Back from Prague since Friday, and I thought I’d chip away at that little list I made. Let’s start with item number… eh, 2! Warnemuende!

Okay, well once again I have some lovely little images prepared for you, which I’ll be uploading shortly.

Here’s the story: My host mother earned a “Stipendium,” which I translate as an “award grant” to do art in a little house in Warnemuende on the Ostsee (Baltic Sea). Google Map It!

Particularly interesting is that this is the same house that Edvard Munch (famous for his painting “The Scream”) lived in for a couple years. He was known as the crazy old fellow, who lived with a fisherman’s widow and painted naked on the beach.

Quite an interesting retirement!

Well, the grant is a major honor and opportunity for my host mother. She is incredibly happy. It allows her to use the house for the next three months as a studio and living space, drawing inspiration from the scenery and, as she puts it, the old Munch’s ghost.

As she has responsibilities to her art school and family here in Berlin, she only travels to Warnemuende when she has the opportunity. On our last trip we spent only one evening there, riding the train up Saturday morning and returning Sunday evening. In this one evening Birgit completed 8 “sand paintings” with time to spare to cook us fresh herring purchased at the local market. She’s very diligent!

Birgit has already returned to Warnemuende for the the Easter break. She’s there now with her daughter Stella and one of Stella’s friends. I will probably be joining them on Thursday evening to stay for the weekend. Hopefully Spring is here to stay, and I’ll be able to send you more sunny photos.

Well, I have to go fetch my train ticket! More to come. Ta ta for now!

UPDATE: Here are some of my favorite images from Warnemuende: