Arngrimur Gislason was born in county Reykjahverfi in district South Thingeyjasısla, but lived in many parts of the country.  The late Arcaeologis and president, Kristjan Eldjarn, wrote the book "Arngrimur the Painter", which depicts this remarkable man extremely well in his deep rooted agricultural society.

He was and is considered one of the best uneducated painters of the country.  He specialised in portraits and altar pieces.  He was a poor man, but succeeded in adding his workshop to his farm Gullbringa in 1884.  Two of the sides were built of turf and stones and the workshop has a sod roof.  It is the oldest preserved workshop of a painter in the country.  The Central Bank of Iceland financed its restoration in 1983 to commemorate the late president.  Since then, it has been under the protection of the National Museum of Iceland.