Decorating the Ukes at the School of Visual Arts - Reykyavik, Iceland

Right before my flight off to Canada and to the Ukulele Festival of Québec, I decided to pop by, unannounced, at the Myndlistaskólinn í Reykjavík, the Reykyavik School of Visual Arts, or as I now refer to it, "that nice really arty place with the amazing view over the sea".

The idea was to get a few students to decorate my Ukuleles with winter-y art-y motives before I embarked on this Northern Road Trip. And the plan went really well, surprisingly.

This is mainly due, I'm guessing, to the great Icelandic open-mindedness. I said hello a few times and then was in the privileged company of the full-time drawing students' class. This is a pretty fantastic proof of Icelandic willingness, which shall be discussed in the Podcasts no doubt, when I make it back to the Island.

Class Teacher Bjarne with students, with a view on the sea

A few of the students quite liked the idea of decorating my ukuleles, and before they started doing so, the teacher asked me if I could play them a song. Unluckily for them. It probably interfered with their concentration more than anything, but they were too kind and polite to actually mention it. Which is very nice of them.

Both Ukuleles got graced with a little snowflake, the smaller uke, getting a bonus (I think) Rjúpa, which is a cute local sea bird they sometimes eat at Christmas.

And that same soprano, lucky thing, also got a wonderful Icelandic-Hawaian inspired woodcarving motif. Icelandic art-student Bergrun carved all the way around it, with an attention and a natural ease that were mesmerising to watch.

And as to make my first stay in Iceland stand out even more in my memory, a young artist drew the very scene of my first video filmed a 30 minute walk away from the school, on the top half of my little ukulele. (You know, the "Going North" video/song)

Ukulele tattoos. The soprano is here about to receive the drawing you can see in the banner at the top of the page.

A Icelandic figure carved into the back of my Cloud Music Tenor Ukulele by Ragnar Blaer Art. Hopefully it's a friendly Icelandic spirit. It's travelling with me anyhow.

I was able to ask a few questions to the head of the drawing department as well as to one of the main teachers, Bjarne. Extracts of both conversations will be in the upcoming Reykjavik podcasts, but while you wait here's the second one, with Bjarne, to quench your curiosity about this school and its students:

And just as Bergrun scratched the last carving into my ukulele's woody flesh, I had to rush off to the airport.

So it's with great gratitude to Bjarne's students, and with beautiful & inspiring artistic additions to my lot, that I head onward to Canada and to the Ukulele Festival of the (different) North: the Québec City Uke Fest du Nord.

GOING NORTH !

Going South: Deteriorate or decline. This expression is generally thought to allude to two dimensional maps where north is up and south is down. However, among some Native Aeericans, the term was a euphemism for dying, and possibly this sense led to the present usage.

And this definition by Dictionary.com suits perfectly. A couple of the definitions of urban Dictionary were really not what I was after, but this gives all its meaning to this brand new adventure! A rebirth of curiosity, "music and smiles".

If going south can mean an unlucky turn of events, then why not grab a couple of ukuleles, a backpack, and head as North as possible, right in the Winter months, and prove that a fulfilling adventure does not depend on palm trees and sandy beaches. 

Between Europe, and my destination the Uke Fest du Nord in Québec, in Iceland Reykyavik, on a little island just outside the centre, a few confessions and a whole lot of anticipation:

"It's been a while since I felt inside, the sunshine, it's beauty and the clouds.

Music and smile, open to the heart which once was too hard and too proud"

The other side of the Cam; my view as I was singing and dancing on the Icelandic shore

"As you can see from this grey silver picture, which like the soul moves in mysterious ways and cares not who does dare put his gaze on this glorious nature, Fortune does speak and to hearts it does whisper"

And of course there's a sort of dress code/thematic-sort-of-thing to go with the frisky stretches I am set to explore:

"So here I am, all dressed up in grey, it's a theme thing, it depends on where I go, you know?

I'll brave the Winter and the storms on my way as I travel through thoughts and snow"

Grey is the colour, happiness is the mood, pretty cold is the temperature

Bla bla bla bla "Yes I know, the words don't count as much,

As what's been hiding behind the soul, and what our human minds can touch,

It's all right,

I'm Going North"

The Ukuleles jump Back onto the Road!

Hop on the train of song and the boat of curiosity, jump on the saddle of discovery, and use whatever other metaphor you want, for Ukulele Road Trips are back!

On your bikes, get set, snow! Little Bike ride in Reykyavik, between flights, and between continents.

Well, as you know, they never really left. They were just recording awesome albums alone in the countryside.

And now, it's almost Winter, and UKULELES ARE COMING. Tum tum tuum !!

Very Bard Trip incoming!

Should be good.

More precisely they are coming to Canada and Iceland ! All is revealed in the introductory "so-what's-going-to-happen-then?" Podcast with Marine HERE. Plus, you know, songs !

To make this new vagabond-ing possible, Ukulele Road Trips is partnering up with CLOUD MUSIC UKULELES! The kind people behind the brand are making sure I get a couple of new fancy ukes for the adventure,  are funding a part of it, and will no doubt provide me with words of encouragement when it gets really too cold in the Northern reaches. So it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, check them out on www.cloud-music.us.

Cloud Music Ukuleles "fly away with the softest melodies". It's not their moto, but I think it sounds good.

So, to sum up what Marine was supposed to help me make clear in the Podcast:

Ukulele Road Trips are flying via Reykyavik (that's in Iceland, and where I'm writing this from) and landing in Canada. We'll then go all the way up to Québec, and then fly back to Iceland. There, another Road Trip begins. Which normally ends in something else than freezing to death. Hopefully something more "singy" and "ukulele-y".

So that's the general outline. Who knows how it will go though.

The only immovable event of it all, and also the crown Jewel of the adventure, the Québec Ukulele Festival where I will be performing with the help of my new ukuleles and of my vocal chords. I will also be giving a Masterclass on how to write songs. And be inspired. And feel the music as you write, and, you know, that kind of stuff. Exciting times! That's the 18th and 19th of November 2016 by the way.

The first ever edition of the Uke Fest du Nord! Privileged AF* to be a part of it!! (stands for French Absolument Formidable*)

So saddle up! At this point in time, I'm exactly like you. Not too sure what to expect. But it's just Canada and Iceland in November and December. What could possibly go wrong?

Do join the gang of these ukes&Ion this upcoming adventure ! And your sweet gesture of getting my albums as gifts for your family will keep me warm in any field of snow. I do thank you for that very much.

Hop hop!

All aboard.

woooosh.