Lisbon Streets: Colours, Fonts and Patterns

Perfection is difficult to put in words. Lisbon has it's own kind of character that roots back in country's multicultural history and fearless attitude in mixing influences from different eras of time. The city is not a museum that would preserve it's old buildings from modern day life. It was enlightening to see a mural or finely finished graffiti on an old wall or spot these colourful pieces of art in a scenery that's profile has been the same for centuries. 

When I visited in modern and contemporary art museums the same way of thinking was present in the philosophy of curating exhibitions. Discussion was the key of interpreting these exhibitions that offered a way of seeing and thinking that connects different time layers. Old objects offered a background to understand what we have today and how they connect to art of the last decades. Old and new works were mixed together so that it was possible to dive into a stream of thoughts where people with same kind of visual world interact without the boundaries that result from short human lives that don't meet. I think to preserve what is dear through taking it as a part of everyday life and new phenomenons is the most fruitful way. 

Colours that are present everywhere in Lisbon were one of the main reasons to travel to the city. The whole city was full of combinations one bolder the other. Might not be a surprise that I am totally in love with strong colours that do not apologize or try to be neutral. Might be a good idea to take watercolours, fabrics and embroidery yarns from the storage once a again and begin to go through what combinations would work in quilts. There was such an overload of colour I felt like I was bathing both in sunlight and colours. One night I couldn't sleep and I came up with a new pattern idea I draw instantly to my sketch book. The trip was inspiring in many ways and it will take time to unravel all that has been stored inside my head during those two weeks in Lisbon.

My souvenirs from the trip were mainly untangible; ideas and inspiration. When I dragged my luggage from railway station to home I passed my neighbour. After telling him where I had been he asked me what I had learned on my trip. I said that mainly it was all about colours that I brought with me. When I pondered more about the question at home I came up with plenty of things that I had not known before I traveled to Lisbon. 

Learning is one of the leading thoughts about travel if we look back history and for example grand tours. Nowadays we do walk through places and museums that are meant to teach us something. Now that I had the privilege to stay a bit longer than just few days I had the possibility to stop and think through what I heard and saw. Because I live here in Finland and Northern Europe the issues that are up in the news and daily discussions are mainly concentrated on topics that relate this area or that are brought up as internationally meaningful. The perspective is very narrow and leaves out many topics. In Lisbon I got to look Europe from other perspective and it was good to hear what are current issues in Portugal. Also IndieLisboa film festival took place in the same weeks I was in the city and I got a chance to see movies that I might not otherwise see. 

Even if we are living in globalized world still what is around us is local in a way, algorithms see where we live and who with and use that knowledge to optimize content to us so that it is not possible to see outside the box. When I made searches what to see and experience in Lisbon I got the same lists of sights, museums and places. I could have visited those key places virtually; Find out more about Belem Tower for example. But without the ground knowledge that can be gained in a place by following the discussions, seeing what is on in culture and political environment, it is not even possible to ask the questions and use Google to find out more. Maybe the era of grand tours is not behind us after all. 

Museu Colecao Berardo.

LxFactory

2D - Väripintoja kankailla

I have been talking about putting my quilts on show some day. That day came this very Monday! It took courage to take this step but I think it is necessary in order to move forward in my creative work. Now these works from years 2016 to 2018 are there on the wall for everyone to see at the Rovaniemi Town Hall. At the same time this exhibition is a closure with these quilts and a beginning for yet unknown new directions that I will take with this technique I am so passionate about. Hope that my quilts could bring smile on people's lips as they pass by and that they could feel the colours. Maybe someone gets inspired to begin creating works of their own. It gives so much in life to have a form of self expression, a place of one's own that knows no limits. 

