Painting With Wool

For a long time I have believed that the most valuable things are those that you can make yourself from start to finish. The question is only, where to start. This project was a very special one as I started with natural white wool. I had the idea of painting with fiber and I thought I could take a layered approach as what I have done with papers. 

My first step was to dye the wool by painting colors over it. Here's one of the rovings I dyed.

Then I spun the wool.

Here's some of the finished yarn. With spinning I added "painted" layers.

Then I chose the pattern. I could have designed it myself but I find so perfect one I decided to go with it. It's Stockport by Sarah Hutton from Rowan magazine nr 46. I chose to make mine it a little longer to really show off the yarn.

When knitting the sweater I made random stripes, another layer of paint. I think that the result really proves that the layered look can be done with fiber too!

Under The Spring Sun

There's spring in Finland and the first flowers are blooming in my garden!

I made this collage digitally from my scanned artwork. I tried to catch the power of the sunlight here.

My interview is published in ValeriAtelier's blog. Among other interesting topics, I was presented with the question: "What is your best advice for emerging artist?" Read the interview and my best advice for creative people!

Some Things Never Change

My favorite time in a normal working week is Friday night. That's when I turn the music on, grab the pens and brushes and start creating.

I often think about deep and complicated but the music I listen to is very ordinary pop. It really does not go along with my visual style. What I need from music is to create a kind of shield around me, assure that I can do it. It's been like this for tens of years.

Speaking of time over 20 years ago ...

These two old paintings are hanging at my home and I watch them every day. What I did then was pretty much the same that I do now: listen to bad music and get into a flow state. Back then I had just discovered cubism and some new hues of color. These paintings remind me how people stay same even if the years go by. New thoughts will appear, new colors and shapes will be discovered but the true identity stays.

Waiting for Summer

My blog is featured at Best of The Web edition of Be@Home Decor Blog. See the article!

Another exciting thing: a couple of new fabric designs! I have just sent these designs out for printing with some of the older designs.

The yellow fabric on the left is designed from one of my most popular design in paper products and it is called "Summer". The design on the right is based on my recent collages, like this card. It is always exciting to see new fabric for the first time. This time I will be so excited to see how Summer turns out!

Nature's Symmetry

I wanted to make an ornament that could be used as a starting point of fabric design. I usually begin to make an ornament by defining it's structure. The idea I had in mind this time was to create a long ornament where various elements are lined symmetrically. Symmetrically! I am not a big fan of symmetry, most of the times I find it a bit too conventional and boring.

Here's my end result. It is symmetrical but still not quite. I think it goes well with the plant theme. Even if the plants grow symmetrically, there's still some variation.

I made this card few days ago (available at Etsy) and its also a good example of rough symmetry. I especially like the black random plots on blue petals.

Creating Wood

My husband is into woodworking and he often shows me stuff that inspires me too. Like this box. After seeing it I wanted to work with papers like they were wood. Carve with my pen and all!

Here's my own little piece of wood, only on paper!

First, I only had an idea of how wood is constructed as a material. It's lots of layers. I made the bottom layer with inks and chose deep orange shades. Then I took one of my illustrations, converted it black and white with computer and printed it to a transparent film. It was pretty full of everything - as my work usually is - even in black and white, but of course it was not quite enough. I added some more doodling over it with a black marker. It already began to look like wood when setting the transparency over the orange background.

I was not finished though. The two layers were then scanned and manipulated digitally to make the black look like it's gone deeper into the orange layer. The result was printed on paper. I added "the carving" using white pen. Then back to the computer! I cut the piece in Photoshop and added the original scan as a background. Some fine tuning and there it was!

An american artist Georgia O'Keeffe said: "To create one's own world, in any of the arts, takes courage." I do not know about courage but it surely is the best art can give to me: to create my own world!

Some Publicity!

My interview is published at the newest issue of Taito magazine. It is a Finnish magazine about crafts and art industry in Finland. My story and the photos of my work covered several pages. It feels great! Here are some of the pages.

My folk bags were included in the cover of the magazine!

Here's me showing how I save even the tiniest piece of paper!

Even if I enjoy tremendously making all the stuff I show here at my blog and sell at Etsy, it is hard work. I have a day job and all the creative work takes place at my spare time. That's why rewards like this interview feel really great!

Faberge Revisited

Now is the time to grab those handmade patterned papers and make your own Faberge eggs! I used the smallest scraps here!

I begun with styrox egg and covered it with gesso. After the gesso had dried I glued the paper scraps with matte medium. Then I drew few extra doodles on it and added some faux jewels.

The stand is made from used tealight candle tin. I covered it with paper and added a decorated ribbon on it.

You can't have too many details here! The more the better!

Have a creative Easter!