Introduction:

"This blog is not necessarily for lovers of art, it includes a variety of topics and whatever. I'm a painter who likes to know what's really going on in the world today. So you might find anything from Shamrocks to Salmiakki mentioned here on my blog. There will of course be some boring, factual and informational posts, but I'll keep them to a minimum, I promise!

And I might get a bit nostalgic now and then.

So you have been warned!"


- Alan Hogan



Monday, December 11, 2017

My Finland 100 : 41- 50







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 continue with 41-50...






41/100

The sandwich cake! .. the smörgåstårta can be found at many celebration parties throughout Finland. This savoury dish has been perfected in Finland, as shown here by a great chef from Bromarf! These two sandwich cakes were made specially for my birthday and were delicious! ..Thanks Tanja!! 😊🍰

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42/100
'Autumn Birches' (acrylic-on-canvas) #finland100_igchallenge 42/100
..posting a series of random images (including some of my own art) from or associated with Finland to celebrate the country's 100th birthday! ...'probably should've posted this earlier, all the leaves have fallen at the stage! ☺🍁

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43/100
..late night snack! A national dish of Finland 'The Karelian Pie'! ..yum!!
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44/100
...in Finland you're never too far from nature. I took this photo only 2 minutes from my house today. 🌲🌲🍁🌲
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45/100
..I was never too fond of mustard back in Ireland except for a tiny bit of Colmans on a toasted ham & cheese sandwich. But the mustard in Finland is more to my liking, especially 'Turun Sinappia' on makkara (finnish sausage).

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46/100
...these ABC service stations are everywhere in Finland, at least everywhere I've travelled. They're a one-stop shop for petrol, grocery shopping and dining! 🚘⛽🚘🚚🚕 ... 'took this photo at my local ABC today!
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47/100
...a painting of a house in my neighbouring town of Ekenäs in Finland. 'The Green House' (acrylic-on-canvas), ...well it was green when I painted it! 😀🎨
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48/100
.. a crafty old Finn I once knew handcarved these butterknives from old juniper wood. Some say Santa Claus started this tradition but these ones are definately the upgrade! .🎅..
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49/100
...as world leaders in coffee consumption Finland needs to have the best coffeemachines! That's why you will find one of these in most Finnish households, the 'Moccamaster'. I have this Ferrari red model and it makes an amazing brew! Although the machine is made in Holland I regard it as a part of my Finnish experience! 🍵
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50/100
... throwback Thursday ..the beautiful Havis Amanda photographed last summer in Helsinki.

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91- 100


















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








- Alan









 

Sunday, December 10, 2017

My Finland 100 : 31- 40







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 continue with 31-40...




31/100

...old Finnish currency!
This is 20 Finnish Markkaa featuring Finnish author Väinö Linna, best known for his novel 'The Unknown Soldier'.

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32/100
...Typing Thursday!! ...some Finnish retro...the complete typing course on vinyl!! 👍
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33/100
... I got to see some of Akseli Gallen-Kallela's work at the Kalevala art exhibition in Helsinki a few years ago. Definately my favourite Finnish artist and this book has a nice selection of his paintings. Click the right side of this photo to see more images.
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34/100
.. Finland has the highest amount of metal bands in the world per capita, and Children of Bodom from Espoo are one of their best. I'm no connisseur of the genre but I do like this album! (plus it came with a free tattoo!! 😀👌

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35/100
...Sibelius Sunday! ...listening to Finland's greatest composer.

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36/100
Finnish rye bread!! 👍 ...I wasn't too fond of this when I first arrived in Finland, but now I love it! ...plus it's healthy!! ✅
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37/100
..a common find in Finnish homes is the Savoy Vase, designed in 1936 by Alvar Aalto and made by Iittala. ...all i need now are some sweets to fill it! 🍬🍬😀
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38/100
..definately my favourite Finnish sweets, Marianne are made by Fazer of Finland!!! If you like chocolate in a peppermint shell then these are for you!!! 🍬🍬🍬
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39/100
..Hard Rock Halloween!! 🎃 .. Eurovision got it's big porcelain teeth knocked out by Mr.Lordi from Finland! 😄👌

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40/100
..someone once told me the name of these neat little retro door-fittings but i forget now. Press the button and open sesame!
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91- 100







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



- Alan


 

Thursday, December 7, 2017

My Finland 100 : 21-30







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 continue with 21-30...



21/100
..Monday sounds! #finland100_igchallenge 21/100 - Finnish band Damn Seagulls 2009 album 'Hunting Season' bears up well! 🐻🐻🐻

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22/100
Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki would have been 70 today. (30 Aug 1947 – 14 Jan 1987) - His nickname Badding was derived from Paddington Bear.

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23/100
'Had to try this springwater despite extreme arm pain today. Maybe it has some miracle qualities?!!! 😇✨💪 ....A nice new public park called 'Dagmar's Park' opened recently near where I live. A wonderful gift from the Fiskars corporation to the Finnish people and friends of Finland to celebrate Finland's 100th year anniversary.

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24/100
Late night tv, a Finnish dvd movie called 'Rööperi'. Decent crime movie set in Helsinki with good Finnish humour.


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25/100
Congrats to Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki who's film 'Toivon tuolla puolen' (The Other Side of Hope) has just won the International Federation of Film Critics Grand Prix 2017 award for best film. It's the second time he's won this award, the first time was in 2002 for this film 'The Man Without a Past'. If you haven't watched any of his movies then I recommend this one or my favourite 'Drifting Clouds'.
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26/100
Bronze statue in Helsinki of Elias Lönnrot, 'best known for writing the Finnish national epic 'Kalevala'. ..The long-bearded guy beside him is Väinämöinen the hero of the story. Statue by Emil Wikström 1902. 

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27/100
...around this time every year in Finland the big MEHU-MAIJA comes out of storage. It's a finnish juice extractor and it's making apple juice to be frozen for the long cold winter. 'Just need to plug it in and wait for the good stuff!! 🍏🍏

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28/100
...the dish drain closet! A great idea invented in Finland. Any water from the dishes drains into a hole at the bottom of the closet and down to the sink underneath. Best of all it's functional, eco-friendly and keeps wet dishes out of sight!

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29/100
Finland is the biggest consumer of coffee in the world per capita and here's an old coffee can by a Finnish company called Paulig of Helsinki @pauligfi . The text is printed in Finnish on one side and Swedish on the other, the two official languages of Finland.

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30/100
The word 'Sisu' is best described as the will to persevere through all to achieve ones goals, or determination, or 'to have guts'. It is held by Finns themselves to express their national character. Sisu is also the name of a Finnish truck manufacturer who's factory has been a close neighbour of mine for the past ten years.
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51- 60

61- 70

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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


 

The Art Garage, Finland

The Art Garage, Finland
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