The Little Gallery this time honours an elderly artist approaching her tenth decade, born on 15 November 1926. She grew up here in Hafnarfjörður, the daughter of Guðjón Guðjónsson, headmaster of the primary school, and Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir, a writer.

Rúna's artistic talents became apparent early on. She started drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil, and by the age of about fourteen, she had begun to seek out nature to paint and draw. She began attending evening classes at the School of Art and Crafts on Grundarstíg in Reykjavík at the age of 15 in 1943, and subsequently enrolled in the new day school. A year later, a young man named Gestur Þorgrímsson enrolled at the school, and they soon became a couple. After they had both completed their studies at the school, they went to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where she studied painting and he enrolled in the sculpture department. They returned home in the summer of 1947 with a young baby and, along with other artists, founded the pottery Laugarnesleir. Thus began the artistic career of Gestur and Rúna, which was to last for more than half a century.

Raising four children and earning a living took up her time, but a pen and pencil were always within Rúna's reach; her creative urge never slept.  After the days of Lauganes clay, Rúna began illustrating books and later the couple returned to making pottery. They also worked together on exterior decorations. Although their collaboration was close, they also developed as independent artists.

The projects during Rúna's long artistic career were numerous and varied: illustrations and advertisements, designs for ceramics and pottery decoration, paintings and drawings, and large-scale murals. Rúna wanted this exhibition to emphasise the diversity of her career, not least the illustrations, in which one can see an evolution from a light, linear style of decoration to the printmaking technique that became one of her hallmarks. Also on display are original drawings of the plates issued for the 1974 national festival, as well as other original designs for ceramic production.

Materials and context shape the solutions, but Rúna's signature style is always clear: the forms are organic in their softness, whether in figurative or abstract art; the line is strong and playful, and the interplay of colours is most often finely toned. Paintings, particularly on handmade Japanese paper, along with images on ceramic tiles, are the works that most people know by her. Rúna held many of her major exhibitions after the age most people associate with retirement – most recently, she held a solo exhibition to celebrate her ninetieth birthday.

With advancing age, her stamina has diminished and her eyesight has deteriorated so much that Rúna can no longer read or write. But she still opens her box of paints and gets out her pens as Christmas approaches. For many years, her grandchildren's presents have been decorated with handmade labels, and so it will be again this coming Christmas. Some of the small pictures seen here were made in recent weeks. Rúna's sense of colour has not faded; she chooses bright tones that shine in perfect balance. The line still dances strong and pure from the pen, the hand remembers, the flow is uninterrupted.

Rúna was made a Commander of the Order of the Icelandic Falcon in 2014 and was the City Artist of Hafnarfjörður in 2005.

The exhibition opening will be on Thursday, 7th November from 18:00-20:00 and all are welcome!

Other opening times:
Friday 8 November 13:00 – 18:00
Saturday 9 November 12:00 – 17:00
Sunday 10 November 14:00 – 17:00

The event is sponsored by the Cultural and Tourism Committee.
of the City of Hafnarfjörður.

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With this exhibition, The Little Gallery pays homage to an ageing artist who will soon be celebrating her 98th birthday. Sigrún Guðjónsdóttir, known as Rúna, was born here in Hafnarfjörður on 15 November 1926, daughter of school headmaster Guðjón Guðjónsson and author Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir.

Rúna's artistic abilities became evident at a young age. She began drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil and from the age of 13, she would venture out to draw and paint from nature. She began her studies at the School of Arts and Crafts in Reykjavík at the age of 15. A year later, a young man named Gestur Þorgrímsson entered the school, and the young couple soon became an item. After their studies at the Reykjavík school, they both gained entry to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where she studied painting and he sculpture. The young couple returned to Iceland in 1947 with their firstborn child, and started the ceramic studio Laugarnesleir along with artist friends.

Caring for and providing for a family of four children required time and energy, but pencil and paper were always within Rúna's reach, and the urge to create never diminished. After the days of the Laugarnesleir studio, Rúna began illustrating books, and later the couple returned to working in ceramics. They also created several large works of architectural ornamentation together. Although their cooperation was close and extensive over the years, they also developed as individual artists.

During her long career as an artist, Rúna worked in many areas; illustration and graphic design, ceramics and design for ceramic production, painting and drawing, large wall decorations.  In this exhibition, Rúna wanted to emphasise the diversity of her artistic output, and not least her work in illustration. In the examples shown, a development can be seen from the fine brush-line of decoration to the beginning of the special print-technique that was to become prominent in her later work as a painter. Also on display here are originals of some of the ceramic designs that went into production abroad.

Both materials and the intention for their use obviously shape Rúna's artistic work, but clear character traits are evident: the feminine organic forms, whether the work is abstract or representational, the line is always strong and elegant in its playfulness, the colours are most often vibrant but delicate tonal hues. The public is most familiar with her paintings on handmade Japanese paper and ceramic tiles. Rúna gave many of the largest exhibitions of her work after she had reached the age when most people think of retirement – her last solo exhibition was to celebrate her 90th birthday and consisted of paintings made in the previous two years.

Age naturally takes its toll, and by now Rúna's eyesight has weakened to such an extent that she can no longer read or write. However, as Christmas draws near, she still takes out her box of pastels and her pens. For many years, all gifts for family have been decorated with handmade gift tags, miniature works of art. Some of those on display here were made in the past few weeks. The artist's sense of colour has not diminished; she chooses bright hues that dance in perfect harmony. The line still flows from the pen with amazing strength – the hand remembers, the flow is unbroken.

The exhibition opening is on the 7th of November from 18:00-20:00 and all are welcome!

Other opening hours:
Friday 8th November 13:00 – 18:00
Saturday 9th November 12:00 – 17:00
Sunday 10th November 14:00 – 17:00

The event is sponsored by the Culture and Tourism Committee of Hafnarfjordur.