The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.2004, Síða 9

Vol. 58 #4
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
155
Okkar a Millisagt
What is said between us
an interview with Karen Johannsson by Wendy Johnson Brown and Valerie Hoshizaki Nordin
The Viking influence can be seen in the
works of artist Karen Johannsson with her
batik images that reflect everything from
Old Norse Mythology to the sunflowers of
her adopted prairie roots. Karen believes
that it is perhaps the Huldafolk that guide
her ‘piece by piece’ as she creates her
unique hangings, pillows, and hats, but her
Icelandic roots go much deeper in her
philosophical approach to art and life.
On coming to Canada: “I don’t know
why my father chose Winnipeg”
Skuli and Erika Johannsson came to
Winnipeg in 1955, when Karen was eleven
years old. Her father had a cousin here at
the time but no other relatives. She was
aware of the family’s history of moving as
her mother’s father, Petur Jonsson, was the
first Icelander to gain fame as an opera
singer, taking her Mother’s family to many
parts of the world. Her three uncles were
all born in Germany in the 30’s and her
grandmother was originally from
Denmark. It is no surprise that Karen is
adept at speaking other languages, includ-
ing French, Danish, German, as well as
English and Icelandic. It is ironic that
when Karen first came to Canada she was
put in an ESL classroom!
On becoming an artist: “I was always
drawing and making things...the attitude
towards art is different in Iceland with
everyone having art in their homes. Art is
valued and you can make a living doing it”.
In her home economics class in
Iceland, Karen excelled in her knitting, cro-
cheting, and needlepoint classes. It was
here that Karen was introduced to the art
of batik. After coming to Canada her artis-
tic ability did not go unnoticed at Daniel
McIntyre Collegiate in Winnipeg. In grade
eleven, Karen’s life took a bold turn when
she received an entrance scholarship to the
Fine Arts Faculty at University of
Manitoba. Her thesis was in painting and
printmaking. During university Karen
worked in Iceland at a fishery and in the
airport and after graduation she returned
for a year working as a graphic artist for a
television station. For the next several years
she dabbled in art and did jobs such as win-
dow-dressing at Eaton’s, fashion shows
and doing some sketches for Woman’s
Wear Daily from New York.
Her entrepreneurial spirit: “Art went
on the backburner when my three sons
Peter, Shanker, and Shiv came along. I
decided to go into the restaurant business. I
took over a place called ‘Lipton’s Lunch &
Confectionary’ in 1977 and turned it into
‘Mrs. Lipton’s’. The name? Why of course
it was on Lipton Street! ”
The restaurant became a social hub of
activity, one restaurant by day and another
by night with support from the whole
community. Karen believes that the
Huldafolk played a role there too, with the
idea that “you just have to believe and Mrs.
Lipton is there.” Art called Karen back in
1998, and Mrs. Lipton’s was converted into
an art studio. Karen gives classes in batik
and is kept busy creating pieces for com-
missions or to sell out of her studio, for gift
stores or at festivals. Her latest work of
batiks of musicians was recently shown at
the Winnipeg Concert Hall mezzanine art
gallery. Her work can now be found in
many galleries and private collections
throughout North America.
Thoughts on Iceland: “When I can’t
find something I blame it on the little peo-
ple”!
Karen states that many Icelanders
acknowledge and respect ‘the others.’
They believe it even though they say they
don’t. It is a spiritual guide in times of dif-