Puffin off a Cliff

Puffin off a Cliff

on Torfey Island in Bjarneyjar, Iceland
on June 23, 2014, sketched on July 10, 2014
12" x 9", Winsor & Newton watercolors, #3 graphite, on 300 lb.
Arches fine grain cold press 100% cotton watercolor paper
NFS Private Collection

Sea Kayaking See

Sea Kayaking See

Bruce, left, and Guðni Páll Viktorsson
kayaking in the harbor of Reykjavík, Iceland
on July 8, 2014, sketched on July 9, 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

Sea Kayaking with Bruce
Photos by Þóra Atladóttir

First time ever in a kayak, let alone a sea kayak with full suit.
We're in the harbor of Reykjavík, nearby to where Óli and I
had taken our midnight triangle bridge
walk the previous night.

Guðni, left and Bruce, right, approaching Þóra

The pro and the amateur, Guðni and Bruce,
the expert watching out for the amateur.
Last summer, 2013, Guðni Páll Viktorsson kayaked all the way
around Iceland, 1,550 miles of coastline, and you can see
some video HERE.
Guðni's kayak has a compass mounted on it,
like Þóra's yellow kayak,
mine doesn't, hmm.

Around the harbor heading for a view of the island Viðey.
 

The experts and the amateurs, left to right,
Ómar Hjaltason, amateur, Óli's relative and the guitar player at the wedding,
who rolled over under a bridge and was much better kayaking afterwards;
Guðni Páll Viktorsson, expert, who circumnavigated Iceland in 2013,
and who had been given his Yankees hat as a gift, or so he says;
Þóra Atladóttir, expert, and niece of Óli, who was at the wedding;
Bruce McMillan, amateur, and thrilled to be with this great group;
Ólafur "Óli" Ólafsson, amateur, but with a beginner class in kayaking,
and the driver of the wedding tractor as the father of the bride,
and always getting me into something new, including trouble;
and Klara Bjartmarz, expert, the strong silent one.

Two by two, two kayaks are lugged back to their places by two fellows,
an expert and an amateur, Guðni  and Bruce.

And one photo by Bruce
with the Arctic Terns (Kría) feeding, diving in the water in the distance.

Thank you all.

Published Watercolor - Nice Surprise

A Nice Surprise

Daily Life, Morgunblaðið, July 8, 2014

 
Bruce's Art in the Newspaper Today
I was pleasantly surprised to find this in today's
Daily Life section of Morgunblaðið,
by Kristín Heiða Kristinsdóttir, khk@mbl.is

My web sites are the featured web site of the day.

Translation to English:

Photo / Bruce McMillan © 2014

Appreciating the people of Iceland

One of Bruce's watercolors with haying featuring Icelandic local life.

Friend of Iceland and photographer Bruce McMillan has both a website, www.brucemcmillan.com and a blog theartofbruce.blogspot.com. Bruce, who lives in the U.S., has not only photography in his web sites, but he has also been to dabbling with painting. He paints both watercolors and oils and has attended workshops in painting. On his websites you can not only see both his photographs and paintings, but also his work as a children's book author. He has been very prolific in illustrating children's books and has received numerous awards over the years. Bruce is particularly fond of Iceland and has stayed here for long periods. For example, he spent all of June in 2005 on Búðey to take photos for a new book. This and many other things are in words and pictures on the pages of www.brucemcmillan.com. He also says why he comes back to Iceland again and again, "Iceland is a dream for a photographer." Among the many things he is fascinated with, nature, the rugged land and the animal life, it's the human life, Icelandic friends, which he truly enjoys in Iceland.

Original Icelandic:

DAGLEGT LÍF, Morgunblaðið, July 8, 2014

Ljósmynd/Bruce McMillan ©2014

Kann að meta fólkið á Íslandi

Heyskapur Ein af vatnslitamyndum Bruce úr íslenskum raunveruleika.

