Many haerts

In the beginning of this week, while waiting for answers, I started to draw a new heart-picture, but for some reason I "had" to draw many hearts in this picture this time, going over the boarders of the paper. Today, after being hit by the news of the bus-crash involved the death of 22 children and 6 adults, children still in critical conditions, it feels like the picture found it s place. But really, I wished it didn´t.
I wished it had only needed one heart, for very different reasons as this one.
This is a never ending pain started for many people, connecting again to the many painful things happening every days, connecting again to the fact that every minute someone goes through something like this.
There s a silent feeling now. Strength to all from all my heart!

A haert for everyone

Introducing a little side project. Lately I have been feeling so much sadness around, maybe it s my age, the situations where people end up in, maybe it s just part of the cycle, or maybe it is so, that to many people, youngsters, kids, are confronted with unnecessary pain, and to little love. The connection between hands, hart and head seem to be lost in all the mediums nowadays, and altought we might seem to progress on some parts, we clearly start to miss out on some others.
Therefore I started this little haert project, the idea to make many over a period of time, we ll see, no connected projects yet, but idea s are welcome...

at the moment it seems a project connecting both illustrational work and diaryfragments, so I post it here as well:
http://keanneart.blogspot.com/


A heartfelt day to everyone!
Keanne

A few new things: Numbercards and sheepscards online

Since shortly the colorfull numbercards, sized A5 are available through my webshop:
http://www.keanneshop.nl/

New are also the softer colored sheep-cards at kaartje2go:
http://www.kaartje2go.nl/kaart-zoeken/keanne%20schaapjes

Wishing a nice coming free time for those who will have holiday next week!
Keanne

Illustrations and other things

Now the manuscript for the book "How to tame a monster" is on the table, almost ready for print. A nice feeling again to have started just from an idea which ends up into an object ready for children to be explored, hope they like it as we have been enjoying making it. The next story already started to get form Minttu s mind, and I m searching already for some characters on the visual side...Hope this will go forward as well and we can keep children being interested in the book-concept.

An other project on the table, ready to go the finish line is Hymykuoppa. 2 lovely years I had the pleasure to work with Ergoterapist Sirppa Kauranen. We worked with children which had minor difficulties in several arias, mostly approaching them from a sensorial point of view . I learned very much, mostly about the use of senses and got some conformations on my intuition part, which feels nice and inspiring to keep on going with the seem thoughts. I think it is important for us, as artists, to also socially use our creative skills, it strengthens, it gives room to work on the drawing-table and idea s to be developed: anyway, it keeps me in evolution-mode.

Some new things are being in developing state, grants to be applied for, rapports to be written...

As I thought the year would start slowly, it really started with a storm of things and thoughts...

Wishing you all inspirational days
Keanne

A new year

Last year ended with a big Storm in Scandinavia, many trees went to the ground, nature used it s strength ,and many of us where without electricity/phone/internet for about more or less than a week. It complicated so many things we are used to see as normal.
It made think: Such a strength which comes over you, and all the human safety systems can t beat this. It comes as hard as it comes and you have to wait, be on guard. With, this time, only nature showing it s strength in the form of strong wind, I try to imagine how it is to confront nature in the form of earthquakes and tsunamis. We are so small. Only a small part of our brain is really active, and sometimes I wonder how things would be if the other parts would be more active, if we would develop in other directions, with different priorities completely.
Somehow it feels like we are stuck in this stream we created: we can be pro nature, less materialistic, develop new directions in the way of living, in education, to give the ones after us a change to survive on their own terms, but still, we can t do otherwise then start from where we are now.
There lays a challenge in front of us. Maybe the question is how do we start to change: do we see it as a fight against nature, or are we ready to see nature inside of us and to learn from it by embracing it.

Now we finaly enjoy winter here :)

Happy new year to all of you !
Keanne

Some news for this week:
on friday, between 17 and 19h is the opening of my exhibition in Lillan Gallery.
Welcome everyone!
The exhibition "Ilo irti kortista" moves from Design Hill to Lillan Gallery and new are now for sale also the birthday numbercards, beautifully printed on thick paper A5 format.
Welcome, also to visit Salon taiteilijan seuran lainamoo in the upstairs of Lillan to maybe find your special personal present for christmastime...

