As I wrote in the art blog 190 Art and CHRISTMAS IN JULY recently I was so happy to receive another 2 parcels from the very generous man behind Galerie Knud Grothe from Copenhagen in Denmark.  An art gallery and whose artists I have written about several times now in; 180 ART AND THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS and 182 GIVING PAINTINGS AS GIFTS

I have now committed myself to an exhibition there at Easter next year and am really enjoying painting towards that.

Overwhelmed and excited about my new gifts I would like to share with you one of the books I received “Kolonihavemaleren – Walther Schaldemose og Maleriet” which is another fantastic art book by Ole Lindboe from ArtPage about Danish naïf artist Walther Schaldemose.

SCANDINAVIAN VISTAS IN NAIVE STYLE

I was very taken with Walters work, he paints a variety of subjects both indoor and outdoor motives circuses and beach scenes and often includes the little “Koloni stuger” (cottages) in a setting by the sea (hence the title of the book which translates to Colony Sea Painter) In Sweden these miniature cottages with one or two little rooms are set out like a tiny little town on small plots of land each with its own little garden and a communal park for social gatherings.  The city residents who live in apartments rent or buy these types of cottages as a place to get away during the summer months or weekends and potter in the garden and enjoy the seaside or the forest.

EROTIC NAIVE ART

What I do enjoy most about Walthers work though is that he combines these wonderful images with a touch of the erotic, as nearly every painting harbour one or two couples engaged in some hanky-panky of some kind or perhaps a female nude either sunbaking or artist and model, breast feeding, in the bath or on the toilet.  His designs are colorful and very rich in detail and with a hint of eroticism and humour – a real feast for the eyes.  As I too play around with the erotic in art his imagination appeals to me very much.

MINIATURE ARTWORKS

Walther was born in 1932 and trained as a stamp engraver where he picked up his attention to detail no doubt.  He often paints miniature works with the use of a microscope and uses brushes with only few hairs on them to get the very small details just right.  Another unusual way he draws inspiration for his artwork from is going around to second hand dealers looking for frames and then lets that determine what size painting he will paint.

PAINTING ON MASONITE

Walter paints on masonite and instead of starting with a gesso or white painted canvas he paints his black.  The images in his paintings that are black are therefore left untouched and peek out between the other colors and he also likes to paint in relief just like I do and uses a moulding compound usually glue to build his images up with.  So I bet his artworks are even more wonderful in real life when you can also see the texture of the paint.

GALERIE KNUD GROTHE

It seems to me that Denmark is currently in the forefront in Naive art with so many different and talented artists being produced there.  No doubt also helped by the support of the wonderful mainstream contemporary art gallery GALERIE KNUD GROTHE .  So yet again Thank you so much Knud for your lovely gifts and also for introducing me to so many wonderful artists whose work gives me delight and joie de vivre every day.

Here is a quote I think perhaps Walter has in mind when he paints by James Dent;

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all.

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

Yep it is Christmas here again this week.  Not only do we have winter in South Australia at the moment when the temperature’s been down to 3 degrees Celsius some nights, but it has also been pressie time again, as I just received some more paintings, wow lucky me, really lucky me!

THE ART OF BEING SANTA CLAUS

Boy, I cannot express to you the surprise I again got when there was a knock on the door with another courier and this time 2 parcels arrived at the same time from Denmark and Knud Grothe’s Art Gallery.  I am seriously starting to suspect he is Father Christmas, well after all he does live in Denmark and Scandinavia is very close to the North Pole so I fully suspect that he wears a red suit with a black belt across his ample tummy with a fetching red hat on top of his gray hair, right?

ART BLOGS

If you missed my artblogs about Knuds generosity and the wonderful Danish artists here are some links180 ART AND THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS and  182 GIVING PAINTINGS AS GIFTS

DANISH NAIVE ARTISTS

Anyway let me tell you about the 2 wonderful paintings the first parcel contained.   This artwork is called “Circus Life” by Hanne Hojfeldt and since my heritage stems from the circus, this was very fitting present indeed.  (Here are some art blogs about that 20. Antonis Tivoli Art and 21. Life in a Circus Tent )

ARTIST HANNE HOJFELDT

Hanne Hojfeldt started her career in 1994 with great success and has continued in that vein including of course exhibiting with  GALERIE KNUD GROTHE in Charlottenlund.  Hanne was born in 1949 and grew up in Hjorring where she was introduced to art and developed a love for painting through her father.  Her subject matter is diverse: lush women, exotic flowers, rare animals, stars and dreams where the she can make anything happen.

Her work is so sought after that one of her paintings was actually stolen.  This artwork was an illustration called Art Canned 2007 for Sv. Michelsen Chokolade one of Denmarks leading chocolate makers  whose products are a favourite by the Queen of Denmark no less.  In any case it was stolen from Illums Chocolate Department (top end department store in Copenhagen) where it was on exhibition the day before Christmas 2006 and has not been seen since.

Now where was Father Christmas on that day – I am just saying, lol this all ties together with the title of this artblog and now the artnapping the day before Christmas!  Art theft would have to be the highest accolades for an artist when you work is so sought after even the thief’s cannot resist! (One accolade however you wouldn’t wish for.)

