Week 40 of my painting project „One Year – One Island“
About 10 days after Gillberga – a cloudless day – I settled in in Sandvik: a folding chair, the small green stool for the water containers, the art backpack with the blocks, the tape, the brushes, and of course, my water bottle. I had parked the car right in front of the quayside. As a contrast to the old houses in Gillberga, I want to use this painting to show the modern houses on Öland. Not everyone who lives on Öland – whether year-round or just for a short time in their own holiday home – likes rustic, traditional furnishings. Those who can afford the (expensive) sea view, in particular, prefer large windows or glass facades, or a terrace with a sea breeze. While the houses along the coastal path are usually a few hundred meters from the beach and always have to accept the view of passing cars and cyclists, the houses north of Sandvik’s harbor are located directly on the sloping cliff. This location is among the most spectacular and expensive one on all of Öland. Garden lovers won’t be happy here, however, as nothing thrives except prickly juniper, heather, and rock plants. For the spectacular sunsets on your private terrace, you’re mercilessly exposed to the sun and wind. Years ago, I had a business meeting in one of the houses — I think it was a German-Swedish simultantranslation at a real estate agent’s meeting — and was able to satisfy my curiosity and take the tour. I was amazed: the house had a sauna on the lower floor with a glass wall facing the sea. This means the owner and his guests can sit in the sauna and look out over the water. Even then, though, I wondered whether the large glass pane might fog up during the sauna session from the infusions, obscuring the view at all. Otherwise, the house was a concrete block, appearing as impersonal on the outside as it was bare and cold on the inside. The floor was completely covered with large stone tiles (no carpet at all) and had underfloor heating. The walls were plastered in light gray. There were no curtains or blinds, practically no textiles at all, just sheepskins artfully draped on leather armchairs. It was a good way to create an impression, but completely impersonal. However, this was the only house in Sandvik I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing from the inside, and certainly not all houses are so representatively designed. What they all have in common is that they are all new buildings; none are typical traditional red wooden houses with white edges, and that this belt along the coast is considered a high-priced location. In the second row, however, are older houses, and the new houses have been built directly in front of their view.
Sandvik harbor is very picturesque and a popular destination for both turists and residents– especially the hungry ones. The most popular restaurant is the fishmonger directly behind the quay wall. Originally, the fisherman would go out in the morning and catch the fish, which his wife would then prepare at the harbour in a small shack and offer the meals directly there. There was also the option of selling fish directly over the counter. A long-time employee has now taken over the shop; the restaurant must have long been the main source of income, and the old fisherman now fishes purely for his own enjoyment. I met him while I was sitting on the pebble beach painting. He came by and looked over my shoulder. Shortly before, I had photographed him on the water in his small motorboat, hoping to include the motif in my painting. When I finished painting, I treated myself to a little salmon pie. Delicious!
The stony beach in the small bay at the foot of the cliff edge is a popular place to flick stones across the water. Sometimes people go swimming here. But mostly, they would just sit around while waiting for the magnificent sunset. Or parents let the kids play around a bit after the restaurant, and treat themselves to a (very expensive) ice cream from the ice cream parlor just 10 meters away. Some just sit around and relax, staring out at the sea, lost in their own thoughts. Until a few years ago, the beach and the steep cliff were a curious attraction for newly-in-love couples: they would search the beach together for a heart-shaped stone and then climb the rock face to find a good place for the heart. Hundreds of stone hearts gradually accumulated in the small crevices and short ledges. But apparently, these tokens of love posed a safety risk – either for the climbers themselves or for the people walking below the wall – because eventually, someone would clear away all the hearts, and this still happens at regular intervals. Thus, the stone vow of love is only short-lived.
Well, hear is the painting. Next time I´ll show you even more limestones…
Hope to see you there,
