Snapshots: Traveling with H.C. Andersen opens this weekend. The show features paintings and hand-colored copper etchings by internationally exhibited Danish artist Susanne Thea.

Opening reception admission is free with light refreshments.

About the Show: Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s visionary words, “In thousands of years they will come on wings of steam…”, the exhibition connects the poet’s nineteenth-century era of exploration with today’s digital age. Thea’s work grew from Andersen’s travelogue A Poet’s Bazaar (1842), which chronicles his eight-month journey through Europe and the Mediterranean. More than 180 years later, Thea followed his route using Google, allowing her to visit every location described in the book through a process she calls mind-traveling, moving across time through imagination, research, and artistic interpretation.

Translating Andersen’s written experiences into visual form, Thea immersed herself in his diaries, fairy tales, paper cuttings, and the art, music, and philosophy referenced in his writings. The resulting hand-colored copper etchings, many measuring 20 x 20 centimeters, invite intimate viewing. Inspired by Andersen’s paper cuttings of women, Thea often tells these stories within the skirts of female figures, transforming garments into landscapes and narrative spaces that encourage viewers to explore and travel alongside poet and artist alike.

Elverhoj Museum, 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang