Mobile Mumbo Jumbo!

Firstly, I have been lazy once again with my blogposts here. I sometimes wonder why I bother really. I suppose it started as simply a hobby, and I've never really stuck with many of the hobbies I started in the past. Unless it's something I might get some kind of satisfaction from or 'a buzz' as they say in Dublin, I quickly get bored! I attempted to make up for my lack of posts by pimping up the design of my blog. I've dumped the dark layout in favour of something a bit brighter. Call it updating if you will, I call it medication. Maybe it's a reaction to the ever-increasing dark evenings here in Finland.  Latest I looked, it was already getting dark at 15.30. 'My way of cheering myself up I suppose. My neighbours have taken the easy approach of switching their Christmas lights on straight after Halloween! 

Another reason for my blog absense has been the changeover of my old Nokia mobile phone for a new Samsung smartphone. Yes folks, I've joined the land of touchscreen goblins and geeks. It feels unusual not hearing the famous Nokia sound anymore. 



The Nokia sound been a part of my life for so many years and was once the only connection I had to Finland when living in Ireland. Little did I know it would take me back to live in it's homeland. A part of me feels like I've betrayed my little friend (or five little friends to be precise!). 
But Samsung are now the top phone on the market (pre-iPhone 5), and I have felt for a long time now that the average Nokia phone was becoming less dependable. Yes, it's nice to see the Lumia edition doing so well, but I would never pay so much for something I could easily let fall down the toilet on a fun night out (for the record, I have never dropped a phone down a toilet!) The casings on my last two phones were nowhere near as sturdy as my previous Nokias from the beginning of the millenium. Now they were indestructable phones full of Finnish Sisu! I even had one which survived a trip in a washing machine. Here a reminder of the faithful Nokias through the years, mobile soft porn for the Nokia connoisseur! (Click images to enlarge)

This was meant to be a post about an art exhibition I attended last week, but I got side-tracked by my newly found geek excitement. So that post will follow separately tomorrow!
For now it's goodbye Nokia, hello Samsung. Until Nokia bring back a more economical and sturdier phone (with a holster), I won't be changing back any time soon. Samsung is perfect for now, but I'm only a novice to the smartphone world!

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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Art and Rockabilly in Helsinki

Residents and visitors to Helsinki can see a small selection of my artwork at NDN alternative studio. This limited exhibition is on view at various stages during this summer with occasional changing of artworks. Currently I have four pieces of work on display. They are all the original artworks and all are for sale from myself or through the owner of NDN studio. The current artworks will remain on view until 07.06.2012 before a short break for renovations at NDN studio occurs. Here are those four works on view just now.

'Sunset at Sea' by Alan Hogan
2008 acrylic on canvas

'Flower for Rafa' 2006 - Alan Hogan

'The Red House in Finland' - Alan Hogan,
2009, acrylic on canvas

'Birch Path' - Alan Hogan
2008, acrylic on canvas.

Prices and more information in English and Finnish are available on this downloadable PDF

The prices quoted are exclusive to NDN studio and do not include post and packaging.

Online purchases of original paintings only available via Paypal. Contact theartgarage(at)rocketmail.com
Print available online here

Visitors to NDN studio can also of course speak to it's owner Veera Leena Nissi whose main business specialises in nailcare and beauty treatments. She's a gifted individual who also promotes Zinzino coffee devices among other things. On my last visit to her studio she was promoting a young Finnish singer called Miki Lamarr.

I bought Miki Lamarrs vinyl record (above) from studio owner Veera and took it home to play. I still like buy and play old vinyl records! This appealing sound was one of retro sixties which reminded me of music my parents liked to listen to. Think of british tv series 'Heartbeat' and you might be on the right track. There's a broad trend in Finland for this 50's-60's rockabilly style of music. Some people spend a lot of money on keeping this image and trend alive, including investments of authentic rockabilly era cars. I have a wide appreciation for all kinds of music and I must admit this style of music should as Buddy Holly once sang 'Not Fade Away'!

I like this music personally as it brings back happy memories of family who are not here anymore. It's a more stylish scene with colourful and sharper clothes, and plenty of nostalgia can be found by those who appreciate it. Music from the fifties/sixties is great and long may it last! Here's a neat Miki Lamarr video with her singing a song originally a hit in 1964 for English beat group The Honeycombs called 'Have I the right'. I think I need a haircut! :)

Thanks for reading my blog and please share it with all your friends.

You can receive my blogposts direct to your email or facebook profile by pressing the follow button at NetworkedBlogs  and you are welcome to visit my art page on Facebook by clicking the 'Like' button under my signature below.

