Raised in the windswept environs of Iceland among hardy people who trace their lineage back over a thousand years to the original Viking settlers, Gudmundur Sigurdsson grew up near — and on —  the water.

Indeed, like his ancestors who made their livelihood by sailing on longships, Gudmundur has spent much of his life at sea — on fishing vessels plying the oceans from  the sun-drenched coast of West Africa to the frigid seas of the North Atlantic.

Though he lives with his family far from the ocean in Ontario, Canada, Gudmundur continues to spend several months a year at sea. When not on deck, he is always creating: channeling his experiences and emotions from brush to canvas, as well as writing and recording original music. His paintings are exhibited internationally, including Galeria Azur in Berlin and Madrid.