Creative Summer Jobs – Erika Lind

Creative Summer Jobs – Erika Lind Ólafsdóttir

Erika Lind is a 19-year-old sixth-form student and part of this year's creative summer jobs, with the project Heklisgerði. Erika is very artistic and has long had an interest in crafts, art and culture.

„One of my core memories was going out onto the patio with my grandmother, where she taught me to knit when I was five years old. It brings me joy to give back, and in this fast-paced society, I enjoy finding peace within myself when I crochet or create other crafts. I would love to share this joy with other residents of Hafnarfjörður.

„Handicrafts and art have strong ties to our Icelandic culture, and their practice is also believed to reduce anxiety and depression. Engaging in handicrafts requires knowledge, skill and, often, a great deal of time. History has condemned handicrafts as an unimportant women's job, a hobby, a pastime and a waste of time. However, handicrafts and the practice of them are a form of rebellion against capitalism, which demands that we are all creating value, all the time.“

Hellisgerði is a beautiful, enchanting place in the heart of Hafnarfjörður where people can come together and enjoy nature. A great deal of effort is put into decorating Hellisgerði during Advent, and the garden is adorned with beautiful lights that draw people from all over the capital region and further afield. Erika's aim with the project is to create the same attraction in the park during the summer.

The original idea was to turn Hellisgerði into a Crochet Garden this summer with crocheted decorations, painted stones and socialising. But due to exciting developments in the garden this summer, Erika will mainly be teaching people to crochet, sew community quilts, and enjoy the outdoors and socialising on Mondays. In addition, she decorates the garden with hand-painted stones and handmade fairy houses. At the end of the summer, the community quilt will become a beautiful gift for the Fairy House in Hellisgerði.

Erika is visible with her crochet hook. every Monday from 4-7 pm and invites everyone who wants to join in and crochet together to come along and enjoy. I also want to invite children to come to Hellisgerði to paint stones and thereby experience contemporary art and the great outdoors. I will also seek to collaborate with the active work of senior citizens and crochet with them.

„I will use social media under the name; Heklisgerði🌟 (@heklisgerdi) | Instagram, where I advertise the times I will be visible in the garden and the projects that are in progress. Events are advertised there and local residents are encouraged to take part. The project concludes with a picnic where the public will be invited to come to Heklisgarður and enjoy the environment that has been created over the summer.“

About Creative Summer Jobs 2023

In the summer of 2021, the City of Hafnarfjörður, in collaboration with the town's youth centre, Hamarinn, decided to revive the “Creative Summer Jobs” project, which had been run in the summer of 2017. Individuals and groups aged 18-23 were also invited to submit ideas for creative projects in Hafnarfjörður. Selected groups were given the opportunity to work on various creative projects in different artistic fields that would also liven up the town's social life, delighting tourists and residents in one way or another. The staff of Creative Summer Jobs, run as part of the Hafnarfjörður Summer School, are tasked with bringing the town to life, making it more fun, beautiful and diverse with artistic and creative events. The projects are varied and appeal to different age groups and interests. Klara Ósk Elíasdóttir is the project manager for Creative Summer Jobs.

This year, there are nine diverse groups and individuals working as part of the creative summer jobs scheme, and they will be featured weekly over the summer.