My Finland 100 : 1-10

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, so I'll start with 1-10...

1/100 
After almost 40 days away I'm looking forward to this! 

Nice to be back home in Karis!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jan 14, 2017 at 2:22am PST

2/100 

Finnish power breakfast! Muesli with forest blueberries and seabuckthorn berries. Plenty of anti-oxidants and vitamin C eqivalent to 500 oranges!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jan 18, 2017 at 11:47pm PST

3/100
Happy Runeberg's Day!..these are Runeberg tarts, very tasty treats from Finland. Find out more about this tradition on my blog at www.alanhogan-artgarage.blogspot.fi/2017/02/the-dead-poets-breakfast.html

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Feb 5, 2017 at 4:42am PST

4/100
the Finnish pantti or moneyback system helps keep plastics out of nature's way. It makes cents to recycle your plastics in Finland!!! ♻

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Feb 21, 2017 at 1:16am PST

5/100
Back in Karis with a bucket full of sunshine!!! Happy Days!! ☀😎☀

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Apr 21, 2017 at 11:21am PDT

6/100
Captured this 'Aglais io' on camera last Monday while out for a hike in Västerby, Finland. More commonly known as the 'European Peacock' butterfly, I've modified it with selective colouring and it's available as a print on some of my art webstores.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on May 3, 2017 at 1:45pm PDT

7/100 
Yum! 😘 Finnish pea-soup isn't just for Thursdays!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on May 9, 2017 at 5:45am PDT

8/100
...'got a soft spot for this old Finnish band despite not understanding most of their songs. Nice melodies and compositions!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on May 17, 2017 at 5:12am PDT

9/100
..clouds and rain today in Finland, so posting a sunny painting of a red house to brighten up my Instagram! It's called 'The Red House in Finland'.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on May 30, 2017 at 11:17am PDT

10/100
...driving home for a lazy Sunday afternoon!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jun 4, 2017 at 11:32am PDT

Click below for more:

1- 10

11- 20

21- 30

31- 40

41- 50

51- 60

61- 70

71- 80

81- 90

91- 100

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

- Alan

 

Eyes without a face

Okay, so this blogpost has nothing to do with Billy Idol's hit song of the 1980's 'Eyes without a face', but hey it's a catchy title, so it might attract a few new readers to my blog via taglines!

What my blog is about is this....

Last June I posted a request for photos featuring peoples' eyes on my own Facebook page and a few other pages. I didn't get a lot of offers, but received enough for what I required. Firstly I want to thank those who helped me out, especially those of you from the IESAF Facebook group (International English Speakers Association of Finland). 
The photos I received where used to complete a series of four paintings which are to be exhibited by myself at the Stoa Culture centre in Helsinki this September and October 2013. It is part of a themed art exhibition called Reflections/Heijastuksia being held by the HIAA (Helsinki International Artists Association). There are 14 other visual artists participating alongside me at this exhibition which holds it's opening night this Tuesday, 24th September at 18.00-20.00. All of you are welcome to come and join myself and the other artists as we celebrate the association's 5th anniversary! The exhibition will run until 13th October 2013. For anyone using Facebook, an event page has been created here.

Here's a short video I put together showing the four paintings I will be including as part of the exhibition. 
The eye being an instrument of reflection can determine opinion and an individuals judgement of what it sees. One person's reflection of a vision is a separate account and will usually differ through analysis to that of another person. Such is my interpretation and approach to this exhibition theme of Reflections.




I hoped you liked my little video and hopefully you can make it to the exhibition. 
My apologies to any Billy Idol fans who may have stumbled on to my blog, here's that song you wanted to hear!






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

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- Alan 

                     

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Daniel's Art Group in Fokus

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a special art exhibition being held at Galleria Fokus, my local art gallery here in Karis, Finland. The organiser of this exhibition was Daniel Enckell, a local and well-respected artist who has set up his own art group classes over the past few years and is now showing the fruits of his teachings at this art exhibition. 

Daniel Enckell stands next to his painting 'Tessi' at Galleria Fokus, Karis.

Daniel Enckell's art group is represented at this art exhibition in Gallery Fokus by a total of eleven fine artists. Visitors to this exhibition have a unique chance to see a sample of Daniel Enckell's artwork also. 

On walking into the gallery last Saturday afternoon I could not help but notice Daniel's stunning portrait painting titled 'Tessi (Terese)'. It is a richly coloured painting of a young woman in a dark baroque style reminiscent of the great masters. What a wonderful showpiece to greet visitors at the gallery!

Solveig Eriksson standing next to her Still-life oil painting at Galleria Fokus.

One of the artists taking part in this exhibition has recently been involved with a book about Helene Schjerfbeck, one of Finland's biggest and best-loved artists. The book titled in Swedish 'Hon drog sina streck' has been translated into Finnish by Solveig Eriksson. As part of this group art exhibition Solveig and her co-artists displayed some fine still-life oil paintings. It was interesting to see and compare the techniques and brushstrokes of each individual artist. 

Fine art and refreshments at Galleria Fokus

From left to right,
Carola Welin - 'Under platanerna i Paris'
Nina Hackman - 'Stenhus'
Nina Hackman - 'Känsloflöden'

Visitors to the exhibition can find a variety of styles and subjects, including some wonderful landscape paintings. One painting I particularly liked was 'Stenhus' by Nina Hackman, a peaceful scene painted with wonderful attention to depth and light.

From left to right,
Asta-Maria Wikström - 'Madonna'
Helena Laitinen - 'Midsommarnatt i Savolax'
Nina Hackman - 'Stenhus på Gottland'

Daniel Enckell's Art Group exhibition continues at Galleria Fokus, in Karis, Finland until the 29th of January 2012. 

The artists on show are 

Asta-Maria Wikström, 

Helena Laitinen, 

Solveig Eriksson, 

Carola Wilen, 

Tuula Masalin, 

Christine Oesch-Börman, 

Rolf Grandell, 

Tor-Bjorn Sjöholm, 

Nina Hackman, 

Ann Glader, 

Lauri Stählberg 

and Daniel Enckell.

Galleri Fokus Galleria

Monday-Thursday 11-19

Fridays 11-17

Saturdays 10-14

Centalgatan 90-92, Karis  -  Keskuskatu 90-92, Karjaa

Thanks for reading my blog and feel free to share with all your friends.

-Alan

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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.

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