Nature – Northern Fever

Biting Season: Notes On A Northern Plague

October 7, 2025October 7, 2025 northernfeverLeave a comment

Autumn and its gales may be here (rejoice!), but I’m sharing this post regardless. I started writing about mosquitoes in September, but glanced away from the page, and October blew in. You know how it is, I’m sure.

A few years ago, I was celebrating Midsummer with family in Sweden. The weather was impeccable, the midsommarstång inspiring to behold, and the mosquitoes, for whatever reason (no repellent involved – I’d forgotten it), keeping a wide berth.

Well, keeping a wide berth from me. I was the only one not being savaged by summer’s least welcome players. My partner at the time – a man of Icelandic stock – was plagued worse than everyone and carries the scars to prove it.

Intriguingly, it may have been an odour in my sweat that was keeping them at bay. This lucky break was an isolated incident, though, as typically I’m swarmed and left with archipelagos of bites which swell to memorable heights.

*Legit mosquito sign in Finland. (Wikipedia.)*

It’s a little awkward to admit that I typically try to “shoo” mosquitoes away. On the occasion I’ve been beset with rage by their assaults and have slapped them to death, I’ve felt horrible. It’s difficult to reason with yourself when your neurodivergent empathy extends to biting insects. I may have felt differently had I been in Lapland, where mosquito swarms are biblical. I read a comment on Reddit about a couple getting out of their car, only to immediately dart back inside after spotting a fast-approaching mosquito cloud.

It’s not unusual for animals to spend so much time trying to escape mosquitoes that eating becomes impossible, and they starve to death. They can also die from blood loss – a swarm can take as much as 300 ml of blood from a single caribou in a one day.

‘Smoking fire near the cows to keep off mosquitoes and other insects while the cows were milked.’
Eero Järnefelt (1891)

I’m familiar with summer in the Nordics for the most part, but I’ve only recently learned that there are 50-60 species of mosquitoes in the Nordic countries alone. (Imagine how flabbergasted I was to discover over 3,000 species of mosquitoes exist worldwide.) I was also late to learn that it’s only female mosquitoes that feed on blood, while males feed exclusively on nectar.

Any standing water – from a puddle to a gutter to a tyre track – can host a breeding ground and then a nursery for developing larvae. Iceland’s lack of standing water is one reason mosquitoes haven’t managed to get a foothold.

“…as I made my way round their boggy breeding grounds they rose up to meet me in dark, swirling clouds, insinuating themselves in my clothes, choking my mouth and smothering every inch of my skin in bites. As I saw my hands beginning to swell, I ruefully consoled myself with the thought that at least I would not contract malaria, because my tormenters belonged to the genus Aedes which, happily, are not carriers of the disease.”

Walter Marsden, Lapland: The World’s Wild Places

*Soon after reading this – bear in mind Lapland was published in 1975 – I found out that mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria are spreading across Europe due to the climate crisis.

Early explorers of the North described mosquitoes as ‘worse than the cold,’ and ‘the one serious drawback of the north.’ I’m surely not the only one who relishes the vision of fumbling English gentry being set upon by mosquitoes, which have also been called ‘a frightful curse,’ as well as, quite fabulously, ‘…devils…armed with a lancet and a blood-pump…’

“In the summertime in Iqaluit, the capital city of the Inuit-administered Canadian territory of Nunavut, swarms of insects hover above the inhabitants like cartoonish clouds of gloom as they go about their day-to-day lives.“

Kate Press, Briarpatch Magazine

Igah Hainnu *Mosquito* (2016) Muskox horn, seal whiskers and seal claws

Many indigenous peoples of the Arctic viewed mosquitoes as something sent to ‘test endurance.’ For the Sámi, enduring harassment from mosquitoes was a way of proving hardiness. Young herders and hunters were expected to tolerate swarms during migration and calving season without excessive complaint. Jonna Jinton, an artist living in northern Sweden, endures the biting plague with humour, as demonstrated in this tongue-in-cheek mosquito meditation video.

In the Swedish town of Övertorneå, the community hosts the World Championship in Mosquito Catching, where the winner is the person who catches the most mosquitoes in just fifteen minutes, earning a cash prize and being crowned world champion.

In Finland, one of the Nordic countries I’ve yet to visit, these micro-predators have their own signs, and there’s a history of ‘mosquito bravado.’ Especially among the likes of fishermen and loggers who work amidst clouds of mosquitoes.

“We were breathing hard now, sweating in the afternoon haze and mobbed by a few thousand mosquitos each. Every square inch of exposed skin was smeared with Vietnam-issue jungle juice, stuff that dissolves plastic buttons and burns like acid in your eyes. It kept the actual blood loss down to a level that didn’t threaten death, but that wasn’t the real problem. It was the psychological warfare, airborne water torture. You felt the constant patter, and knew that your back was crawling with living grey fur, hundreds of relentless snouts probing for a chink in your armour. A hand wiped down a sleeve would come away sticky, smeared with corpses, and you strained them through your teeth.”

Nick Jans, The Last Light Breaking: Living Among Alaska’s Inupiat Eskimos

In the 1970s, the Inuk community leader Abe Opic wrote an essay called What it means to Be an Eskimo, where he, justifiably, compared white people to mosquitoes: “There are only very few Eskimos but millions of whites, just like the mosquitos. It is something very special and wonderful to be an Eskimo – they are like snow geese. If an Eskimo forgets his language and Eskimo ways, he will be nothing but just another mosquito.”

**Michael Massie** *The Endurance Game*, 2016, serpentinite, bone, birch, ebony and brass

The Inuit have several stories about how mosquitoes came to be. The one you’re about to read was told to the Greenlandic/Danish explorer Knud Rasmussmun by Inugpasugjuk, a member of the Nattilingmiut Inuit community.

There was once a village where the people were dying of starvation. At last there were only two women left alive, and they managed to exist by eating each other’s lice. When all the rest were dead, they left their village and tried to save their lives. They reached the dwellings of men, and told how they had kept themselves alive simply by eating lice. But no one in that village would believe what they said, thinking rather that they must have lived on the dead bodies of their neighbours. And thinking this to be the case, they killed the two women. They killed them and cut them open to see what was inside them; and lo, not a single scrap of human flesh was there in the stomachs; they were full of lice. But now all the lice suddenly came to life, and this time they had wings, and flew out of the bellies of the dead women and darkened the sky. Thus mosquitoes first came.

If you do head to the far North, where the waters lie still and light lingers long into the night, wear long-sleeved shirts (doubling up is advised), socks, and trousers made from dense material. Wear a head net if you have access to one and remember that repellent loses its effectiveness when you begin to sweat. If you think you can escape them by going a bit further North, I should warn you that these blighters are now appearing in places where it was once too cold for them, which is, to put it lightly, worrying as fuck. We all know the North is warming, but the migration of mosquitoes makes it ever more painfully real.

I don’t want to abandon this post without attempting to lighten the mood (for you and me), so if you’re interested in seeing what it’s like to sit in a Finnish forest during summer, this gentleman can show you.

Sources

Inuit Art Foundation

Atlas Obscura (If you want to know about the mosquito catching championship.)

Nunatsiaq News (Observations from Inuit about mosquitoes, including the story featured in this post.)

The featured image was taken by Samuli Paulaharju in 1937.

Forests Bring Out The Best In Me

July 7, 2025July 7, 2025 northernfeverLeave a comment

I regularly feel the need to downplay my delight about things that excite me, because, unrestrained, my enthusiasm can make people feel overwhelmed and awkward, especially if they’re mostly familiar with my depressed state.

It’s a good thing, then, that when I’m forest wandering, I’m almost always alone because forests bring out the best in me, especially forests in Sweden, which are heavily occupied with boulders.

Encountering boulders on my wanderings is always an ecstatic experience, and I can recall most of my meetings with remnants of ancient bedrock (or petrified trolls, as I’d prefer to believe) with gut-glass clarity. I have memories of wildly circling my Swedish ex like a border collie pup, tugging at his clothes and begging him to come to the woods and see the boulders I’d found on my daily hikes.

I glimpsed this boulder through the trees, and to reach it, needed to stray from the path, which I happily did. I rarely stay on any footpath for long anyway. The bliss I experienced in the presence of this, let’s admit, very beautiful rock, was something I wish I could bottle and give to people who don’t experience life as a highly sensitive neurodivergent wyrdo who gets blissed out by boulders.

Sweden was heavily glaciated in the last Ice Age, and the boulders – official title: glacial erratics* – were swept up during the advance/retreat of the glaciers and deposited where they currently sit. I don’t think this will ever cease to boggle my mind. I know I’ll probably be wondering forever about this boulder’s tale and its migration to where I found it in a serene, sun-dappled forest glade in the north.

