Something extraordinary from last winter's art course...

The possibility to see real, geometric 4D objects (not those of time-space four-dimensional ones) have interested me already for some years. I know that it is impossible and we could only see 3D shadows of them - but this is something I found in scientific references. 

Everything in this painting has a meaning - and I leave its interpretation to those who have time to think of them.

Some night-time activities with PICASA....

All awake at 01:25 AM on Saturday morning. What to do? Play with PICASA, of course!

First the original - a pencil scetch of Pohjoisranta, Helsinki, Finland, 6th May 2004. 

Then the first modification: some shades of old drawings...

 

Second...blue sky...

Third: some more tones...

PICASA is very practical tool, indeed.

Poetry with pictures...

Combinations of poets (especially short ones like haikus) and pictures (photos, drawings and paintings) are very fascinating when trying to submit one's ideas...

Because the wide variation of photos in my collection, I can choose the right one to support my written expression which usually comes into my head in the morning, during the wake up procedure. They are formed in my brain on the last stages of the sleep and I must write them on paper before they vanish...

A rough translation of the haiku:

"Dreams, like fishes from the waters of the past, arise for us."

Constructing "Grandfather's NASH"

In the beginning there was a photo....

...originally B/W one, from the year 1954, where I added some colours with pencils. This car, American NASH, was owned by my grandfather (r.) and driven by him from Rautu, which was left to Soviet Union after World War II. - Two other persons are my father and me.

I printed the original photo on a A4 office paper with soft surface for adding some colours on it. Next step: a drawing of the view on a canvas (just an commercial ready-to-use one) with a pencil:

Some colours to check how they attach on the canvas.... (I like both drawing and painting of chimneys!).

The final steps usually take a lot of time. The night hours are really needed!

I finally make a decision: "This is all I can do". I could continue as long as I want but there will be a point of resignation: "Now I will finish my work". - I can still refine it later if needed, but at this very moment I feel that my work is done.

Happenings in the life of a young crow, Part 1.

Please let me introduce you the young crow! He is going to school, as you can see.

He prefers to spend his summer holiday by travelling (here on the top of Koli, Northern Carelia, Finland)...

....and wonder the Finnish nature!

But then came the gray, rainy autumn. Here is he heading to the school. 

He must be brave enough to fly over the big lake - the school is on the opposite shore...

- More about the life of the young crow later...

Techniques: ink (with an old-style pen, loaded from a ink bottle), colour pencils and MS Office Power Point. Photos were taken in Central Finland.

Construction of the painting "We are living in an exciting period of time"

First there was just an idea...

We visited Leningrad (called so in those days) and the beach of Terijoki in the beginning of nineties. My son was just some years old but when he noticed the Gulf of Finland, he started to prepare himself for swimming! We had a Labrador Retriever "Miska" and I added her beneath my son (no matter she wasn't with us).

There was also a memory of ash clouds, distributed by a volcano of Island which prevented us to return from Crete - giving us some more holiday days...

After a delay of half an year were the next steps taken (three photos below): inclusions of a small village and a jet plane. Toothpicks and a comb were needed for the smallest details... Limited green areas were also added to give some life on the rocks. 

The painting was finished and set in frames (bought from a flea market!) just a day before the installation of the annual KOPRU 2017 Exhibition in Wanha Woimala (an old power plant) in Vaajakoski. Welcome to see the exhibition! 

Two Temples - two different milleniums!

Two countries, two completely different eras and two techniques: 

LEFT is an acrylic painting from Karpathos Island, Greece. 

RIGHT you can see an oil painting of a small orthodox temple, "tsasouna", from Suolahti, Central Finland, built following the guidelines of traditional Carelian orthodox temples. 

Spring Exhibitions of Jyväskylä Adult Education Centre 2017 are running!

Jyväskylä Adult Education Centre is a combination of several units in the region of the City of Jyväskylä. In addition to the City Library - Adult Education Centre, classes will be held in suburbs, too. Here are some fresh photos from the Säynätsalo Exhibition with works by the groups of visual arts, china painting and ceramics. 

Despite the short exhibition period (only 3 hours), over 60 persons visited it, however. Here are some of them:

First some ceramics:

Then china paintings:

And, last but not least, some paintings:

This painting of mine (below) is called "Tuhkapilven Alla" ("Under A Dust Cloud") and has total three supporting stories behind it:  first about my son (some 20 years ago), second about my two retriever dogs and third about my trip to Crete - which got some extra days because of sudden volcanic activity in Island...!

