Writing and Painting a Viking Age Family Portrait

I will be PAINTING A PORTRAIT OF A VIKING FAMILY from the late Viking age. The story is about a Viking woman with three children facing many months alone while her husband, a Viking seaman and trader sails the north seas to Iceland, Greenland, and Vineland trading for furs, skins, and sea ivory. The open house for the painting and finished Viking display is scheduled for April 2014.

THIS PROJECT began months ago. Last fall the Lake Region Arts Counsel had been encouraging me to apply for a Legacy Grant. I wasn’t very excited about it until I approached the Runestone Museum in Alexandria, Minnesota, with the idea of doing historical portrait paintings for their displays. Jim Bergquist was very encouraging about the idea. We walked through the museum and talked spontaneously about some possibilities. Two of the museum displays caught my attention and interest – the Viking Diorama and the Native American Display. After conversations with the Museum board of directors and the Lake Region Arts Counsel, the decision was made that it would be better to have the Museum apply for the grant.

THE LAKE REGION ARTS COUNCIL LEGACY GRANT was approved only in part and the project almost seemed dead. Two local couples stepped up and funded the rest of the grant and the project was alive and well.

I am currently working on the 7th draft of the written story for the painting of a Viking Family. Since so many parts of this project have already been in process with sketches, notes, research, and helpful people, I will have to retrace my steps to bring you up to speed on all that has happened.

Part of the grant plan is educational, so I will be explaining each part of the painting process as a way to introduce artists and non artists to all that I have to go through to make this painting successful.

Words are a slow process for me as a visual artist, but necessary for this project. I will do my best to bring the process to you with words and pictures. If you would like something clarified, I will be happy to do so.

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