*You may be as nerdishly thrilled as I to know that the word erratics comes from the Latin word errare, which means ‘to wander.’

I Was Part Of Go Sollefteå Fall 2024 And My Life Is Better For It

September 11, 2024September 12, 2024 northernfever3 Comments

Me: Can you see me in the photo?

Him: Yeah, you’re haunting it.

It’s been a few days since I trudged back from Scandinavia, and the withdrawal is all too real. I miss the clean air and tap water that doesn’t have a chemical aftertaste. I miss the company of the unique troop I met on my Swedish endeavour, and I miss the trees. I miss the trees a lot. Forests, especially those that stretch beyond where I can see, equip me with a sense of optimism that little else can match. There’s an uncomfortable dampness to my spirit when there isn’t a forest within sight when the trees aren’t close enough to reach out and touch.

The energy of England is troubled and distracted. There’s always an underlying tension in this country, and it’s difficult not to despair. But I’m determined to keep my renewed sense of vigour – gifted by my time in Scandinavia – alive. On this trip, I travelled to Northern Sweden to participate in Go Sollefteå, an event organised and hosted by Kalle Flodin and Sollefteå municipality.

In 2018, Kalle uprooted his life in Stockholm and moved to a sparse forest cabin in the North of Sweden to create a new life grounded in simplicity. Kalle’s videos and those of Jonna Jinton (her channel led me to Kalle’s channel) and Talasbuan (Kalle’s channel led me to their channel) regularly pour much-needed brightness and authenticity into my life. I’m one of many viewers who clutch onto the dream of having a forest home, of waking up to the rejuvenating scent of pine, and discovering moose tracks outside my front door.

It was during an ADHD burnout that I read about the Go Sollefteå event. My days were blurred together in a teary mess of trauma. Creating distressed me – my cruel inner critic shit on everything I did, which made me reluctant to work on anything at all. Eating was a chore – my diet was fuelled mainly by protein shakes. My sleep was disrupted by overthinking, nightmares and drenching night sweats. Leaving the house was an effort beyond all others. Suicidal thoughts frequently snaked through my head.

But the prospect of venturing to the sparsely populated North of Sweden – something I never did when I lived in the country – meeting the person who’d made the ‘simple cabin life’ his reality and getting to know other people ‘bound to the north’ by whatever means was too sparkling, too exhilarating, too therapeutic an opportunity not to reach out for. I submitted my application a few hours before the deadline, thinking, ‘I probably won’t get accepted…But I have to try.’

When the acceptance email came through, I teared up and scrambled to explain to my bewildered family why my mood had so suddenly and miraculously ascended from the bowels of hell.

And So To Sweden

After spending a fitful night in a converted jumbo jet parked close to Stockholm Airport, I was picked up by a lilac-haired Swede called Pernilla. She’d generously offered to pick me up on her way to Sollefteå. (She made a significant detour to get me. She doesn’t think it was that big of a deal, but it was that big of a deal.) Little did I know at the time that I was hitching a lift with a knitting phenomenon.

Pernilla and I cruised north, and five hours glided by, our chats regularly punctuated by me saying, ‘Where are the moose? I can’t believe we haven’t seen a moose yet. Do you think we’re going to see a moose?’ Pernilla told me she had seen about fifteen before she picked me up, including a mother with a calf. She’d see another one a day later close to our hotel. I’d miss it by minutes.

Almost 70% of Sweden is forest, and we drove through a good portion of that on the way to Sollefteå. Trees regulate my nervous system – they’re experts at doing so in general – and as we drove on the blissfully empty roads, I felt evermore lifted by the sight of them. I had that soothing sensation of coming home.

I’d planned to photograph the journey; I imagined myself photographing the Go Sollefteå experience from start to finish. But I didn’t. I didn’t have the energy. I was emerging from under the weighty emotional debris of my burnout. Being present in the moment was more important than trying to document it.

The main venue for the event was Hotell Hallstaberget. Built alongside one of the oldest ski slopes in Sweden, it’s been bringing together, ‘outdoor enthusiasts’ and I love this ‘fun-loving Norsemen’ since 1969.

Shortly after Pernilla and I arrived, it was time for introductions. Folk from all corners of the globe assembled in a circle and together we met Kalle, his supremely well-behaved husky Tuss and the lively, bright-eyed team behind putting the event together. It was all so easy-going, and my nerves started to dissipate. I overshared, as I have a habit of doing. But it was fine. I’m either mute, or you know my life story within minutes of meeting me for the first time; there’s no middle ground and I’m learning to accept that about myself.

