Painters Dry Their Tears

Icelandic painters are seizing the current dry and sunny weather to make up for lost time after a summer characterized by persistent rain. The extended period of wet weather has significantly impacted outdoor work, leaving many painters about a month behind their planned schedules.

“

We can say that we are drying our tears away now. The weather is decent for a little while.

Kristján Aðalsteinsson, chairman of the Association of Master Painters, described the situation as "drying our tears away now." He noted that painters are working through weekends to take advantage of the favorable conditions, likening the effort to that in the countryside where work must be completed during good weather spells.

“

Most painters are working all weekends. Work is being done on Saturdays and even Sundays to use the dry spell. It's just like in the countryside, you have to get it all done.

The financial implications of such delays are considerable. Painters often have equipment on lease, and prolonged periods of inactivity due to weather mean they are still incurring costs without generating income. Aðalsteinsson humorously suggested that perhaps painters should be eligible for government subsidies, similar to fishing vessels that can apply for state aid during periods of poor catches, highlighting the economic vulnerability faced by the trade.

“

Summers like this with a lot of rain have a huge impact on the painter's income. People have equipment on lease and are eager to do something. So, it's multifaceted.

While the current spell of good weather is a much-needed reprieve, the lingering effects of the rainy summer continue to be felt. The association is working to mitigate the impact, but the need to catch up on a month's worth of work underscores the challenges faced by outdoor trades when confronted with unpredictable weather patterns.

“

Fishing vessels can apply for government subsidies when there are poor catches. Maybe painters should apply for government subsidies?