A brief history of interesting people, places and things
Over the past few decades, there has been a mystery among troll collectors surrounding the identity of the Norwegian woodcarver that made a unique design of hand carved trolls… Continue Reading →
Trollhättefallen (the troll's hat waterfall), one of Sweden's most dramatic waterfalls, has long been a significant site for harnessing hydroelectric power. The dam and the industrial development around it have transformed the area, yet Carl Eldh's sculpture and the myth of Strömkarlen remains as a caution about the complexity of nature’s exploitation… Continue Reading →
Amid the icy expanse of Greenland is where the story of the Tupilak begins. Peer into the hidden depths of Greenland’s Inuit culture, where every carving tells a tale of spirits and survival… Continue Reading →
Sigrid Bølling was an influential Norwegian artist that skillfully bridged the realms of rural realism and French impressionism. As a half-sister to the famous Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen, Bølling carved her own path in the art world, beginning with formal training in Copenhagen before immersing herself in Paris's vibrant art scene. Her works depict everyday life with honesty and truthfulness, capturing the daily activities of people in remote areas as they truly were… Continue Reading →
Ole Martin Skaug is a Norwegian artist who creates fantastic, "beautifully ugly" ceramic animals and people. One can find beauty in the grotesque and the bizarre, and humour is the key here… Continue Reading →
The medieval Baldishol tapestry, from 1180, is a national treasure familiar to most Norwegians. It was discovered by chance and is on display at the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Oslo… Continue Reading →
Asbjørn Raanaa (Rånå) was born on 01 September 1914 in Bjorli, Norway. Not much is known of this Norwegian woodcarver or his hand carved trolls which rarely come up for sale… Continue Reading →
Arne Tjomsland was one of Norway's foremost souvenir designers in the 1950s and 60s. His designs were based on the theme of Nordic fauna; including animals, Eskimos and Vikings carved from whale tooth or wood… Continue Reading →
Violet Parkhurst is most well-known for her life-like seascape paintings of the bubbling foam-flinging seas of the world, which thunder off the shores in their wild rush for the beach. Her range of work, from the mysterious moonlit seas, to the shimmering Summer surf, was inspired by her undying thirst for life and the beauty that surrounds us everyday… Continue Reading →
Henning Engelsen (1918-2005) was a Norwegian woodcarver who founded the company HENNING. He had the artistic skill to fashion his traditional and folklore characters from a piece of carefully selected and seasoned wood, and through his carvings, you come to know Norway and its culture… Continue Reading →
Adriel Restrepo is a self taught artist specializing in psychedelic PrismaColor pencil florescent artwork that glows in the dark under a black light (ultraviolet)… Continue Reading →
Leslie-John Albertyn was a renowned Master oil painter who specialised in painting the beautiful landscapes of Southern Africa… Continue Reading →
When it comes to hand-carved wooden trolls, there is no one better than Norwegian woodcarver, Anton Sveen. Anton turned his attention to carving trolls early on and built a career that eventually involved his entire family in the production process… Continue Reading →
Many East Londoners are familiar with the Pontiac Indian Head sculpture that adorns the glass façade of the new Home Affairs building. Some have fond memories of Gonubie’s ‘Humpty Dumpty’ Egg. But few know that these, and other iconic pieces of East London history, were the work of a local artisan named Toby Skolmen… Continue Reading →
The Springbok Farm Stall with its iconic giant egg was a familiar sight on the Gonubie Main Road for decades. Many Gonubians have fond memories of the farm stall, but few are familiar with its history, which dates back to the 1960s… Continue Reading →
Dayne's Discoveries 