Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.12.2007, Page 1

Big plans for
Mountain
$2Single copy price:
Seasonal fare
Join Olivia Sparks
(above) and Kristin Olafson-
Jenkyns in preparing some
Icelandic-inspired winter
dishes / page 15
ILLUSTRATION: RON JASMER
The Mountain Commu-
nity Center Capital Cam-
paign embodies a bold vision
for the community / page 8
PHOTO: MAGICAL VOICE PRODUCTIONS
Thinking
positive
Singer and actor Janyse
Aldis Jaud debuts two inde-
pendent albums just in time
for Christmas / page 5
Publication Mail Agreement No. 40012014, PAP # 8000 ISSN 0047-4967
LÖGBERG
HEIMSKRINGLA
The Icelandic Community Newspaper • 15 December 2007 • Number 24 / Númer 24 • 15. desember 2007
INSIDE
i l
ri :
PHOTO: KRISTIN OLAFSON-JENKYNS
Visit us on the web at http://www.lh-inc.ca
WINNIPEG, MB — Neil
Bardal was honoured at a spe-
cial dinner at the Scandina-
vian Centre on November 30,
organized by members of his
family and supported by many
members of the Icelandic com-
munity and Consular Corps of
Winnipeg. The dinner was at-
tended by a sold-out crowd of
120, with many on the waiting
list.
Peter and Carl Johnson
were MCs for the evening,
and presented a video tribute
to Neil, focusing on his efforts
to organize a family reunion in
Iceland. The video was pre-
sented on a large flat-screen
TV, which, in addition to a
DVD player and video record-
er, together valued at $10,000,
was donated by the family to
the Scandinavian Centre in
Neil’s honour.
Many brought greetings and
tributes from the wider com-
munity. Erla Wankling of the
Jon Sigurdson Chapter IODE
announced that a permanan-
ent scholarship in Neil’s hon-
our would be created in 2008.
Gunnvör Danielsdóttir brought
greetings from Icelandic Con-
sul General Atli Ásmundsson
and his wife Þrúður Helgadót-
tir, as well as from the Presi-
PHOTO: DAVID JÓN FULLER
Neil Bardal (left) speaks while Carl Johnson looks on.
Olafson awarded
Legislator of the Year
MINOT, ND — North Dakota State Senator Curtis Olaf-
son was presented with the North Dakota Township Officers
Association 2007 Legislator of the Year Award at the NDTOA
annual convention on December 3. The annual award is given
to one of 141 North Dakota legislators. This is the first time
it has been presented to a freshman legislator.
OTTAWA, ON — The
Friends of Iceland Club, in
partnership with the Icelandic
Embassy, hosted a showcase
of Icelandic paintings on the
ground floor of the Constuti-
tion Square Building on Albert
St., November 25 – 29.
The two featured artists
where Ólafur Thor Ólafsson
(who goes by the single name
Olafsson), from Iceland, and
Darleen Davis Rattew, a Cana-
dian of Icelandic background.
Born on the east coast of
Iceland in 1961, Olafsson was
a keen artist and naturalist from
his early days and painted Ice-
landic wildlife and wilderness.
He went to Reykjavík in the
1980s to study painting at the
Academy of Fine Arts. In the
’80s and early ’90s, Olafsson’s
work began to receive critical
acclaim and attract an enor-
mous following.
Olafsson has been called
by some the father of modern
Icelandic landscape and nature
painting.
Darleen Davis has shown
her art in many locations and is
best known for her dragons in
paintings and drawings. Dar-
leen has sought inspiration for
her work on her travels all over
the world. Her theme for this
showcase was Icelandic chil-
dren and nature.
Also on display were paint-
ings and drawings by Kjarval,
who is one of the best-known
older Icelandic painters; his
work can be found in count-
less museums and institutions.
One oil painting by Muggur
was also displayed, along with
many books on Icelandic art
and culture. This section of
the showcase came from the
private collection of Völundur
Þorbjörnsson, President of the
Friends of Iceland.
To see more pictures of the
showcase please visit www.
olafssonart.com.
PHOTO: BJÖRK EIRÍKSDÓTTIR OLAFSON
From left: NDTOA Executive Secretary Ken Yantes, Sen-
ator Curtis Olafson, NDTOA Director Larry Syverson
and NDTOA President Chuck Thacker.
PHOTO: ÓLAFUR TH. ÓLAFSSON
Artists Darleen Davis and
Olafsson at the showcase in
Ottawa in November.
Icelandic art
showcased in Ottawa
Standing ovation
for Neil Bardal
Gingerbread Gimli
draws huge crowds
GIMLI, MB — A replica
Gimli in gingerbread, featuring
45 structures, fills the Stefan
J. Stefanson travelling exhibit
room at the New Iceland Heri-
tage Museum, a 20- by 25-foot
space. A contest for the best
entry will be held on Decem-
ber 31. Local landmarks such
as the pier, viking statue and
A-Spire Theatre have all been
recreated.
Elva Simundsson at the
NIHM says the opening night
drew 500 people despite bad
weather, and daily visitors have
averaged 20 – 25 people, com-
pared to three to four people
normally at this time of year.
Admission is free this month
and visitors are encouraged to
donate to the Evergreen Basic
Needs Building project.
Barb Foreman of Amma’s
Tea Room, which teamed with
NIHM for the gingerbread proj-
ect, says people can donate to
the fund up to and beyond De-
cember 31. “It’s really nice to
not only do something for a
good cause, but also to create
a focal point for Christmas in
town. Lots of people are com-
ing with their grandchildren
and making an afternoon of it.”
PHOTO: SHELLEY NARFASON
Continued on page 3