There were, of course, much more works to be seen than these examples. Be free to visit our next exhibitions to see more novel works!

Some pieces of art with a computer!

Some experiences of computer-mediated art 2000 - 2017:

1. "Glasses". PAINT program, 2000.

2. Upper Canal of Imatrankoski Power Plant. PAINT program, 2000.

3. Upper Canal of Imatrankoski Power Plant (based on a black&white photo from 199?). 

PICASA program, 2017.

 4. "Girl Under a Stockholm Bridge" (based on a colour photo from the beginning of sixties

 - actually, later, my wife!). PICASA program, 2017.

PINES BEHIND THE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SUOLAHTI, FINLAND

It seems that the painting of Suolahti Church will be finished soon. I started it already in 2015 but found so many things to correct that I repaint several parts of it during the years gone. Now there is only one detail I shall correct and then I must say: "Now it is so good as it can be when painted by me..".

P.S. No digital photo is like the original. The photo was taken in artificial light and corrected by PICASA. The colours are, therefore, slightly changed.

AN OLD DRAWING, "TUNED" BY FREE PICASA PHOTO PROGRAM

An old drawing from the year 1975 shows a view from my student-time home in Viikki, Helsinki.

The original drawing has turned brownish and the contrasts relatively pale. I opened my PICASA program and corrected both of the faults. Framing was also done by PICASA "museomatta" correction.

So - here it is, in its new look.  I hope that you like this early spring view of a forest - in the middle of the city Helsinki!

SPRING IS COMING SOON!

There are lots of problems in politics and economy all over the world - but I will still wish a Nice Spring to every one! Days get longer on northern hemisphere and light shall win!

A simple ink drawing at the end of 90's. Subject: Lake Simpelejärvi, south-eastern area of Finland.

Features of "kaamos" and importance of librarians. - Kaamos Exhibition by KOPRU is now erected!

"Kaamos", annual period of polar night, affects strongly human beings in northern countries (by the way, a similar period can be found also on southern hemisphere but is not so much discussed because the small number of people suffering of it). Severe "kaamos depression" symptoms will wake up ideas to sleep all the winter, avoid all activities etc.

That is the reason for the KOPRU Kaamos Exhibition (see photo above). In much smaller scale as annual Summer Exhibition in Wanha Woimala (see photo below) but it helps against depression. At least, we think so.

Humble "kaamos exhibitions" could also be held privately. And now it is time to mention the Librarians, those kind professionals who will help you to construct a small-scale exhibition in your local libraries! This kind of "pop up" exhibition took place one year ago in Säynätsalo Library (situated in the famous "Säynätsalon Kunnantalo" by Alvar Aalto - photo below).

It was a happy coincidence that our exhibition was risen on the very same day when the reconstructed Vaajakoski Library was opened and I met our previous Säynätsalo Librarian Tiiu when visiting the Vaajakoski facilities just before closing time  (my wife Sanni (l) and Tiiu (r) during the Säynätsalo exhibition in the photo below)

Only three works per society member were hang on the walls of the minor gallery. One of mine is the small acrylic colours/colour pencils artefact "Juureva Astraalityttö" ("Astral Girl With Roots", photo below).

Welcome to "Kaamosnäyttely" by KOPRU in Vaajakoski!

Tasks to fulfill in November 2016...

The "Very Small Exhibition" in Vesanka Library was closed in the beginning of November. Thank you, the personnel of the library, for one extra month!

Autumn period of both the art group (nice to meet old friends after one year's absence!) and the German discussion group are going on. I have promised to have a presentation about drawing in the German group and preparing it in Google Docs. Very easy - and I never forget to save my current work!

I am also working with water color pencils and "ladies from Internet" (PINTEREST is an excellent source of old photos and you haven't ask someone to sit for hours as your model in your kitchen without clothes..). My printer has done a MIRACLE some two weeks ago: it added, independently, some blue shades of the water in otherwise a all-grey, old photo! Thank you, HP Dekjet 1510 and your near-empty colour cassette!

- More after awhile...I am activated again, as you see!

A very small exhibition in Vesanka Library, Jyväskylä.

A "very small exhibition" of my works will be held 1. -30.9.2016 in Vesanka Library, westward from Jyväskylä city. Both the count and the size of the works included were optimized by taking into account the limited room (excellent glass shelf) for the exhibition. I tried to find different techniques to be shown to the visitors, especially to the children from the neighboring school. - The personnel of the library was very kind!  Thank you for the chance to have an exhibition in your facilities as well as for your helping hands when installing the works!