BLUE FORESTS

Happy last day of April,

Late Sunday night in the balcony listening to birds with their lullabies when the sun is still giving a few rays of light over the trees. Good night stories read from the reflections in the waves of the small lake. Dark shadows growing, calm water taking over them. Later, reading a book about the Trans-Siberian train, dreaming. Violets planted on the balcony. Bees flying.

1. Apple Blossom Meadow -print (no. 11) in the South Korean Marie Claire Maison -magazine (March issue). Thank you for the photo Isabelle Kim!

2. Sunday bike ride with a friend to the hill with wooden houses to have an afternoon tea. Blue forests of Kidneywort. 

Helene of Auprès de Mon Arbre won the giveaway, congratulations. Thank you so much for writing all those precious things!

Have a beautiful jump over the entrance of May!

(The first photo is by Isabelle Kim.) 

ON BRANCHES

There are birds, squirrels, wind and fog. On branches, small green beginnings of a new summer as buds. Raindrops hanging, with the dinner scent of neighbors baking from an open window. Curling. Cones, a lost mitten, best of all is lichen. Branches holding many things. 


A family tree and its branches growing. Editorial illustrations about traditions, and if they should be passed or not to the next generation. For Kaksplus magazine (issue 5/2012). (The handwritten text is a Finnish saying. Not that bad that there is not something good in it too.)


A few days still to play along with the giveaway. It has become such a beautiful chapter to read and appreciate everything that you have written.


The ice has melt from the small lake, the seagulls sing their evening songs. Small waves of a grey cloudy day. Time for a late dinner, a big plate of spring salad.


Bon appétit! 

LINNEA PATH, A GIVEAWAY

There have been days to use an umbrella, a day when things get lost, a day when those favorite things are found again, appreciated even more. A day to use two layers of long sleeves. Days of crane, swan, goose wedges on blue sky. On cloud-grey sky. Small birds that hide under pine branches from the rain. During the weekend the first outdoor coffees will be drank in the harbor.

Today, while painting, a mellow and comforting sound of a lady is speaking me some foreign language. Will I learn some too? Languages are like music and some of them would be nice to keep unknown that the melodies of them never fade away. One of the things that I enjoy the most.

What kind of things you have appreciated lately? What do you enjoy in these moments of April? With your answer and your email address you can play along. For one of you this small painting Linnea Path is sent. Open till Sunday evening, Finnish time, 29th of April. This is my small way to thank you for being here. You are all so kind.

Happy and calm outdoor weekend!

NUMBERS: TWO

One year ago I wrote:

12th of April, my small company turned one year old. Company, where only I work and where I only work with illustration. (Thank you mum for making my bookkeeping and tax reports!) Little I knew a year ago, but it became all possible. There has been so many heart-touching persons, always interesting commissions, long conversations, very few phone calls but thousands of emails over the seas, mountains, oceans, wilderness. Through all the seasons and weather. And it all has made me so happy. Deeply I thank every one of you who has been there supporting me with commissions, orders, emails, letters, parcels, comments or lately even saying hello in the towns that I walk or bicycle. Thank you, thank you so much.

It has been wonderful and I make my best to do it again this year. With you.

The second year was very beautiful too with new kind of commissions and ways to work. New friends from different parts of the world, even longer conversations, with stories of the weather. Always so glad to hear from you and do the best I can.

The third year starts, with a little bit of sunshine, a lot of clouds. A long bicycle trip, writing with a friend from the years back again. A piece of pie and a coffee cup in downtown, while reading the local newspaper. A pot of French soup, dark bread. Rose green tea, my favorite.

Thank you so much for being here with me. Thank you!

P.s. Please come back soon, there might be something interesting for you in the next post =^.^=

ISLAND

A long weekend at my parents with baking (peach and lemon pie), reading and watching squirrels on the yard. Sauna in the summerhouse smelled like summer already. Crocuses and anemones slowly rising, turning their heads towards the sun. Daylight lasts so long, the full moon was like an orange of an exotic sky.

The first Scandinavian illustration festival, Helsinki Illustration Festival 2012, from 13th to 15th of April in Designmuseo. A few of my paintings can be seen there. Full program here.

Island painting for the new album by Holmes. 13th of April Burning Bridges will be released, you can find it here.

Tomorrow a small train trip back to home.

Afternoon coffee time greetings (with piece of that peach and lemon pie) from Eastern Finland!

...

Heippa!

Pohjoismaiden ensimmäinen kuvitusfestivaali, Kuvita! Helsinki Illustration Festival 2012, 13-15.4. Designmuseossa. Siellä on esillä muutama maalaukseni. Koko ohjelma löytyy täältä.

APRIL STORM

Somewhere the spring went. And sent us a greeting of a very big cloud of snow. Momentarily feeling lost on the way to the post office. Sharp flakes from every direction. The path on the way back was already blown away.

The evening watching more snow flakes arriving. Painting with the strongest girl in the world. Sharp papers.

Today the snow is dropping from the roof in size of giants, the sun shines. Will more snow arrive?

April snowy greetings.