The Longship has been Launched

After many delays, the button was finally pushed last night and www.jorn.com is currently migrating to its new host (from Word Press to its new home on Weebly). I am told this process will take 24-48 hours to complete. Consequently, this is the last post I will have here.

The URL (www.jorn.com) will remain the same and those following me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Etsy, etc. will likewise be unaffected by the change. It is only those who chose to follow me directly on this blog that will need to re-opt in once the newly designed site has propagated in order to continue receiving email alerts when I have a new blog posted.

My first blog entry on the new platform will be posted on Friday and will be titled “A Journey of Self Discovery.” So, if this pops up in your email box on Friday, you don’t need to do anything. If it doesn’t, simply go to www.jorn.com and re-follow the blog and that should fix it for you.

My reason for the switch is simple – I wanted to add a free-standing storefront, membership/subscription functions and an integrated newsletter as well as several other exciting new features that WordPress does not currently offer.

I am extremely excited about the new site and have many plans for it in 2018. It will offer many new opportunities for those who follow and collect my work as well as those with a general interest in Norse mythology and the Viking Age. I hope you will all join me on this journey.

~Aric

Viking Prow: Drakkar

After a long delay and many requests from collectors, the second piece in my Viking Prow series is now in production and available for order.

This series was originally conceived as a tribute to the mystery and majesty of ancient Scandinavian culture during the Viking Era in general, and specifically to celebrate the 950th anniversary of the battles of Stamford Bridge and Hastings. These twin battles mark what many consider to be the end the Viking Era. However, since the Normans (or North Men) who ultimately conquered England by defeating Harold II’s Anglo-Saxon army at Hastings in 1066 were themselves the descendants of Vikings, it is also the completion of a great story arc.

Like the first in the series released in 2015 (Viking Prow: Coiled Serpent), this second piece in the series stands an impressive 17 inches tall (slightly taller than the first) and is also a bit beefier overall with bolder lines and details. This is meant to reflect the brute power of the drakkar (dragon). Weighing about 4 pounds, it is a solid piece meant to stand on desk, shelf or pedestal.

Each sculpture in this series is strictly limited to 95 signed and numbered castings along with a handful of artist proofs. They are cast, assembled and painted by hand, then clear-coated for a long life.

When this bold and brutish Viking Prow: Drakkar is placed beside the smoother lines and fine detail of the Serpent Prow, they are a wonderful pair. I am keen to make enough difference between each prow in this series that, were one to collect them all, they would have enough variety to represent a fleet of individually crafted ships.

An extremely limited number (10 to be exact) of these prows have been reserved as matched pairs, allowing you to have the corresponding edition number in both pieces. You can discover more about this opportunity here.

As always, I thank my patrons who allow me to continue doing what I love.

~Aric Jorn

In Honor of the Last Viking Invasion

950 years ago, two battles took place that mark what most consider to be the end of the Viking Age. In September 1066 at the battle of Stamford Bridge, an English army under King Harold Godwinson defeated the invading forces of the Norwegian King, Harald Hardrada, and his ally, the English king’s brother, Tostig Godwinson. By battle’s end, both Hardrada and Tostig along with most of the Norwegians lay dead on the field.

Although Harold Godwinson repelled the Norwegian invaders, his Saxon army was defeated in turn by the Normans at the Battle of Hastings just a few short weeks later. Ironically, the Normans (or “North Men”) who ultimately emerged victorious were themselves the descendants of Vikings, so it could fairly be argued that, while Hardrada lost, the Norse ultimately did succeed in conquering all of England.

To celebrate the Viking Age and the sea kings who left their indelible mark throughout Europe, on this 950th anniversary I am offering NINE of my Viking Prows at FIFTY dollars off through OCTOBER 14, 2016. The proceeds from these sales will fund my first official bronze edition in 2017 so you’ll not only get one of these prows at a great price, but you’ll be helping me expand my studio to include .

~Aric

 

 

I Have Been Involved In A Murder

Yes, it’s true, and I am not alone in bringing this murder about. In fact, there were dozens of us who contributed to it and, since no body will ever be found, I feel safe in admitting my involvement publicly on this blog. What’s more, I am inviting everyone who reads this post to witness the murder for themselves. It is taking place in Indiana – Terre Haute to be more precise – and it all begins tonight.

Now, before you reach for your cell and start dialing 9-1-1 to report this murder, perhaps I should explain…

Tonight, the Arts Illiana Gallery is unveiling The Crow Show, a juried exhibition running Feb 5 through April 22, featuring crow-themed work from artists in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. And, as we all know, a group of crows is referred to as a murder.

I was invited to have my “Odin’s Ravens: Hugin & Munin” relief in the exhibition and am delighted to have them in the collection especially as I am only a couple weeks away from releasing the second piece in this series. They (and all the other work on display at The Crow Show) will be available for sale throughout the 3-month event.

Now, I know someone is bound to write in and say, “but, Aric, Odin had ravens, not crows,” so allow me to set the record straight. The term “crow” is used for an entire family of birds (Corvidae) that includes the raven species. To put it simply, all ravens are crows but not all crows are ravens, making The Crow Show a perfect place for Hugin and Munin to roost.

So, if over the next three months, you find yourself in a drivable distance from Terre Haute and have a free afternoon, I encourage you to stop by what promises to be a very unique exhibition of dark avian art and witness the murder for yourself.

~Aric Jorn