NORWAY!

Liz and I just returned from Norway.  I was invited to give a lecture and to co-lead a symposium called"Hot Week" where the National Academy of Arts of Oslo invites two jewelry artists to give a talk on their work and to discuss students' work while they are there. Each "Hot Week" has a theme and this year's theme was "links".  Students were encouraged to produce a piece of work inspired by the week's theme and to submit it to the gallery for a show at the end of the week.

Liz and I spent 8 days in Oslo, which is currently under much construction.  The city is quite beautiful.  Our hotel was next to a very quiet neighborhood just off the city center.  Often I felt like we had never left the US because everyone spoke English and the entire city was peppered with American muscle cars.  Several people before we left said that Norwegians are not friendly people but we found it to be the opposite.  Norwegians are super friendly and always willing to help or at least try.  We found more smiles than frowns.

Most of the week we spent at the National Academy touring the school (which is amazing!) and visiting with students.  On top of the main building of the school is a neon sign that says This Is It.  And it is!  The school is mind blowing!  They have so many nice tools and equipment.  It made me want to go back to school. Their 3D fab lab had FIVE 3D printers! two laser cutters, a water-jet, a CNC and two 3D scanners! I can't even mention all of the wonderful tools in the metals studio.  

On the last night, we went out to dinner with the chair of the jewelry department, Heidi Sand, the other visiting artist, Iris Bodemer, and two other women, one who works for a small jewelry gallery/workshop center in Copenhagen called Goldfingers and the other is part of an artist collective called Klink.

There was so much to do in Oslo.  We went to the botanical gardens, the Opera House which is made out of Italian marble and situated right on the waterfront, the Munch Museum, and toured the fjords in a small boat. We really had a wonderful time.  I actually would recommend going.  Bring your wallet because it is expensive. 

Here are some highlights from the trip.  If you want to see all of the photos you can visit my flickr page.