So I finally managed to visit Gotland, a place that's been on my list for years. I went with my wife, and we had a really good time. The landscape was fantastic, and the shoreline gave lots of opportunities to study birds. Of course, we also visited Lars Jonssons museum, and actually met the artist himself. I grew up reading his books to pieces - walking around (and sketching) in the area where he has made much of his work was really special.
Anyway - these are some of the sketches I made. They are all made while watching the birds. I am a birdwatcher more than an artist, and the mere exitement of seeing birds like Caspian Terns up close made them hard to sketch! Other good birds for a Norwegian were Little Terns, Avocets, good numbers of splendid Curlew Sandpipers, and a Greenish Warbler that showed really well.
I'll be going back to both Öland and Gotland - they are clearly among the best birding sites in Europe.
By the way, the birds are adult Common Gull, Caspian Tern, juvenile Black-headed Gull, Shelduck and Arctic Tern.
By the way, the birds are adult Common Gull, Caspian Tern, juvenile Black-headed Gull, Shelduck and Arctic Tern.
Hola Oivind, los apuntes del natural que traes de tu viaje son muy buenos, me gusta especialmete el de la "Black-headed Gull", sin desmerecer al resto.
SvarSlettEs fantástico que hayas podido conocer al gran Lars Jonssons, me das un poco de envidia...
Espero poder visitar Noruega pronto, cuando disponga de algo más de tiempo, disfrutar de su fauna, flora, de sus fiordos e islas... cuando pueda ir, te pediré consejo de los mejores lugares para observar aves.
Un fuerte abrazo
Hej Øivind,
SvarSlettGreat sketches from Gotland which I agree with you absolutely belongs to one of the best places for bird watching. It´s a favorite place of mine and normally I am there every year a few times, and for the past few years always around these dates ( mid July )where they have the Linne dagar at Vamlingbo. Unfortunately this time I had other things to do. Could have been great perhaps to have met you out on the coast bird watching, but who knows maybe another year.
Watching your sketch of “Rovterne” – I was out yesterday here at the coast in Køge and saw 5 of them – 3 AD and two juv. One of the AD did some spectacular flying right overhead for quite some time. Very impressive.
Ha det bra,
Torben
Fantastic selection of fieldwork Quivind!
SvarSlettLucky you, having met Lars Jonsson is his natural surroundings!
I had this fortune at the opening of his exhibition in Germany a couple of years ago..
Paschalis
Fran: You can have all the advice that you want, and I'm not half bad as a guide! Me coming to Spain within a year or two is also quite likely - I'll be in touch for advice myself, if you don't mind.
SvarSlettTorben: Watching birds with you on Gotland sounds nice - maybe next time. Køge also seems like a nice place, you can't see five Caspian Terns anywhere in Norway (let alone one...)
Dougalis: My meeting with Lars Jonsson was like a twelve year old girl's meeting with Justin Timberlake. I almost fell on my knees stuttering "I'm not worthy". He seemed like a nice "down to earth" person, though.
Of course there is no problem... We keep in touch. As far as I can I will help as a guide for you in Spain.
SvarSlettRegards
Fantásticos apuntes Øivind. Sencillos pero con gran fuerza.
SvarSlettLars Jonsson es un gran maestro, pero sin lugar a dudas; todos somos dignos de nosotros mismos.
Abrazos
Potri
I agree, Potri - I was making a joke. Still, I have always viewed Jonsson as a bit of an icon. My fascination with birds started when I was three-four years old, and I drew a lot as a small kid. I must have been around eight when Josnssons series of four field guides came out in Norway, and I remember that I was completely mesmerized by them. My interest for birds grew with these books, and when I took up drawing again a few years ago, I was partly inspired by Jonssons art books - and partly by blogs like yours!
SvarSlettØivind, espero que mi comentario anterior no se interpretara mal... las traducciones pueden cambiar el significado de las palabras (mi inglés es muy malo). Para mí, Lars Jonnson es también un icono y una inspiración como artista. Espero no ofender a nadie.
SvarSlettAbrazos
Potri
I wasn't offended at all, Potri :-) I was just afraid that I had described myself as more submissive than I am! Having said that, I also think that you have a good point - one expression is not necessarily better that the other - only different.
SvarSlett