Introductions were followed by an elaborate buffet dinner, after which I cornered an Australian woman called Chelsea, on her way to get a drink. She’d arrived late due to car troubles and had missed the introductions. Chelsea had moved to Sweden earlier in the year and lived on a farm with her Belgian boyfriend, Lars. ‘When I saw your profile photo on Facebook, I thought we’d get along,’ I told her, perhaps a bit too eagerly. However, my intuition was correct, and we got along as fabulously as you’d expect two neurodivergent darklings to get along.

My mood the following morning was soaring from the get-go, with the weather partly responsible because when I hauled back the curtains in my room, I was greeted with dense fog, and if you know me, you’ll know I’m quite the low-lying cloud enthusiast.

The day to come was crammed with activities: a swift, steep hike – ‘please don’t look up at the drone! – followed by a crash course in Swedish led by the sort of high-spirited folk I wish I’d met when I initially tried to root down in Sweden. Then there was fika with kanelbullar the size of my head, which I very happily and very swiftly demolished.

In the evening, we attended a yoga session led by Kalle’s neighbour and founder of Ayur Yoga, Wivi-Anne. It was perhaps the most intense and life-affirming experience of the trip. I’d been to one other yoga class in my life and I’d lasted five minutes. I stayed for the duration of this session – minus ten minutes when I went to the toilet, then couldn’t remember which room to return to.

Although I stayed until the end, I sat out most of the poses. My body was too rigid and awkward, reluctant to ease into even the most basic ones. Everything hurt. But the energy in the room was comforting, forgiving.

When the session was done, most people, myself included, were not quite ready to move from the space. The room was opened up for questions. I spoke about the realisation that I all too often forget to breathe. I talked about how my whole body hurt when I tried to follow along with the poses. I spoke about the impact of the last pose, a simple ‘hands together’ position and how it led to a single profound realisation: that I can stop apologising for being who I am.

That night my phone died – I’d left my plug adapter behind in Stockholm – so I didn’t get the message that the aurora borealis was out and dancing ecstatically in the skies above Sollefteå.

There was some confusion the next day, and I missed the second hike. So, I took myself off on my own. The hike the day before had been fun but fast paced because of scheduling. There hadn’t been the chance to get close to the forest. Well, not for me anyway, who didn’t have the gazelle-like agility and fitness of other group members.

I took the opportunity this time around to get close and spent some blissful hours appreciating mushrooms, bluebells and lichen. I watched a fox for a while, and the fox watched me. I acknowledged the croak of a solitary raven as it flew over my head and took it as a sign that this was how it was supposed to be – that I needed to soak myself in the preciousness of this experience.

Pernilla and I scoured thrift stores in the afternoon. (There was the option to look at houses for sale, but I’ve got a long way to go before I can even think of the possibility of buying something anywhere.) I narrowly missed out on scoring a pair of Fjällräven trousers. Dinner that night was a cosy, candle-lit affair in a wooden round house with Mexican inspired cuisine, as is tradition on a weekend in Sweden. There was also liquorice so thickly doused with salt that it was inedible for all but a dauntless few.

The following day, we said our goodbyes after breakfast. I lingered in Sollefteå for the rest of the day, not wanting to accept that it was over but humungously grateful for the experience and humbled by it.

I needed to repair my relationship with Sweden – there’s much trauma associated with the time I spent living there – and this trip went above and beyond in helping me do that. One of my anxieties had been about being captured on camera, and I faced this fear as fully as I possibly could. I’ve come away feeling I’ve crossed paths with some of the most thoughtful, generous, honest, creative and positive people that I’ve ever met. And even if I don’t look like I am in the photo, and despite all the unknowns that scare the shit out of me, I’m inspired, invigorated and ready for whatever’s coming next.

A Conversation With Anita Arora Of SIGIL

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 northernfeverLeave a comment

I am so, so thrilled to be bringing this interview to you today. Anita Arora of the jewellery and leather accessories brand SIGIL has been a friend of mine for several years, and I’ve been watching in awe as she has built her business up. In the circles I move in, it’s rare to encounter someone who hasn’t heard of Anita and the northern magic she creates. So, without further ado, let’s jump in…

Hello Anita! For MostNorthern’s readers, would you mind talking a little bit about yourself and your Nordic inspired jewellery and accessories line SIGIL?

