Dagmar's Spring, Finland

Hi,

I'm back on my Blog again!

'Going to be posting the occasional video from a recent project I started called 'My Big Fat Finnish Portfolio'. I've already set up and started this project over on Facebook and Instagram, plus I now have a YouTube channel and Pinterest board dedicated to it also.
'Would be great if you could join, add or follow any of these platforms.

For now here's a little clip I made not far from where I live in Finland. It's a nice little place called Dagmar's Spring, a natural spring with beautiful surroundings and easy-going nature trails.


All the best for now,


your friend, 

Alan.

My Finland 100 : 91- 100

Finland became an independent state on 6 December 1917. Already there have been numerous events staged throughout the country to celebrate this centenary year. The theme of the centenary year is ‘Together’. 

As I have been a resident of Finland for the past ten years I wanted to do a little something. For this I decided to post 100 images to my Instagram account on social media with the hashtag #finland100_igchallenge .

Anyone familiar with the Instagram application will be aware of the vast amount of wonderful photography posted every day online. There are so many amazing images to be found featuring Finland's stunning nature and landscapes. I imagine my photography may be lack lustre in comparison and as a result may not be noticed. So I decided to simply look closer in and around my new home for another approach. I have posted a variety of images found around my own house and neighbourhood. I didn't know much about Finland before I moved here, so I view this as an opportunity to show others a few things I discovered about or associated with Finland and it's culture. I have included everyday items, nostalgic items, locations, food and also some Finnish-themed artworks which I painted myself while living here. In other words, a bit of everything!!

The images are in no particular order of importance or preference, and now I'll finish with 91-100!

91/100
...a much aquired taste, Salmiakki is a salty liquorice sweet/candy from Finland which I tend to keep well away from.🍬 . Instead I prefer it's alcohol-infused cousin in liquid shot form (served cold!)
🍷😀 ...'bottoms up! .. Have a good Saturday!!!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 16, 2017 at 8:41am PST

92/100
...Sunday sounds! Hailing from Kitee in Finland, Nightwish have to be the most successful Finnish band internationally ever. The ultimate in symphonic metal! ..Play extremely loud!!! 👊😎

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 17, 2017 at 4:43am PST

93/100
'Pohjola' is the Finnish word for North. This and many other soapstone sculptures were made by Finnish artist Hilda Flodin for the facade of the Pohjola Insurance building in Helsinki. Her sculptures were inspired by Finnish folklore and blend in perfectly with the wonderful art nouveau style seen throughout the city. They're one of my favourite features in the capital. I painted one of the sculptures with a little 'tongue in cheek' addition of some mobile phones. I called it 'Holding for Hilda'. 

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 18, 2017 at 5:41am PST

94/100
'The Snow Tree' (acrylic-on-canvas, 2009)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 20, 2017 at 6:19am PST

95/100
..this is the Joulupukki in Finland also known as the Julbocken or Yule goat, a very old Christmas tradition in northern europe which won't be found in my old country Ireland. The joulupukki can even be found on some Christmas beers up here. ...so cheers!!! 🐏 🍺😀 (ps. Santa Claus is also called Joulupukki in Finland)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 21, 2017 at 3:03am PST

96/100
...fakenews and ad-free technology and my favourite era of mobile phone evolution. Nokia have now moved on to creating smartwatches amongst other things. A long way since kiddies' shoes! (see 15/100).

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 22, 2017 at 1:28am PST

97/100
.. Vodka Veekend! #finnishvodka #tgif 😀 🍸

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 22, 2017 at 1:18pm PST

98/100
Postcard from Karis!
...The best little town in Finland!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 23, 2017 at 2:26am PST

99/100
... Christmas in Finland means glögg with vodka!! ..kippis! ..skål!! 🍷😂

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 25, 2017 at 9:26am PST

100/100
Merry Christmas from the home of Santa Claus! ...Hyvää Joulua!! ...God Jul!! ...Have a good one!!🎄🎅👍

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 25, 2017 at 11:17am PST

Click below for more:

1- 10

11- 20

21- 30

31- 40

41- 50

51- 60

61- 70

71- 80

81- 90

91- 100

Share this blog!

Thanks for reading my blog and please feel free to share it with any of your friends.

- Alan

 

My Blog - The Restart.

This blog actually started a long time ago but I just lost interest. I reckon I was just unfamiliar and not aware of how a blog actually works and what it’s purpose is. This was before I had set up any website or even put my art for sale online. I reckon it was a time when the average digital camera had a picture quality of 3 megapixels. It was also around the time I was introduced to Facebook. My knowledge of anything relating to computers and internet media was limited.

My old blog was merely an extension of my CV. I never spend much time on my computer when I first started this blog, in fact some of the letters on my keyboard are stuck due to possible paint spillage, or was it orange juice, I can't remember! I would spend most of my time painting nearby, sometimes forgetting to wash the paint off my hands before using my computer.

But why restart this blog now you may ask.
Well, having spent some time in recent months working my own website and keeping my other weblinks up-to-date, and not forgetting the odd few minutes on Facebook, I thought it might be a good idea to restart my blog as a kind of topical diary. It might give an insight into the way my brain thinks and perhaps show you those little things which inspire me to paint the way I do. Or it may on the other hand confuse you completely. But either way I hope this blog will contain something of interest for you to read or look at.