Íslandsvinurinn og ljósmyndarinn Bruce McMillan heldur úti bæði vefsíðunni brucemcmillan.com og bloggsíðunni theartofbruce.blogspot. com. Bruce, sem býr í Bandaríkjunum, sinnir ekki aðeins ljósmynduninni heldur hefur hann líka verið að prófa sig áfram með myndlistina, hann málar bæði með vatnslitum og olíulitum og hefur sótt sér menntun á því sviði. Á vefsíðunum hans er hægt að skoða bæði ljósmyndirnar hans og myndlistarverkin, en hann er einnig barnabókahöfundur og hefur verið mjög iðinn við að myndskreyta barnabækur og hlotið fjölmargar viðurkenningar í gegnum tíðina. Bruce er sérlega hrifinn af Íslandi og hefur dvalið hér löngum stundum, til dæmis dvaldi hann allan júnímánuð árið 2005 í Búðey, til að taka myndir í nýja bók. Frá þessu og mörgu öðru segir hann í máli og myndum á síðunni brucemcmillan. com. Þar segir hann einnig að ástæða þess að hann komi aftur og aftur til Íslands sé sú að landið sé draumur fyrir ljósmyndara, hann sé meðal annars heillaður af villtri náttúrunni, hrjóstrugu landinu og dýralífinu. En mannlífið og íslensku vinirnir eru þó það sem hann kann að meta á Íslandi.

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

Iceland Beach Boys Digging the Day

Iceland Beach Boys Digging the Day

at a small city beach by the Ferry for Viðey in Reykjavik, Iceland
on July 7, 2014, sketched on July 8, 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

Mother Goose and Goslings

Mother Goose and Goslings

A pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)
and goslings in the evening by the pond at the Nordic House in
Reykjavik, Iceland on July 1, 2014 sketched on July 7, 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

 

 

Three Figures in an Art Gallery

Three Figures in an Art Gallery

Óli, Halla and Gunnella in the Art 67 Gallery in Reykjavik, Iceland,
the art gallery web site HERE, for the opening of the Þorgrímur Einarsson
exhibition, his web gallery HERE, his web postings HERE
on July 5, 2014, sketched on July 6, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paper
NFS Private Collection

The Gallery Exhibition Opening

Þorgrímur Einarsson, right, the artist with his art on display
 

Þorgrímur Einarsson, left
 

The four paintings on the left are sold.
 

Halla, Óli, Þorgrímur Einarsson, and Bína 

Lydia, the artist's girlfriend, commenting 

Mother and daughter, Bína and Halla
 

Halla, capturing the painting
that will hang in her parent's home
 

Art 67, Laugavegur 67, Reykjavik

Blue Hat Wedding Day Reach

Blue Hat Wedding Day Reach

Egill Ólafur Atlason at his parent's wedding wearing his
blue pork pie hat in Syðsta Mörk, Iceland
on June 28, 2014, sketched on July 4, 2014
7" x 5", Winsor & Newton watercolors, on 140 lb.
Strathmore Series 500 cold press watercolor paperNFS Gift exchange between artists:

Four-almost-five-year-old Egill Ólafur Atlason and Bruce

Our paintings. 
We artists gifted our paintings to 
each other, an art exchange. 

This young artist's grandparents and I are celebrating 
our twenty-first year of friendship.

We're Hiking - Hold Dinner

We're Hiking - Hold Dinner

Óli on Bruce's cell phone talking to daughter Halla
from atop Helgafell in Mosfellsbær, Iceland
on July 2, 2014, sketched on July 3, 2014
6" x 4", 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

Bruce Signing the leather bound Guest Book

There are guest books to sign on mountain peaks in Iceland, really.

Rice Ready Wedding Wait

Rice Ready Wedding Wait

In Syðsta Mörk
Standing, waiting, while
baking in the sun, all placed
randomly, glowing.

outside the barn at Syðsta Mörk, Iceland
on June 28, 2014, sketched on July 1, 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

 Wedding Faces 

 

1
Bride and Groom

2
Son Egill delivering glasses of champagne

 

3
Helga and daughter Þórdís

4
Mother of the bride Bína 
and sister of the bride Halla

 

5
A Bride in Love

6
Son Egill and daughter Þórdís

7
The wedding family of four with parents

 

8
Daughter Þórdís

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.