Hi Katie! Thank you so much for having me on MostNorthern! I am a native Londoner, born and raised by Finnish and Indian-born parents. Our family immigrated to the United States during my childhood, but eventually returned to the UK. I opted to return in my late-twenties first to NYC, then westward to Seattle! I was lured by the mountains, ocean and lush rainforest, which I feel so fortunate to live close to.

The rugged nature is truly my muse, whether it’s in the Pacific Northwest USA or the Nordic regions and the Arctic, both of which have a strong calling and influence on my brand, SIGIL. The stark, rugged regions of the globe have always called to me, and it wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I explored this siren song.

When I look back at my journey to now, I feel like all roads lead to SIGIL, in terms of what I’m creating, what my inspiration is, and how I work. For those new to my brand, through SIGIL I create unique leather bags, accessories, and raw mineral jewelry inspired by the windswept landscapes of Iceland and Greenland. My jewelry, even though it has become the primary focus in my product line, is a newer addition to the brand. In line with the journey of growing this brand by taking on new skills, the jewelry fits in very well and is a great accompaniment to my leatherwork.

What I think makes my jewelry style unique is how I focus it. Utilizing raw, natural crystals and minerals that are truly one-of-a-kind, I create one-off pendants that are intended to resemble the wild, rugged coastlines and terrain of many of the remote regions on the globe that have inspired me my entire life. When I decided to incorporate them into the brand, it was in response to the pure engineering I was sometimes experiencing sewing non-stop on my industrial sewing machine. I wanted something more fluid, less rigid than the square edges of bags. Through this need, I created a sculpting technique that I now use as my signature jewelry style.

I’m enormously intrigued by your brand logo. What was the thought behind its design?

The SIGIL logo was as you may have guessed it, my new personal sigil that I developed at the time I launched my graduate collection and the brand name just stuck. As my final line was intended to reflect outwardly our inner spirit, and to capture our true essence, visually, I thought it would only be right to create the SIGIL brand logo by reflecting my own internal spirit.

I achieved this through channelling the masculine/feminine divine; my deep respect and passion for the great outdoors; both my Nordic and Indian roots; and my love for discovery, growth, and travel. What resulted must have been a direct reflection of my subconscious at work! I have been told the SIGIL logo resembles to many a “compass” which makes me so happy. I’d like to think, that through focusing on the things that we value the most, we “come home” to ourselves and discover our true essence.

We’ve actually been in contact for several years, and in that time I’ve watched in constant awe as your one-woman-business has grown from strength to strength. Can you please take us back to SIGIL’s humble beginnings and talk us through how you arrived at where you are today – running a business that enables you to explore your deepest passions on a full-time basis?

SIGIL was started back in 2014 when I returned to college to study Apparel Design, here in Seattle. I was designing my final line graduate collection, and really wanted to create something true to my roots and passion – the Arctic and time-honoured, natural fabrics/hides. SIGIL was born as an outward representation of ones’ inner intent though this collection of womens’ outerwear clothing consisting of leather, wool and silk.

Having grown up visiting family in Finland all my life, I infused a dose of Nordic minimalism along with the very avant-garde “hunter” look. After graduation, I worked in the apparel industry for 3 years, while slowly growing and evolving SIGIL in its more familiar and recognizable leather bag & accessories brand.

During college, I had the amazing opportunity to study old world leatherworking techniques with designer Aykut Ozen, who I’m eternally grateful to. This valuable experience allowed me to infuse leatherwork into my bag designs and find my feet, and brand voice. After losing my job quite suddenly in 2017, I decided that was the time to launch SIGIL full-time. During this time, I had toyed with the idea of incorporating jewelry into the brand, and learned a technique that stayed true to the raw, Nordic feel of the entire product line.

Iceland is one Nordic country that has assisted you enormously in flourishing as a creative, a businesswoman and a human being. It’s been such a joy to observe you reap so much personal happiness and artistic stimulation from the land of fire and ice. Can you tell us about your impressions of Iceland and why it has had such an enormous impact on you and your work?

Iceland, simply put, is a breathtakingly dark, mystical, inspiring land that will change how you see the world, life, and yourself. I say this with the stark awareness that I may only speak for myself, yet the personal impact of nature on this scale is hard to ignore for most. Rarely do we witness such raw beauty to this physical scale in our daily lives. I was unprepared for how deep an impression it would have on me, and how profound a connection I would ultimately forge with its landscape.

