When I was a teenager, my parents gave me a book that changed my life—Brian Froud's "Faeries." I was instantly lost in its illustrations and stories, sparking a lifelong fascination with magical creatures and other realms. From that moment, my greatest wish was to visit the places mentioned in the book and seek out all the hidden creatures myself.

It took nearly 30 years for that dream to come true, but the wait was worth it. Iceland did not disappoint. I've now been there three times, and each visit has been more magical than the one before. This time, I was lucky enough to be invited to an artist residency at Arctic Canvas, where I could finally immerse myself in the world of magic I had always dreamed of.

The residency house is nestled between the sea and the majestic Snæfellsjökull Glacier—an active volcano with a glacier on top. Fun fact: in Jules Verne’s “A Journey to the Center of the Earth,” Snæfellsjökull is the entry point to the adventure! And in 1993, people from all over the world gathered there, believing it would be the landing site for aliens.

Standing at the base of this mystical mountain, I could almost feel the pull of its energy—like magic, aliens, and faeries were all just within reach.