On Saterdaymorning, from 9 till 12.30 , I will be selling cards, posters, books, calenders on the christmas marketplace in Somerniemi, you ll find me in "Justiina"

Hajalan school

The last week as a touring foster-artist, I spended in Hajula school, a lovely small school with 45 students in total, from 1-6 grade. The teachers where very nice and open to all idea s, motivated the children, and the children itself where again my favorite part. We made a time-capsule (hidden per grade in old doctors suitcases). Each child was to make by his/her own interpretation, a letter/drawing to himself, about things important at that moment in live ( a lot of angry birds appeared:). We worked on the floor and used as much as possible ecological and recycled materials, painted with berry-and cofee -color, used all kinds of papers, or little personal treasures to safe in this capsule. Each will open his capsule in the springtime of the sixth grade

Newsletter

Welcome to see my wall-exhibition: "Joy out of cards", during the month november. There s new cards, and also new arrived christmascards, the new calender, poters ...
En"joy" some small, warm and colorfull moments in live...

"Sweet" at kaartje2go

continued designing some cards for kaartje2go. The idea to develop some cards for certain occasions, with a sensitive, fresh and at the same time "Sweet"character.
People say that postcards are being used less and less . But I do think there s an other way of thinking: the feeling that people want to recieve/give something material, starts to rise again, the feeling of personal contact: what can be more personal than a card, with your message on it...

http://www.kaartje2go.nl/kaartencollecties/sweet

Last week I spended the whole week, from morning untill the afternoon, in "Sinilintu" daycare. I visited there as an artist through "Polku" project, organised by Salo city. This project started last year and the main idea is to bring art to scools, daycares...and exchange idea s with the teachers as well. Artist from different disciplines are visiting for a day, a few days or a week, an share their views, ways of working.
My week was very interesting, as I worked with about 70 kids, aged 1-6. We mostly have been painting, examening color, material, idea s, and also ourselves through story and nature elements. Also is the traveling exhibition is included, being works from Salo artists. It amazing how kids see things, create their own comments and bring up things we don t even see anymore/think about.
The most important comment I got was that how calm the kids where, and how they , by slowing down their rythm and creating a calm environment, came to express more/stronger then usual.
After this week, I feel I brought something to the teachers, the children, but mostly I feel like I learned a lot agian myself !

Now back to the drawingtable...

Warm autum greetings to u all!
Keanne

keanne@kaartje2go

A little bit easier to buy my cards, at least for the people in Holland and Belgium. Kaartje2go is now also distributing my cards, feel free to go and have a look. Leave me your idea s or wishes...

http://www.kaartje2go.nl/kaartenwinkel/keanne/profiel

Have nice autum day to all, it s nice and sunny here, colorfull leaves, a little bit of frost in the nights, just the way I like it!

welcome to Hameenlinna postcardhappening!

Postcardhappening in Hameenlinna, Verkatehdas 10.09, 10-17 h, and also I ll be there... Welome!

And today our project " Monsters in the mind" found a publisher, yes! Minttu got a call from Mäkelä...
Next will be planning the cover and starting to draw the other half of the book. To get it ready by the end of the year, to be published in spring. I didn t think we would find a publisher this fast: you can only try hard and chances are low, but if you hang on, things often work out in mysterious ways :))

And some drawings ready to go to their new personal homes. One going to a children room of a lovely boy, to carry with him when he grows up, the other drawing goes to the children's psyhiatral department in Salo (TYKS).
As an artist and person, it always gives me a good feeling knowing that colors and feelings from inside, can be passed on to others, getting a social purpose as well. The more personal or needed somewhere, the more it makes sense to me to work as an artist. Art is not just building an "image" above others. I think we are way passed that as we are so many searching for a way to communicate about our feelings, sensitivity, vulnerability in this surroundings. Sharing is what gives strength, becoming part of something...

Going on to the next job :))

About friendschip, magic and other important things

At the moment you can visit my exhibition in Västenfjärd library. The exhibition contains illustrational work and also some info about the project "Inside-out and upside down". The illustrations are from the latest book (Ystävyys kuin perhosen kutitus) and further there are the illustrations from the latest card series about witches leading their daily live. The cards are to give and to remeber the small precious moments we have and share in live.

As work started slowly now, I continue illustrating " Monsters in our mind". As upon next week, other projects will start and scedule will be full time again.

