Construction of KOPRU Art Exhibition is finished!

Sunday, 3rd of August, was a busy day. All pictures and sculptures had to be installed on the walls and the floors. How they match together? Which one needs sunlight, which survive in artificial light?

Installing lights, preparing some decoration and other activities also took time - not to forget cleaning of two floors in the old Power Plant building.

Exhibition will be opened tomorrow, 4th of August, at 12 o'clock. I think that I will visit it after my duties.

And then the official opening of the exhibition and 30th Anniversary of KOPRU on next Friday. An exciting week, indeed.

The old church of Petäjävesi, Central Finland.

The drawing, presenting the old church of Petäjävesi, is now finished.

This UNESCO Culture Heritage object has many beutiful features. Old timber, painted details, peaceful interieur...worth to visit!

Colours? Not this time, just B&W.

I will thank the Finnish master of living lines, late Henrik Tikkanen. I have adopted the idea of birds from him.

This drawing will be one of the five pictures which I will present in an art exhibition by KOPRU in Wanha Woimala (an old power plant by Vaajakoski rapids in Central Finland). 2006 is an anniversary year for KOPRU: this art society has grounded 30 years ago.

How do Auguste and Grandfather look like?

A most interesting contact to Jeroschka: a fascinating, old story about Auguste, Grandfather and tiny people! Because the lack of shared language, Auguste and Grandfather shall travel to meet a professor in a big city to have help.

When reading this story, relatively clear images of Auguste and Grandfather have arisen. I still have to wait until they are "ready" (how long hair does Auguste have? Is she tall or small? Grandfather has a long, white beard?).

I hope that these main actors have found their faces soon. After that, Auguste's room, railway station...

These features shall not be too realistic (which is something I try to avoid today) but they shall still be living.

A sunny afternoon in Suomenlinna Fortress, Helsinki.

It was a very warm and sunny day a couple of years ago. I was travelling for business reasons in Helsinki and had some free hours on afternoon. Decision to travel to Suomenlinna Fortress was easy to do because I have always loved this island.

The ferry trip from Helsinki harbour (beneath Helsinki Market Place) did not take too much time and the ticket was cheap. Contrast between busy Helsinki centre and peaceful fortress island was huge, no matter many other citizens and tourists have also agreed to visit Suomenlinna.

There is an art exhibition near Suomenlinna harbour. After checking it (always something interesting) I continued southwards, towards Suomenlinna church.

Calligraphic pencils 1mm, 2mm and 3 mm as well as a scetch book - then to find the best point of view. One peaceful hour, without anything confusing in my mind. Just to concentrate myself to the landscape: the church itself, trees around it, some other buildings, quiet people walking without any stress on the old, narrow street...

It is fanny that I can recall all these moments when I have got time to draw. Like I were there again!

First lines of the summer drawn!

Now it is done - at last: first lines were drawn after a delayed period of several months.

The church of Petäjävesi (Central Finland) is accepted by UNESCO as an important cultural value. It is'nt very big but it is beautiful! Dark timber walls, roof made of small wooden pieces...

First step took est. one hour: to find the total shape of the building and add the neighbouring trees. Then some hints of the patterns of the walls and roof.

How many lines should be drawn tomorrow? Not too many. This drawing should not be a document of every detail of the church. I try to avoid my tendency to make pictures too complete.

And the question of colours. Shall I use them (colour pencils) or not? Would B&W be better? Let's see tomorrow...

I will take photos of all steps of this drawing and add them here in my blog as soon as everything is ready.

"The scetch had been of a climbing rose against a wall; the painting was a trellis of pinks and grays and creams, a palette of dangers - which has been avoided. He would have been afraid of it himself, the inherent sentiment, the lack of accent. The ruling quarters of his own zodiac were more those of the colors of the clothes the Mouse wore: autumn and winter." - JOHN FOWLES: The Ebony Tower.

April by the lake...

Sun has shined all the day, and some water has appeared on the ice. Spring seems to come! Colours of this moment shall be chosen very carefully...there are not many of them but I'll try to find exactly right ones.

First drawing with dark colour (black pencil). Not with ink like fefore - not because I would be afraid about mistakes (well, I actually am!) but merely because I do not want too strong lines on the background of the colours.

This picture was done by me one year ago, in Spring 2007. May it be different if I have done it today?