This stamp issue features the works of Súsan í Jákupsstovu (born in 1946). Súsan boasts a rich background in various forms of craftsmanship. Her artistic and applied art creations span an array of techniques, including watercolour, weaving, needlework, as well as the use of clay and various textiles.
Súsan has been at the forefront of this popular artistic movement in a period when public discourse focuses on pollution-causing transportation, reducing waste, and utilizing our domestic resources. Long before this became a mainstream topic, Súsan explored the tanning of fish skin in Northern Norway. She has incorporated materials such as fish skin, fish bones, sheep rumen, and various sheep derivatives into her art. Additionally, Súsan has crafted her own paper to use in her artistic creations.
Súsan also initiated the groundbreaking School of Art and Handiwork in the town of Sandur. This venture was a significant undertaking, requiring supportive political attitudes. However, due to a lack of sustained backing the school ceased operations after four years.
Susan believes that utilizing our own resources is of the utmost importance. While she acknowledges the benefits and usefulness of going abroad for learning, she emphasizes the significance of building on our domestic foundation and embracing our inherited traditions.
Súsan has contributed to numerous projects in different churches. After a fire in 1989, the Church of Sandur underwent repairs, and Súsan, a resident of Sandur at the time, was tasked with designing the woven interior and illustrations. This included creating a strip rug and various ornaments for the pulpit, corresponding to the different seasons of the church year. Weaving, particularly pictorial weaving, has been a central aspect of Súsan's artistry. She frequently dyes the materials herself, a technique she also employed in her work for the Church of Sandur.
Susan frequently draws inspiration for her designs from the natural landscapes of the Faroe Islands. Two notable examples that showcase her artistry are the stamp motifs titled “Snowscape” and “Stones.”
“Snowscape” features a woolen backdrop, intricately woven from Faroese wool, with quilted and embroidered enhancements. The piece incorporates a variety of materials, including fish skin, rumen, handmade paper, and silk. The artwork captures the essence of a wintry scene—parts covered in snow and ice, interspersed with visible stones and perhaps even a sheltering sheep. The colour palette blends white, yellowish hues, and warm browns, creating a contrast between cold and warm elements, suggesting a sense of life, perhaps dormant or hibernating, beneath the snowy layer.
The artwork titled “Stones” is a sculptural piece, consisting of two actual stones rather than a mere depiction of them. Crafted from fulled wool, these sculptures are shaped like stones and stuffed with coat wool. This creation is unique and perfectly emblematic of our country, as stones are a fundamental aspect of our landscape. This piece complements Karsten Hoydal’s poem “Bright lichen-grey stones along the way,” where the subtle light grey tones, visible in certain areas, seem to bring the stone to life. This artwork is not just a visual experience but also invites interpretation, much like a poem waiting to be read.
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