Sometimes, my research interests become incorporated in my drawings either intentionally or otherwise. My fascination with the Viking era and my Nordic ancestry has found its way from the historic past into the present day matters of my work. With these interests in mind, I suppose it's not too surprising that one of my large drawings ( "Fire and Water", 5' x 6.5') includes my mother and sisters standing in front of a Norwegian sailing sloop, which is shown in the background area of the drawing. (top photo) The sloop is not a Viking sailing vessel, but the kind of rig that my great-great grandfather Gabriel and his brother Hans, both Norwegian sea captains, would have sailed in crossing the Great Lakes. In my drawing, my sisters and my mother and I are literally half immersed in the waters of unknown realities, both in terms of who our ancestors were as personalities, and as a state of the human condition more generally. In my research, I strive for knowledge as to who the Vikings or my ancestors could have been as individuals. As to the Vikings, the sagas are helpful in this regard. As to my more recent ancestry, I have many facts and dates, and even some wonderful anecdotal stories from which to draw. I also have scientific data that reveals probabilities in terms of DNA. For example, it was thrilling to learn that through the formal analysis of my saliva, taken from a cheek swab, it was revealed that a small percentage of North Indian Tribal and Japanese form a part of my genetic makeup. Genetic researchers also suggest that a large number of Norwegians have a mix of Mongolian, Eastern European and Western European genetic factors. But you know, is that information all so surprising? The fact that ancient peoples have steadily moved around the globe has been common knowledge for many years. If people only knew that they were repositories of the confluence of individuals from across the globe, we might get along a little better. How does all that new information make me feel? Wonderfully exotic in a North American framework.
One last note: At the Viking site at L'Ans Aux Meadows, Newfoundland, a small, typically East Indian shawl fastener was found along with a Venetian glass bead. These findings tell us an awful lot about humans as globetrotters and about the subsequent blend of cultures and peoples that naturally go along with years of migration.
You might find the following two books an interesting read: "The Vikings" by Robert Ferguson and "Norwegian Migration to America" by Theodore C. Blegen.
You may want to follow the links to:
L'Ans Aux Meadows: www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/index.aspx
