WORKING

Work in process

All the history and quaint atmosphere surrounding me suffocates with rapture. So much to register, to identify with and to express. I must accept that I can't take it all in and produce everything out as art. After all this whole experience stays and starts to develop in my subconscious and consciousness.  I will process it trough my art making for a long time afterwards. 

SUNTTI

By me

From HERE

from HERE

from HERE

from HERE

from HERE

Suntti is the city's channel that used to be a very important route from the sea to the marketplace. I chose some inspiring photos from the web for describing my own experiences around Suntti.

Here's very interesting old photos of Suntti!

The channel is drying and disappearing because of the land rising every year (you can read about the special phenomenon from here).

SEARCHING FOR THE LATE 1700S SPIRIT

Kokkola was one of the richest towns in Finland once. Tar, bourgeois, schooners, democracy and schooling are the concepts that are popping up in every corner on my way (while the sun is still shining at least until 1AM). I will dig deeper into these next...

Very touching story of a captain's wife, a strong and a wise woman, can be read here and here in Finnish. I'm pretty sure the sailor Alexander Hammar mentioned in the text is my grandfather's grandfather as a young man.

WELCOME

WORK IN PROGRESS PART TWO

"Blast in the past" and "Good bye grandpa" almost done... I must say that working with memories can be consuming.

WORK IN PROGRESS

These are just base coats.. Memories from the summer cottage in Honkaluoto (Kokkola), grandpa and granny are coming up..

THE STUDIO

This is my studio, a corner room in the Nordic Art School. The wooden building from the late 1900-century has operated also as a Swedish Elementary School and even as a military hospital during the war time.

LOCAL FOOD FROM OSTROBOTHNIA

My favorite local products from all over the Ostrobothnia and Central Ostrobothnia. Buttermilk and butter spread from Maitokolmio, tasty vegetables and free-range eggs from local farmers, Finnish squeaky cheese and buckthorn youghurt from Juustoportti, not to mention the potato flatbread. The licorice ice cream is Swedish but I can't get it anywhere else than here.

DRAKE ARTS CENTER RECIDENCE

      Asun seuraavan kuukauden Kokkolan vanhassa puukaupunginosassa Neristanissa (Alakaupunki). Neristanin vanhimmat rakennukset ovat 1600-luvulta, mutta residenssitaiteilijan talo on täysin modernisoitu. Asumus sijaitsee Draken suvun kotimuseon pihapiirissä.
      Kansainvälinen taiteilijaresidenssipaikkani (AiR) on Drake Arts Center - ohjelman kautta, jota pyörittää Pohjoismainen taidekoulu.
      Ensimmäinen yö viehättävässä, mutta ääntelevässä (voimakkaan tuulen vuoksi viereinen puu paukuttaa seinää ja kattoa) puutalossa hiukan jännittää :) Kuuntelen tässä USA:n reissulta tuttua Santa Barbaralaista reggae-bändiä (Rebelution) rauhoitukseksi. Onneksi pohjoisessa on valoisaa miltei läpi yön.
      Työtilani esittely tulee pian!

      This is my residence housing in the middle of Kokkola Old Town Neristan. Here's wooden buildings dating from 17th century (the dwellings are modernized inside). My small house stands on the yard of  the Home (museum) of Fredrik and Anna Drake. I'm here as an Artist in Residence through Drake Arts Center Program ran by Nordic Art School.
      It's my first night and the stormy wind makes my old house noisy. I'm calming down my imagination with an old friend Rebelution from Santa Barbara :) Luckily here in North it's bright far beyond midnight... Post about my studio will be out soon!