My exhibition 2D - Väripintoja kankailla At the Rovaniemi Town Hall 15.-26.4.2019. Open mon-fri 8-16. Closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

Holiday Photos As a Source of Inspiration

MoMa 2018, New York

Wall in Turku 2016

Do you agree with me that holiday pictures come in masses? In the era of digital camera and smart phones taking one or two extra photos is easy. Scary to even think about that one would miss a moment just by thinking if it is worth the film. Photographing is an obsession, more evidence the better. As a result one trip to nearby town can lead to hundreds of photographs. At least I am very lazy in sorting out the shaky pictures from the good quality and thus my personal archives are full of both messy catches and something that would be nice to get in a paper album for future generations. As this will likely never happen, if someone doesn't do it for me, the archives get to be what they are.

One reason why I take so many photographs is that I want to gather all things that I find exciting, new and inspiring. Colours, forms,  curiosities. I enjoy architectural details like curvy old buildings and modern polished structures. Edgy streets and urban city space are equally fascinating. In a traditional photo album a collection of windows would seem a personal option.

Few days ago I started going through my archives with a different thought. Maybe a pile of old photos could become a quilt. Instead of feeling sorry for all these old pictures that will likely disappear one day when some digital format changes, those could turn into works that survive from time. There would be no photo album but an artistic interpretation of a certain trip that would make the essence of the holiday memorable. 

To get the creative juices flowing with new quilt projects I took a notebook and pencil and began sketching. The technique is simple. First I went through pictures from 2016 when I visited in southern Finland. I went through all the material very quickly. Every now and then I concentrated on a photo, chose one detail and sketched it to my notebook. I got few pages full of small drawings. In the process some forms began to live and I studied those further after the sketching session. 

The technique was easy to practice and the photos I had taken served as a source of inspiration as I had once intended. Now I shall go through more recent archives as it was fun to go back to those moments and memories that the original pictures hold. I showed these new sketches on my Instagram stories some days ago and asked if you recognize the real thing behind the processed and more abstract sketch. Here I put the original picture under the sketch so you get a clue what I am meaning with this technique.

Ship masts at Turku 2016

Street lights in Helsinki 2016

Could I find a detail that would turn into a pattern in these photos. We will see.

Staten Island Ferry 2018, New York

Winter Is in the Air

As you can see from the styling of these photos Winter and Christmas have been on my mind lately. It felt great to get this project finished yesterday. To be honest it began to look like this would end into a closet of unfinished works. Evenings turned darker so rapidly that I hardly found time to make sewing and stitching work in proper lightning. Unfinished works are irritating and that is why I put all my effort to this project. I know that if this would have ended to the closet it would have stayed there to the unknown future. Now this one is better closure to the year's quilting. Next year will bring it's own projects that I am sure of. I have two ideas already and I can sketch those properly during the Winter months. Also it might be that I craft some very tiny projects for Christmas. Quilted Christmas ornaments would be nice and in a size scale one can handle without bigger mess in the house.

Empty table cleans the mind and gives space to create totally different projects and process new thoughts. Christmas decorations have been circling in my mind and I am excited to get to decorate my home soon. Just few weeks and most of the Christmas decorations can be brought in! Christmas being a limited period of time with it's own character it gives a needed break between old and new year. I like to divide projects to two categories at this time of the year. One, a pile of work that needs finishing touches and can be completed from to do list before Christmas. Number two, a pile of work that can be left to wait for next year and fresh start. (Three, a pile of work that can be forgotten :) With this technique Christmas time can be reserved to things that please the mind at the moment, small crafts, slow brunches, reading and just being and resting. 

Today's quilt art is called Net because it got it's color from a fishing net. I noticed during the process that it was difficult for me to create a pattern that is not based on repeating motif. I imagined nine boxes to the fabric and placed one motif in each box. This imaginary grid gives needed rhythm. Then I combined the motifs with stitching. In the stitching I used the same curl shape as in the fabric pieces. Stitching collects the net together. Another combining element is classic red in a hue that goes to orange in some light. First time in my life I made piping myself using the same fabric as in the curls. Red piping frames the work beautifully making it an entity. Otherwise it would be a bunch of curls that seem to run away from the work. I love these small details. Last October I made a cushion that has octagon shape, see more here. Tassels in the corners made a huge difference to the look. Not all works need pipings and tassels, some are best without. But I do love it when I can craft a little extra and test a new element. I was amazed how easy it was to make a piping and by making it by myself I got the exact color and size I wanted. Maybe I could make Christmas ornaments with piping? :)

Happy last week of October to You All!

