far North

Island Tides

When the tide is high,
the walk around is short.


When the tide is low
the walk around is naught

for the way to go
to other isles is sought.

poem © 2014 Bruce McMillan

not for reuse without permission

Island House in the Far North

where I've been fortunate to live solo again this summer,
Magnúsarbúð on Búðey Island in Breiðafjörður in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on July 15, 2014, sketched on July 17, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
NFS

Likin' Lichens in the Sun

"You can do anything; it's a painting."
-Teague McMillan, age 9, in Venice, Italy, May 2014 

I always hear the voice of Grandson Teague when I paint. -Bruce

 Likin' Lichens in the Sun

on the rocks on Buðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland

on July 16, 2014, sketched plein air on July 16, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

Island Sun

  It was a gray rainy day when I painted while sitting on a rock,
some open sky in the distance but solid gray elsewhere,
this photo taken from where I was painting.
I  painted imagining the sun . . .
and then . . .

 Voilà, four minutes of sun through a hole in the clouds. 

Look at that! A sunny day out here is rich time.

In the four-minute sun, 
common eider ducks swam by with the tide high
between Buðey and Höfði, again taken from the rock
I was sitting on with my point and shoot camera.

Tidal Pool Play

Tidal Pool Play

Garðar, Arnar,and Friðrik in the low tide channel
between Buðey and Torfey Islands in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
I had company this day on the island, a fun visit
on July 15, 2014, sketched plein air on July 15, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

To the water.

Tern Turn

Tern Turn

over Buðey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland on July 14, 2014, 
sketched on location July 14, 2014 (below)
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping
SOLD
 

While I sketched and painted using the photo I'd just taken,
getting the form from the camera's viewing screen,
the Arctic terns were constantly chatting
(Baaack, Baaack)
as they buzzed me,
inches from my head;
two can be seen in the photo above,
My shadow taking this photo on the left;
I love the long low sun of this far northern latitudes.

 

The sketching spot seen from
an Arctic tern's point of view (minus Brúsi).

Luggage Island

Luggage Island

The low tide landing spot for unloading
far, far away from the house in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
where you walk across the rocky bar and around the
hill on Buðey to the house; tricky walking with lots of luggage
on July 13, 2014, sketched on July 14, 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

Birta Plays the Uke and Sings

Birta Plays the Uke and Sings

for Bruce, so fine, in Stykkishólmur, Iceland
on July 12, 2014, sketched on July 13, 2014
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
Gift to Birta

My dear buds, Friðrik, who starred in my book, Going Fishing,
when he was a little boy (see him then on the book page link);
and his sister, Birta, who was in the yet to be released
Pink and Blue, and who I look forward to
introducing to my Grandson Finn, the
Bahamas blue boy in Pink and Blue.

At Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach

At Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach

in the pool in Reykjavik, Iceland on July 7, 2014, sketched on July 12, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Fabriano Artistico cold press fine grain 100% cotton watercolor paper
unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping
More about the beach HERE and HERE and HERE

Óli Atop Reykjaborg

Óli Atop Reykjaborg

on the three hour hike in Mosfellsbær, Iceland
on July 3, 2014, sketched on July 12, 2014
6" x 4", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 140 lb.
Strathmore cold press acid free watercolor paper

unframed, sold framed, $100 plus $5.50 sales tax plus $10 shipping

Reykjaborg Hike

Óli and Bruce, Mosfellsbær, Iceland

July 3, 12014

1
You are here. How did they know?
Technical difficulty of the climb: Moderate
 

2
Up over moss carpeted stone.
 

3 To a mountain lake.
 

4
Where the rock reminds one of
tidal wave patterns on a sand beach.
 

5
To the top, elevation 286 meters, 938 feet,
wind at 11 m/s, 25 mph, temperature 7 C, 45 F,
and the guest book, now signed by Óli and Bruce 

6
Another path down past the lake
 

7
to the lake far below
 

8
After the 8:00 - 11:00 pm hike,
at the foot of Reykjaborg,
still in the clouds.