Monday, June 15, 2009

Noel Miller at Konstepidemin

Hi to all. We are now at work in Gothenberg. In the blog below, you will find a video and more information about the studio and where I am working. Craig is only 5 minutes away at the Gothenburg University, doing a lot of writing between answering thousands of emails. We are now on Skype as well so that means even more contact. It is an instant world. I was very proud of being on Skype before my kids are until my daughter Phoebe wrote to tell me: sure, she is impressed but she will be astounded when I write to say I have figured out how to operate the DVD player. True.

This is one of the buildings typical of Konstepidemin. As I said, read more about it and watch the video in the following blog. Great place.

We have already taken time out to explore Gothenburg - really beautiful place - and we have been to Nordens Ark - the local zoo, which was extraordinary - more below - and we have of course been sampling the local food which is wonderful. Food everywhere is wonderful and interesting, isn't it. Lots of great seafood stews and soups here. And we had three kinds of smoked salmon at our friends Michael and Karena on Friday night. And of course Craig has been cooking Swedish meatballs, which is one of our favourite meals at home.

But my main problem was what was I going to do while I was here. I had already decided that I wanted to do portrait woodcuts - which is like linocuts on MDF board - and Michael had helped me source the materials on our first day. But the subject matter still eluded me. I knew it would happen. Then we went for a walk around the city and of course visited the Kosta Boda shop. Craig often buys a piece od Kosta Boda for our collection when he is here. The shop was amazing What incredible glss artists. Then I noticed that they had photos of the artists beside their work and we found brochures featuring the designers and examples of their work. Then it came to me. I was so excited I walked backwards into a glass display which narrowly missed being broken by Craig's quick response. I am going to do portraits of the glass artists - who are celebrities in Sweden - and then do the perspex overlays engraved with drawings of the glassware they are famous for. It will all become apparent but below is the first piece.

Here is one of the artists - Asa Jungnelius - and below the first woodcut ready for printing on paper. I then glue the piece to a canvas and attach a perspex overlay the same size. Am really pleased with this woodcut. When we get to printing stage, I will show you more.
Meanwhile a coupe of pics of the place we are living in - which is also my studio. Here are our beds and this is in the same room as I work in.

Here is the working end. And the computer - essential for communicating with home. But it hasn't been all work. Yesterday, as I said above, we were special guests at the 20th anniversary of Nordens Ark , a local zoo which our friend Stefan is a board member of. And the most exciting part was that we got up close and personal with the snow leopards. See below the leopard is right over my head. It was rolling around like a kitten six inches above me and trying to get its paw through. As I moved along the protected area it followed me wanting to play. Craig and I were the only people that got to do this - I think that Stephan helped there - and it was quite mind-blowing as you can imagine.
Then we went on to have dinner with wolves being fed outside the plate glass windows of the dining area. Again quite spectacular. How lucky are we? we keep saying. Very fortunate people.

Exciting times already. Each day, I am planning to put my work on the blog for you to follow. Hope you enjoy it. Please make comments or email me on nmiller888@hotmail.com
Let me know if there is anything you would like more information on.

3 comments:

  1. Noel,
    This all sounds and looks wonderful. One minute I read you are in outback Australia and the next you are on the other side of the world!
    Cheers,
    Kathryn

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  2. The woodcut looks fantastic already. What a great inspiration. Can't wait to see the results.

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  3. It's lovely to read about your own place. And midsummer :) Maybe we'll meet if I ever make it to the studio in this heat/ Bibbi, ceramic artist at Konstepidemin also comanaging the Konstepidemin blog: http://konstepidemin.blogspot.com

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