Sannu

Abstract Quilt Art

It is already October. Last week we had the first snow as usual this time of year. Autumn is turning to Winter and I have decided that this quilt project shall be the last one I am making this year. Evenings are so dark that there is no sense trying to sew by hand and do the stitching as both require good light. In November I am going to a holiday abroad and I have plans to gather as much inspiration in few days as possible. Mid winter is great time to process all that inspiration into new works and maybe do some small Christmas DIYs.

There is something that makes me think of Christmas in this quilt project too. The colour palette reminds me of the colours of the fifties and nostalgic Christmas hues red and green. Christmas was not in my mind when I draw and planned this pattern. It took time to figure out where I had picked the colour combination. It was many months ago when I saw an old fishing net that had the most beautiful combination of reds and greens. I saved that picture to my mind and thought  I could use it sometime. A month ago I was in a fabric shop and began to combine colours that looked new to me. The red I chose turns into orange and it looked challenging with dark bluish violet. Then some green and the combo began to look nice. These colors together are not easy but they pleased my eye so I decided to take a risk. The pattern looks like a net too. It is about separate groups that attach to each other. The stitching will make it visible even though you might already see the links. There are nine groups and one is formed just with simple I. It is like the dot in a clause.

I am quite sure that rest of the October shall go with this project. I have had busy weeks and now I try to narrow what things I will take part to. There is everything interesting going on but I can't attend to all. I have to choose and find time for just being at home sewing and reading. Also I see that i need to lower my standards. I want to do all with 100% volume when at times it is not even necessary. Things would be more enjoyable if I didn't put too ambitious goals. With these quilt projects I think it is good to decide that now I make this one and then have a break until Spring and light arrives. Sure I can make just few stitches every now and then but in reality these projects occupy my whole home and I get pressure to finish these in some reasonable time. It is also appealing to get to crochet and watch movies in November and October evenings. I already bough yarns to one project in August.

What are your plans for creative work this Autumn/Winter season?

Quilt: Orange Is the Rule Breaker

This time the quilting process has been a bit different. Usually I have a bunch of colours that seem to make an interesting combination. Now my colour palette was minimalist and I began to add more colour after I had already cut some elements from the fabric. 

It was several months ago, in the Spring when I was on one of my walks in the neighborhood. I spotted stairs that I have passed many times before only this time I saw how the stairs made graphic shadow to the wall. The pattern that the stairs and the shadow made (1.) was ready to be used in some project. In June I finally had a moment to draw the first sketch (4.). It still looked too complicated and lacked the final touch that would communicate an eye pleasing movement. Then there was the long and hot summer I just tried to survive. I wanted to make quilts but it was just too warm and the energies were low. Then just two weeks ago in the beginning of August I took the dust out of my water colours and began to make new sketches. First ones continued the same idea as I had in June but with colour the overall look was messy. Then it came to my mind that I could take one detail from the drawing. I had made a nice colour combination of four fabrics that looked new to me. I decided to narrow too many elements from the drawing to make it work for four colours.

Then one sketch (2.) spoke to me and I new the pattern was ready to be tested with fabric. Quite soon I noticed that the turquoise I had planned to use didn't work at all. I changed it for deep purple. The quilt began to look beautiful (3.). I liked it as it was. It would have worked fine with four colours. For example it would make a wonderful block for a blanket of 18 similar blocks. But because this is a cushion to be I wanted to add more layer. Round shapes turn the look completely. Harmony would have worked too but I think the orange challenges the eye and makes the pattern last time. With stitches this will look a playful rule breaker that promises harmony yet jumps in front of the eyes loudly.

Because every quilt should have a challenge that makes you want to look it again and think what it is about.

Shall We Start A New Season?

