Ethan Cornell
October 22, 2021.
Ethan is a designer and illustrator from Brooklyn, New York. His original plan for his time at the residency was a series of outdoor paintings around the idea of “what do we think of as nature?”.
Work-demands and pandemic-timing-changes trashed the idea of pursing this project in a monastic-single-focus way. Instead, his 3-month residency was a mix of painting, ceramics, woodworking and a series of illustrations for the Climate Land Ambition Rights Alliance (CLARA) all fueled by exploring the East Fjords on foot and bike.
Artist statement:
“I lucked out in being at the Fish Factory, and in Stöðvarfjörður, and in the artists I shared the residency with. The place that Una, Vinny and the interns like Vid and Monika have made is a powerfully energizing place. I love that the mission of the Center is not only to support the arts but also ‘to regenerate and sustain our small village by making it into a possible and desirable place to settle’.
At times I struggled with the frustration of not being able to drop everything from back home to immerse myself in the work. But I also became very enthusiastic about being able to do my ‘work-work’ along with ‘art-work’ in this remote and beautiful place. Now back home, I see this mixed bag of projects, rather than being scattered and diluted, as rich, interrelated material to expand upon. And I am excited by the chance of returning for an extended stay, made possible by the resources to do many kinds of work”.
Takk Fyrir, Ethan!
You can see more of his work on his website or Instagram:
instagram.com/ethancornellart