Karen Gardiner
Freelance Writer
Travel, art, cultural heritage; Scotland, Nordics, the Arctic, Japan, islands, remote places. Now: Edinburgh/Baltimore. Before: London, NYC, Tokyo, Valparaíso, Sydney, Prague, Reykjavík and Honolulu.
PROJECTS
Condé Nast Traveler
Why I Went on a Blindfolded Tour of Venice
An unseen city reveals itself on a special tour of the Floating City.
atlasobscura.com
The Uncertain Future of North Ronaldsay’s Seaweed-Eating Sheep
Concerned islanders are rethinking old traditions to ensure the survival of this very special breed.
National Geographic
7 Cities to See Powerful Street Art
Graffiti, murals, vandalism—street art takes on various names, but one thing that rings true across the world is the cultural relevance behind these works of art.
Architectural Digest
Why Northern Norway Should Be on Every Aesthete’s Travel Wish List
Noteworthy architectural works are spread throughout the remote region dotted with soaring mountains and deep fjords
hyperallergic
Unpacking the Legacy of an Indigenous Uprising in Norway
A rich combination of artworks, set in a labyrinth relating art, duodji, books and archival materials, tells the long and anguished story of Norway’s treatment of indigenous Sámi communities.
Oak -The Nordic Journal
The Great Escape
Dispatches from three of the most visually arresting art spaces in the Nordics. The Steilneset Memorial in Norway, Artipelag in Sweden and Cisternerne in Denmark.
BBC
The small Scottish isle leading the world in electricity
Some 1.3 billion people lack regular access to electricity. With its reliable independent grid powered by wind, water and solar, a remote Scottish island could hold the key to a solution.
National Geographic
25 Captivating Photos of Egypt
These stunning shots prove one of the world's oldest and most beloved destinations still has plenty to reveal.
Condé Nast Traveler
Why Fair Isle Sweaters Have a Three-Year Waiting List
As imitations of Fair Isle patterns show up on catwalks around the world, the island's master knitters are taking different approaches to keeping the tradition alive.
National Geographic
25 Captivating Pictures of Street Scenes Around the World
Amid the thrum and whirl of city life, today’s street photographers patiently wait for what their forebear, the influential French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, famously termed “the decisive moment.”
sierraclub.org
Whale Hunters Defend the Grind in "Islands and the Whales"
New documentary takes an unflinching look at the whale hunts of the Faroe Islands
Bridal Guide
Travel Snapshots: Iceland
With its mossy lunar landscapes, towering snow-capped mountains and stunning waterfalls, Iceland offers endless natural beauty and is a fairy-tale honeymoon destination.
Condé Nast Traveler
The Scottish Island That Celebrates Christmas 12 Days Late
One hundred miles off the northeast coast of Scotland, the tiny island of Foula rises sharply out of the Atlantic Ocean. When not shrouded in mist, you can make out the island’s dramatic profile from Mainland, the Shetland archipelago’s biggest island, 20 miles away. It’s a sight that has long bewitched travelers, perhaps none more so than the ancient Romans who reputedly believed it to be the fabled Ultima Thule, or place "beyond the borders of the known world."