Or is it still a way too early? Even if Summer still holds it's appeal for few weeks it is the best time to shift thoughts towards the Autumn season. Seasonal calendar cleaning is great to do these days. All those great ideas that have been hanging out in the calendar without getting a closure are now re-evaluated. Even the fun ideas demand time and concentration. As a school kid it was nice to able to start from an empty table after Summer and Winter breaks. Now in adult life same kind of divisions do not exist. I did have some days of Summer holiday and still a week to come but tasks are waiting to be done after holiday, no-one cleans the table for me. It is not possible to get everything ready by a certain date because project entities are too big. 

Also too many ideas are adding the length to the to do lists. It would be wonderful to be that person who gets all ideas completed but reality has other plans. What comes to blogging there are always more ideas than time to process and create. This Autumn I cleaned my calendar, or Bullet Journal, from ideas that I have processed a little but who still demand lots of time. I wanted to have an empty table to think the coming season and come up with new thoughts and projects. It is more inspiring to make a new season mind map without old to dos. 

This also goes in other sectors of life. There are some things that need concentration. Larger projects that lead to something bigger. Those bigger projects form the core of professional and/or private life. Then there are those minor projects that come in plenty. Little ideas what one could hustle. Some of those just circle in mind some see day light. Those minor tasks can be re-evaluated and after that cleaned away or listed for future. What matters is the bigger picture that takes to somewhere. Days pass when details occupy the everyday life and it might be challenging to see what is necessary and what is not. Especially when there are busier times it helps to see the necessary tasks and what can be put aside. Otherwise it is impossible to have breaks and rest. Work doesn't end by doing. By listing and constructing bigger entities of smaller tasks it becomes easier to manage it all. When distractions are labelled as such it is possible to forget those and start completing a bigger project slice after slice and have breaks in between. 

I have always been an over achiever. I like to do more than is required and develop the work I am doing. Mostly it is good character but it also brought me a great lesson about the essence of work and life. I always tried to complete all when I got the tasks and of course it lead me to new and new projects to do. I began to forget my personal needs and always let go off everything fun if there was work to be done. It took years to understand that work exists in the world no matter how much you do it. But a human being has limitations. It is fun, inspiring and productive to work when work - free time balance is correct and one is well rested. As important as it is to have work whether paid or not it is equally important to acknowledge the meaning of free time. 

That is why going through what is filling your calendar is necessary. Processing what you are doing at the moment is a great way to start a new season. Also what comes to voluntarily accepted tasks, also known as ambitions, it can lead to better achievements if unnecessary projects are simply forgotten or listed to far future. One can ask what is it that I want to achieve with this activity? If this doesn't seem to lead to anything but filling the calendar how could I replace it? For example: Instead of circling around the same blog post ideas that don't seem to actualize, could I brainstorm brand new ideas. Those would more likely inspire more and become completed bringing the sense of joy and fulfillment. That is what I did with my blog on the step of Autumn. I consciously put away many projects to have room for new and fresh ones. 

One point is also to understand when a project is finished. I think fellow over achievers will relate to how difficult it is to let go. Weeks and months, sometimes even years are spent with a work project. It has been inspiring to study and bring up new angles and make the dear child even better. But when new tasks await these old dears can become a burden that require too much time when it would be more clever to concentrate on the new. There comes a day when the work is done and you have to spell it out loud to yourself. This is it, its is complete for now and it is as good as it gets. I love petting my projects. I am not sure if it is about my branch, as a social scientist there are always new perspectives to look everything and the most simple things become massive projects that won't be finished in one lifetime. 

So little time so interesting world. But these larger than life project entities can occupy the whole calendar and begin to press on free time too. One can't handle all the perspectives. When I read the news I see large issues that need to be studied to be able to understand the phenomenons better. It feels tiring not to be able to know the background of it all. But in the world we don't have to do it all by ourselves. And that goes to professional life too. We have to trust that our colleagues are doing their bit. No one needs to take the cape of a superhuman. It is respecting other people to let them do what they are best at. So one way to look at your calendar is to evaluate whether you have already done enough. It might also be that the task you took is not yours at all and you can pass it to someone else who has more to give to the subject.

Pictures taken in front of Korundi - House of Culture.