I enjoyed this sweet summer very much, being with my children, having nice visitors, making small trips,meeting new people, lots of sunshine... and hope you did too!

inside-out and upside down

Welcome to the exhibition " Sisältä ulkoa ja nurinpäin" , this month in Somero Library.
The exhibition shows a joyfull collaberation between me, Andrea Vannuchi (photographer) and the children of Oinasjärvi daycare and is a mixture of Andrea s pictures, my drawings, a bookobject and the works of the children. The project is runned trough Kuukulkurit ry.
The project is part of the 2 year lasting project Grundtvig (2010-2012)...

sketchbook 2011

It s holiday, but some short messages coming anyway as images never sleep...
From now on you can see the complete digital version of my sketchbook, made in about a weeks time in january, a quick capture of thoughts, feelings, some drawings, idea s...The book will be traveling still to several places this year and end up in Brooklyn artlibrary to stay for good between about 10 000 others...
Welcome to have a peek inside my diary-sketchbook:
http://www.arthousecoop.com/library/3162

Sunshine!
Keanne

Elderly center

At the end of last week+ the beginning of this week we ve been wallpainting in Kukkonkalion elderly centre in Salo. I love this kind of projects: creativity get s an immediate purpose not putting the weight in the artists imago. Te idea was that we wouldn t just paint our own thoughts/interests, what we want to show to the world, but we listen carefully to the people working and living there, asked about there wishes, their needs as it s their house...before we starded.
The project is also linked to a bigger project "Hymykuopat", including lots more then only painting walls. Tea, Satu and Eija have been there many weeks, to get an idea of the world they live in, done projects together with the elderly, for example in the form of poems and different kinds of painting...also painting a large tree to attach different tjhings to according to the time of the year. This all with as main purpose "research" : how to create a possible ,longer lasting programe trying to stimulate the elderly 's social live and their mobility through creativity for the future years.

The rabbit-scene I painted is just near a restplace, and I never had a more sensitive, fun audience while painting following my every strike, mixing paints, making sketches....
We painted on the department of demention. Keeping in mind: not to strong colors, they often frighten. The people are between 80-100 years old: theme s in their interests , memory goning back to the earlier years in their lives, are mostly nature. They have been farming, living with and between nature/animals more then us. As they remember at most in times of 2-3 minutes, it was nice to get straight honest oppinions, and every several minutes the same comments:) without real judgment linked to the outsideworld, or to trends: just what they felt in the moment...

Tomorow evening you can find Salla(Järveläinen) and me in the library in Turku (18 pm), welcome to listen/discus about our book "Ystävyys kuin perhosen kutitus" and see some live drawing.

Now rushing to do one of my favorite jobs: paperwork.
Its a rainy day but wishing sunshine to all :)

One week- action

This week, in honour of the heat , posters have a special price, check it out...untill next wensday.

http://www.keanneshop.nl/?menu=category&categoryID=1004513

Only through the webshop(or e-mail straight to me)...after that, the shop will be closed for about a week.
Have a sunny day!

Writing and drawing

How are writers able to separate their thoughts into "to write down" or to " not to write down". This seems so easy concerning images, but when it comes to thoughts, I keep jumping from one subject to the other in my head, so many things to write, discuss, wonder about:
How does this world work, what are good ways to raise our kids in this confusing world, what subjects to make books about, how is the world divided in so many different parts and people-trying to live together, what to cook tomorow and how to get more hours in a day...
So mostly I admire writers!
I guess I ll keep on drawing :)

New cards

The last few weeks I ve been working on a new series of cards. My head seems to be full of magical stuff at the moment. No wonder as kids are sending me al kinds of magic in the form of bewitchments (reading just a bit to much Harry Potter and other fantasiebooks)
But here they are, for sale on internet and soon in shops in Somero/Salo...

http://www.keanneshop.nl/?menu=category&categoryID=1165735

The coming weeks will be filled with so many different things that my head starts spinning. But later more about that.

In July, it will be holiday!!!!!
A lovely summer to all

Monsters

Lately, I ve been working on different things at the same time, it seems to work the best for me. There s card designs, projects in daycares, summerexhibitions to come, a logo...but most of all I hope to get this manusript illustrated by the autum. It s about "Little monsters in our mind". I love the way the autor divided them into groups, gave them their own caracters and wrote the stories with it, The idea that we create ,in our mind, our own colorfull mosters, and project them in daily life, but most of all I like the little tricks you can try out, to get rid of them...

trying out the blog