After returning from 10 days encircling the island, and witnessing its natural diversity, I knew its impact would stay with me personally, yet also professionally. There was something in the dark, mysterious landscape that spoke to me as a designer. The impression of elemental grandeur immediately left its mark on my imagination, which was – and still is – my largest sourcebook for SIGIL design work. This is where Iceland and SIGIL were instantly connected.

To expand on this a little more, try to imagine this: You’re standing beside a pristine lagoon on the Southeast corner of the island. Past you lazily floats a glowing blue glacier, the size of a building, that has “calved” from Vatnajökull, the island’s largest glacier by volume. That night, after soaking in a natural geothermal pool, you witness the Northern Lights for the first time. You have never seen light play like this, on the blue ice, and in the night sky, and you can only imagine what early settlers would attribute this to.

After I began producing SIGIL jewelry is when I truly found a place for Iceland in my work on a piece-by-piece basis that grew into the brand as a whole. I gravitate toward out-of-the-ordinary minerals, like kyanite and fluorite, and uniquely shaped crystals, as a rule. This, to me, mimics Iceland’s rugged landscape and physical attractions, such as those I’d visited on my now yearly trips. This is really where the lightning struck and the Iceland influence was forged.

You’re easily one of the most prolific creatives and business owners that I know of, and I’m eager to learn about your working routine! Would you mind talking us through a working day and revealing what aids your productivity when you’re working?

Thank you so much! After I turned SIGIL into my full-time business in 2017, it easily took me an entire year to figure out what routine best worked for me. You have to keep trying new methods, and see what fits best for you and be flexible as your business grows. These days, I wake up around 9:30 a.m. and brew some coffee. My studio is in my home, so it took some time sticking to a schedule! I can’t stress how important this is for productivity.

Once I’m up and caffeinated, I immediately slip into production mode, taking advantage of my best energy levels, despite not being a morning person. Before noon, I generally create new SIGIL jewelry pieces, as the morning light in my studio is perfect at this time. I try to do all my work in natural daylight, and my administrative or computer work in the evenings.

When I’m working with leather hides, I switch to the westernmost part of the studio around 1 p.m., where the stronger afternoon light allows me to best examine the hides, and look for any natural imperfections to work around. Natural light really is my best tool when working on any SIGIL pieces, and knowing when to call it a night. As a business owner, especially working at home, it can be really tough to walk away from work to do anything fun. You can be your own harshest boss! Part of being successful is allowing yourself to have a little fun now and again, and also rest. I try to read a book, and feed my imagination a little every night. It’s so easy to burn out if you don’t, so finding balance is another crucial tool for success.

I have something of an obsession with the workspaces of creatives and would love to know about yours! Can you describe your working environment and how it has changed since SIGIL began?

It has gone from orderly to chaotic, to ordered chaos. I say this with a grin, as I seem to know exactly where everything is. In an ideal world, I’d have a white room with shelving and storage drawers labelled alphabetically for all of my necessary components. But reality rarely fits our ideal, at least in the SIGIL world. I focus too hard on the final product following my vision, so rarely do I spent time changing my set up, if it works.

The SIGIL studio consists of 4 rooms: storage and sewing/manipulation of leather, the cutting and patternmaking room, the space I reserve for creation of jewelry, and the overflow of crystals and minerals room. This last space is a bit of a grey area, as I sometimes hear gentle reminders from my partner that he lives there too. Fortunately, he too is a creative, and is understanding of my orderly chaotic environment.

Every time you upload a new jewellery piece, I find myself saying, ‘Now this is the most beautiful piece Anita has made…’ You’re forever surprising and wowing me. I’ve always wanted to ask from where you source your crystals, and is there a special process you go through before choosing your materials? For example, are the properties of the crystal important?

Thank you for your kind words! I’ll give you first a little background on my love for crystals and minerals. I have always been fascinated with the natural world, whether it’s geology, mountains, ocean, or on a smaller scale, as with natural specimens. There seems to me a small world that is very personal to everyone in each and every mineral. I have always been able to, in my mind’s eye, see immense structures in small specimens, whether it’s a basalt rock monolith in Reynisfjara, Iceland while peering at black kyanite, or Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in Southeast Iceland while working with fluorite minerals.

So, first and foremost, my interest in crystals and minerals is physical, although I have found myself really getting into the metaphysical aspects of the pieces, too. There is a lot to learn in this regard, and it really adds to the decision of which minerals to use, when.

