goodbye 2011 - welcome 2012

Some say 2011 was a crappy year but I don't really agree. A lot of confusion and energy much too fragmented in wrong directions, a lot of changes, yes, but not that bad after all.

I welcome the new opportunities that the new year brings :) All the best for us all; Happy New Year! I wish for focus and clarity, joy and light.

One highlight from 2011 above: a long walk in the woods up north a hot Midsummer Day. It's only half a year away.

Fireworks by Cai Guo-Qiang: Black ceremony
Exhibition at Arab Museum of Mosern art in Qatar

Happy holidays!

Wish you all a Christmas full of joy and peace and love!

This year will be a city holiday, I look forward to relax a lot! And also find time to do all the little things that lie around waiting for attention. I wish you find the time to do what you need the most, too!

Thank you so much Ida Lindberg for the supertasty knäck! If there was only one left i would have posted a photo...

about time for rabbits

So, this is one of the things I've been busy with, a commission for a nursing home for elderly people, with dementia. And it will keep me busy all spring, I'm so happy.

It is an inner yard that was already planned by the landscape architects. It is accessible for wheel chairs, all the plants are in flowerbeds raised from the ground.

I saw the drawing as a baroque garden and played around with the ornaments and elements. The yellow shapes will be made in mosaic, the same level as the plants. They can be seen from above as well and one can put a cup of coffee on top. I will make a blue ceramic border to the mid rectangle and most surprising to me; two rabbits jumped up from somewhere and wanted to join. They will be ceramic but I wish there could be live rabbits with soft fur to stroke, as well.

It's been interesting to read the research about perception of people with dementia, their world is a bit different and there are rules to follow not to confuse them. Contrast, clear colours, no smallscale patterns, figurative before abstract in short.

Thank you Charlotta Klingström, for telling me to update! Preparations are time consuming this time of the year, it's easy to run too fast. Camera is full of photos meant for the blog.

Sad ladies

Friday evening was the big event "Kulturnatta" here in Göteborg, one big social and cultural happening all over the city all night. I stayed at one place only, very conveniant as so many friends passed by while I sat comfortably on my barstool :)

Lots of Göteborg artists donated work that was all exhibited and sold to support "Faktum", a local magazine supporting the homeless. Read more here, and links to all artists:
www.d-i-y.se/DIY/Medverkande_Konstnarer.html

I am now the lucky owner of two very sad looking watercolor ladies by Amalia Kenamets.

Alexandra Hedberg was there, both with artwork and in person, look...

a day in the park

In the park nearby, Slottskogen. We've had summer again for a couple of days :)

Karin Karinson Nilsson ceramics - Objects of desire - a window show at Sintra right now.  Also Åsa Greaker (but I can't find a good link for her so you must go there and see yourself).
Karin Östberg in the gallery.

packing in and packing up

The exhibition at Nääs, about sustainable building, is over. We have emptied our mini cottage. The Östersund exhibition is also over. Studio chaos, boxes everywhere.

Reena Kallat, India - one of the artists in the ongoing Gothenburg International Art Biennial
So far I've only seen half of it but there is still time, until November :)

ardmore ceramics, south africa

At Kiasma, the museum for contemporary art in Helsinki, is right now a big exhibition with Africa-connected artworks. Among others in the ARS 2011 exhibition:

Ardmore Ceramic Art produces stunning ceramic pieces, by over 80 artists in South Africa. It is a ceramic training center, an art gallery and at the same time they work with AIDS prevention. 

The studio is a beautiful success story, visit their web site and see so much more of the beautiful ceramics, color and decor; from small tea cups to unique master pieces...
www.ardmoreceramics.co.za

Above are collaborative work by Sfiso Mvelase, Roux Gwala, Elias Lulanga and Andrew Sokhela

helsinki; skatudden facades

I've been to Finland, just a short conference trip about artists' mobility and residencies, for Konstepidemin. Helsinki is a charming city, the architecture is a total mix of the Russian, the national romantic, the jugend, the Swedish and the contemporary. From under my umbrella this is what I saw on the morning walk Thursday.

Facades from the early 1900s in Katajanokka.

Anu Tuominen, great Finnish artist.

100 rings at hnoss

At Konstepidemin until Oct 9: All previous exhibitors at Hnoss gallery was invited to show one ring, the most important piece of jewellery, in the final show at the gallery. Some sent a piece from their exhibition but many made a new ring for the occasion. It is an amazing show, one must look closely. All the rings will be on tour, after this to Tallinn.

Scroll down and see all 100 rings here...

östersund report

Normally a timber wall like that is painted red in Sweden, green was a surprise in one of the many nice yards to explore in Östersund.

Another exhibition going on there now: Konstepidemin neighbor Zsuzsanna Gilice is also exhibiting right now, at Ahlbergshallen.

An article about her, with photos, in Swedish: Östersundsposten...

Her webpage...

We shared the transport issue, and I found the friendly Östersund based company Ville Karlssons Åkeri. If you ever need to send your stuff there, here is the address.

Thank you for the Mus-Olle tip, Paula! Just outside of Östersund is a collectors museum, open summertime. Next time :)

It's over in Alingsås

The summer exhibition in Alingsås Konsthall is over. The summer itself seems over.

I was the driver also for getting co-exhibitor jewellery artist Paula Lindblom's work to Göteborg, these are her pieces in the show.

my show up north

They say up north though there is almost half a Sweden left, on the map.

Pics from my exhibition at Drejeriet. In joy and sorrow, once more. Neverending story.
The local papers wrote (Swedish only)
Länstidningen review... and Östersundsposten interview... and Östersundsposten review...

I feel like a celebrity.

mountain break - östersund

Annika Persson

Björn Dahlström

I'm being so well taken care of by artists Annika Persson and Björn Dahlström from the Drejeriet shop and gallery in Östersund.  Everything is ready for the opening tomorrow, there was time enough for a visit at Härke art center and the studios of Annika and Björn.

If I had a view like that I would never work, just look out. And if I had a summer place like theirs, I would never leave home. Lovely evening!