-Alan 

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Rafa-Time!!!

Some of you reading this who know me will also know that I have another passion apart from painting. For those of you who don't know, my other passion is soccer. As a young boy living back in Ireland I used to watch weekly football matches broadcast live from England on our television. My father was a supporter of Arsenal football club. This was mainly because of good connections between Irish players and the club during the 1960's, 70's and 80's. Names like Niall Quinn, Pat Jennings, Frank Stapleton, David O'Leary and the fantastic Liam Brady come to mind. I don't suppose he was too happy when an uncle of mine came along and converted me to a supporter of Liverpool football club. This was quickly done by my uncle as Liverpool was a liitle easier to travel to from Dublin instead of London where Arsenal FC are based. A quick trip on the ferry and before I knew it I was in Liverpool watching The Reds at Anfield Road. I didn't feel too guilty as there was quite a good connection between Liverpool and players coming from Ireland back then also. Think of names such as Ronnie Whelan, Mark Lawrenson, Ray Houghton, John Aldridge and of course the brilliant winger Steve Heighway. I was six or seven years old when I went to Anfield. Unfortunately this is the only time I have been there. I saw Liverpool play again at a friendly in Dublin and a league match against Arsenal in their home ground at Highbury, London. 

I know some will say that's hardly being passionate about your club, but I have always been more of an armchair fan. And also ticketprices were never really within my budget. I have spent a small fortune on beer at several Dublin pubs over the years however. 

And on one particular evening in May 2005 I spent a little more than usual. 

Here's a ticket I made up especially for myself and all my friends who went to watch the match at The Flowing Tide pub in Dublin city. It was the incredible night when Liverpool FC beat AC Milan in Istanbul to win the Champions League Final in what for me was the greatest ever final to date in that competition. It was an especially good night for me as all my friends and my brother were also there to share the celebrations. Nights like this don't happen that often so it's important to enjoy and remember them. 

I must have been on a wave of euphoria for days afterwards. So much so that I even agreed to buy a pet for my girlfriend. I'm not a great fan of having pets in small household spaces. But this was a dwarf rabbit, and we had the space. And as I paid for the rabbit I took the honour of naming him. I had a few ideas, but I finally decided on 'Rafa' after the Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez. Here's a short clip of Rafa out in our garden.

After our little friend settled in to his new home in Ashbourne he seemed very happy. Apart from keeping him from chewing on the television cables he was great fun. I would definately recommend having a dwarf rabbit as a pet. 

Towards the end of 2005 I started working on a new painting. I wanted to experiment with contrasting colours, in this case yellow and violet. I also wanted to paint something a little contemporary with influences from my recent trips at the time to Finland. I painted this canvas in my kitchen as it was the only area in my house which had plenty of natural light. I did however have to bear constant interruptions from the kitchens main resident, Rafa the rabbit. He was very fond of climbing up on the table to see what was going on. I reckon the colours I was using had something to do with it also, especially the flourescent yellow which he was so attracted to. It was a battle of brush and whiskers! Anyway, with the 'help' of my hoppy friend I managed to get my painting finished. The result was a simple flower-like figure on a yellow background. Now all I needed was a title. 

It was spring 2006 now and this is when something terrible happened. I got up one morning to find my rabbit very ill. After a trip to the vet we discovered he had developed diarrhea. After giving it medication all we could do was wait. Unfortunately as with many dwarf rabbits, once they get diarrhea they very rarely recover and Rafa was no exception this time. I came home one day to find him gone to the big pile of straw in the sky. It was sad. We did give him a nice send off and buryed him in a nice strong Guinness box at the back of our garden. 

After this upsetting incident I returned to look at the painting I had created and decided that it could only have one title, and that was 'Flower for Rafa'.

'Flower for Rafa' 2006 - Alan Hogan

This painting completed during 2006 in Ireland is presently on view in Helsinki, Finland. It can been seen along with some more of my work from now until June 2012 at NDN Studio, Eerikinkatu 18, 00100 Helsinki. 

Thanks for reading my blog and please share it with all your friends. And here's a reminder of that wonderful night in Istanbul back in 2005 for any Liverpool fans reading this. Enjoy!

You can receive my blogposts direct to your email or facebook profile by pressing the follow button at NetworkedBlogs  and you are welcome to visit my art page on Facebook by clicking the 'Like' button under my signature below.

-Alan 

Click here and join our Facebook group!

Please leave your reaction to this blogpost by ticking one of the boxes below.