As far as sourcing goes, I try to obtain as many as possible at local gem shows, here in the Pacific Northwest. Oftentimes, the vendors are the miners or work directly with the miners, so I have an understanding of where they originate and I learn a little more about the specimens this way. Lately, SIGIL jewelry has dominated my product line, but I still have an endless passion for leather goods and designing SIGIL leather bags and accessories. I will be creating new pieces at the end of the 2019 (more on that later). When sourcing my NZ and American deer hides, I have two shops I exclusively shop from. Both are mom-and-pop type small businesses and I feel good about supporting the local economies in their respective locations.

You work a lot with fur, leather, and antler to craft your unique and minimalistic medicine bags, clutches, baby booties (the list goes on!) Can you talk about the experience of working with animal materials and the importance of using ethically sourced supplies?

As mentioned above, I am proud to be using the rare brick-and-mortar domestic businesses to source my leather hides, which extends to rabbit pelts. With big companies taking over so many small family-owned stores in the US, it feels really good to know I’m supporting these smaller companies. I also really like being able to telephone them and speak with knowledgeable staff who care about the products and will call you back if they need to find out answers to your questions, which includes where the animals originate from. One of the stores is right here in Seattle, and this allows me to walk in and physically select the hides/pelts and discuss any concerns with the owners. This makes me feel good passing on what I believe is a high-quality product that is sourced mindfully and with care.

As someone who is very much aware of the effects of climate change in the north, upcycling makes up an important part of the SIGIL ethos. Can you talk about your experience with upcycling and the importance it has for you and the rest of us in 2019? Do you have any upcycling tips you would like to share?

Climate change is something near to my heart, and we are really seeing the effects with smoke-filled skies here on the west coast USA for several months each summer. I’ve also witnessed it in the ice cap over Greenland when flying from Iceland back to Seattle. I am always looking for ways to reduce my footprint, and upcycling is one way. Particularly with leather, I aim to use all of the hide to eliminate wastage. I literally have strips of leather set aside waiting for an art project, so I don’t need to throw them away! So much energy has gone into each hide, that wasting any of it feels like a disservice to the earth, and the animal it came from. Leather is so versatile, and the raw edges inspired me to create raw edge pouches (they also remind me of the southern coastline and black sand beaches in Iceland) and the baby booties!

Whenever I use wool, such as in my wool/leather pouches, I also save my clippings and have created pieces that are smaller versions of original pieces, just by considering how to use what would otherwise be disposed of. I recommend to anyone starting out on a creative endeavour to consider less wastage and have a little fun conceptualizing how to utilize your “scraps”.

I’m madly curious about your life as a creative in Seattle! Would you mind telling us what it’s like to live and work there as a creative woman and business owner?

Seattle has always been friendly to creatives, even as the economy has recently changed with the expansion of the tech industry squeezing out so many affordable spaces in the city. The spirit of creativity is not easily extinguished when you live in such a beautiful region of the world. I am fortunate enough to share a personal space with my life partner, and our space doubles as a creative studio for us both. From my west-facing window, I can see the Olympic Mountains and beautiful sunsets over the Puget Sound, which ushers in ferries coming and going to the nearby islands and Alaska.

If you take some time to gaze out during the busy day, it’s easy to re-center your mind and find inspiration in the nature that is visible from countless places around Seattle. Taking a drive to a hiking trail is often only 30 mins away if you need to find solitude in nature. As far as being a business owner in Seattle, I have found some great resources for small business owners and also teamed up with fellow artists at many vending events. I do a lot of networking and bring SIGIL to new audiences at the many vending events that draw in large crowds. Having a solitary work life, it feels good to get out there and experience these fun events.

One of the reasons I love to follow you on social media is because it enables me to ‘come along’ on your adventures into the wilderness. I especially enjoy it when you post about the hikes you embark on! Can you talk about one of your all-time favourite hikes and what made it so special?

Chain Lakes Loop trail, in the Olympic Peninsula. If you stop by the ranger station, you can pick up a map and I recommend getting there early. The reason I love this trail is that there isn’t a lot of elevation gain but the visual rewards are high. Expect pristine alpine lakes and epic mountain views, particularly of Mt. Skuksan, which is one of WA state’s most photographed peaks. Don’t forget to fully charge your smartphone or camera, as you’ll be taking more pictures than you can imagine.

As an experienced hiker, what practical advice would you give to someone heading out into the wilds to ensure they have a safe and unforgettably amazing experience?

Always pack the 10 essentials and plan on bringing more water than you think you’ll need. Stop by or call ahead to the nearest ranger station to learn about current conditions and don’t take risks for that amazing photo. Too many hikers have perished trying to take an amazing Instagram photo, so keep your wits about you. Always heed weather warnings, and let someone know where you are going. Never approach wildlife, and be aware of daylight limitations in the mountains. Where possible, read reviews online as rangers may not be aware of damage that hikers discover on the trail. And finally, always use sound judgement in sticky situations

For anyone making plans to travel to Iceland, what recommendations would you like to pass on?

Thanks to the popularity of Iceland as a travel destination in recent years, there are a lot of resources online for learning about where to go, what to do, and what to know before you go. I recommend booking your flight and accommodation 4-6 months in advance. Icelandair is the primary carrier, and with the demise of WOW air, their second airline company, seats are in higher demand, so book early when possible.

I recommend getting out of Reykjavik if you can rent a car, and driving east along the “Ring Road” (the main highway) and adding 1 or 2 hours extra each day for stopping to take photos. Always follow road signs and rules, not only to be a safe driver to others, but because Iceland driving is likely going to be like nowhere you have driven before. The country is the third windiest place on earth, and you learn this very quickly, especially in the Winter, Spring, and Autumn months.

If you don’t plan on driving, take the FlyBus from Keflavik airport and plan to explore the city on foot, but do allow yourself at least one tour bus trip to the Golden Circle. This is very doable even if you only do a quick stopover trip and have 24-48 hours in the country.

With your roots being in Finland, I’m ever so curious to learn about what aspects of Finnish culture you hold dearest to your heart, and how important is it for you to return home.

Finland is so much a part of who I am, that I am not sure where to start. It really is the one place I can call home, and I am close to my family over there. I was born in London, UK to a Finnish mom and Indian father, yet I grew up immersed in largely Finnish culture for much of the time, while visiting my grandparents for 2 months every year (1 month in summer and in winter).

Like Icelanders, Finns are a hardy people, who have had to work hard to gain their independence (only 101 years ago!) The aspects of Finnish culture that truly mean the most to me include how much the Finns value their connection to nature. Wherever they are, even in the capital city of Helsinki, nature is everywhere, and city planning respects this. Secondly, Finland’s education system is rated the highest in the world. Finns are flexible and believe in placing value in their people, and future generations.

Do you have any favourite influencers also inspired by the north that you would like to tell us about?

Yes! One of my fellow Pacific Northwest-based artists, Ravnvolk. Justin makes amazing wall sconces and one-of-a-kind candle holders inspired by the north. It’s immediately clear how much work he puts into each and every piece, embodying the spirit of old-world craftsmanship. Check out his work at: etsy.com/shop/Ravnvolk

What does the rest of 2019 have in store SIGIL?

This is a very exciting year for SIGIL! I am currently in the planning stages for my first ever Iceland-based photoshoot in Fall 2019! I will be creating more elaborate jewelry pieces in a much larger, statement size and more that are currently in the works – please keep tuned over the next few months!

In your opinion, what do you believe draws people to the north?

There has always seemed to be an intrinsic mystique that draws people to the north, whether it’s remote regions of the globe, such as Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, or any of the 5 Nordic countries. There is a yearning for “getting away” and seeing natural beauty that is largely untouched and breathing clean, glacial air and experience the solitude of a dark, Scandinavian forest. There is a closeness to nature that people of the north innately have, that I think draws many of us, too.

Finally, in three words, what does ‘North’ mean for you?

Formidable, dark, mystical.

All images courtesy of Anita Arora.

Find & Follow SIGIL

An Expat’s Life In Sweden : Winter’s Light & Details

December 19, 2018December 19, 2018 northernfeverLeave a comment

The temperature has been rising again, so today was very slushy and I was very miserable, so I’m going to share some shots from a few weeks ago when the air was cold enough to catch in my throat and the light was glorious.

The light of spring and summer doesn’t get to me the way winter’s light does. Winter’s softer light gives me an energy that I’m unable to find in any other season. In spring and summer, more often than not I find myself saying ‘oh, piss off already, sun,’ and I can find myself slipping into many a depression during the warm months, because there’s too much light and not the sort of light that feeds my spirit.

The details of winter – iced streams, frozen spider webs – can hold me captivated for hours. Literally. I nearly always loose track of time when I’m walking in the forest in winter, and more often than not, find myself making my way home in the dark.

I would love to know which seasons help your spirit thrive.