ARTIST LONE VILLAUME

The other original artwork I received from this gorgeous man Knud is called “Tillykke” which I think translates to either Congratulations or Well done!  In any case this is a miniature artwork by the artist Lone Villaume and as you can see is just delightful.  The joy and humour just bursts out from the artwork and that dog looking up at the ladies is just the cutest you can find.

Lone Villaume is another interesting Danish artist who straddles both the naïf camp and the more contemporary with her installations.  It is though with her naive works that I have fallen in love and couldn’t agree more with Tom Jorgensen who said in his article A true humorist; “Lone Villaume’s major force as an artist is her ability to define a universal human universe, marked by great warmth, compassion and a keen eye for everyday comic troubles.

The tools are sparse until the ascetic: a plain background, a tiled foreground and the action in the center.  No superfluous details, no color-related or compositional excesses, but a solid and carefully balance between action, image composition and pure pleasure.

Lone Villaume is one of the few artists today who makes us smile and feel warm in the heart.”

UPCOMING ART BLOG

Next week I will share some more art from Denmark from 2 wonderful art books and also some photos from GALERIE KNUD GROTHE

So again Thank you Knud from the bottom of my heart for these beautiful paintings, I feel so blessed to have you as a friend and look forward to exhibiting at your gallery next year.

So here is a quote I think fits very well here by Laura Ingalls Wilder

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.”

However this one by Dennis Miller sure made me chuckle;

“Santa is very jolly because he knows where all the bad girls live”

Happy painting and sculpting to you all.

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

So as some of you may already know that read my artblog last week 180 ART AND THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS that I was just given a wonderful Danish Naive artbook called “Naivister i Danmark” written by Ole Lindboe and also incredibly 3 original paintings.  These amazing gifts were sent by the Danish art gallery owner Knud Grothe who runs the fabulously successful art gallery called GALERIE KNUD GROTHE in Charlottenlund, Copenhagen, Denmark.

ART GALLERY IN DENMARK

Charlottenlund is one of the most affluent suburbs in Copenhagen and got it’s name from Princess Charlotte Amalie, she is the daughter of King Frederick lV and the sister of King Christian Vl who rebuilt the Gyldenlund Palace in 1733 and named it Charlottenlund Palace after her.

This suburb Charlottenlund is also the home to Danish celebrities and corporate executives and lots of other wealthy individuals and families, the suburb has lots of gorgeous ocean views and most of the mansions and estates are around the Strandvejen (Beach Road).

NAIVE ARTISTS

Anyway the paintings I was so generously given are on stretched canvas and one on canvas board by 3 naif artists; Isis de Sequeira, Jan Thomas and Inge Selmer, all very different but equally wonderful.

ARTIST ISIS DE SEQUEIRA

Isis originally heralds from Brazil but these days live in Denmark and this particular work is a very detailed miniature beach scene with a lovely green ocean with people enjoying the sun and surf called Danish Bacon (which I imagine is tongue in cheek for smoking or cooking your body in the sun).  It is reminiscent of the days I have spent by the Australian beach and no doubt has been influenced by the travelling that Isis has done as well.

ARTIST JAN THOMAS

Jan’s distinctive artwork is called Nyhavn which is the 17^th-century waterfront canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Nyhavn was actually constructed by King Christian V and dug by Swedish war prisoners from the Danish-Swedish War in 1658-1660.  In those days it was notorious for beer, sailors and prostitution but these days is brightly lined by coloured 17^th and early 18^th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants.  Jan has captured the ambiance of this district with a family out for a Sunday stroll, a fish monger, tattoo parlor, a prostitute waiting for business, musicians and much more.

ARTIST INGE SELMER

The third painting I received was by Inge Semler who says that when she paints she disappears into her own little world and it is never too late to get oneself a happy childhood.  This gorgeous work sees a bride in all her finery furiously pedaling her bike through the green countryside to get to the church on time with her veil blowing behind her in the wind.  The title is “The Groom awaits” which suits the painting down to a T.

THE ART OF GIVING

Again thank you very much Knud for your generous gifts which is giving me so much pleasure every day.

Here is a quote I think fits well here by Terri Guillemets;

“Good fortune shies away from gloom.  Keep your spirits up.  Good things will come to you and you will come to good things”

Till next time,

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

Some days you are just so glad to be alive and overwhelmed by the random kindness act of strangers that you are totally lost for words.  I had one of those days yesterday and it revolves around a Danish man Knud Grothe who owns and runs one of the finest galleries in Denmark.

I have shared with you in another artblog that I have recently had an art exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark and you may be forgiven to think that it was  GALERIE KNUD GROTHE I was exhibiting with, but no it was another gallery and if you fancy you can read about that here;   177 ART EXHIBITIONS IN COPENHAGEN, DENMARK & SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

NAIVE ARTISTS IN DENMARK

Gallery Knud Grothe was established in the 1970’s and is still going strong exhibiting a rich mixture of contemporary art from around the world as well as Denmark of course.  Knud says his favourite genre of art is naive paintings and he has a yearly exhibition at Easter showcasing the naive artists in his gallery.

NAIVE ART BOOK

Anyway I or I should say my art came to the attention of Knud who sent me a lovely email which was very complimentary of my art.  He also then sent me this fantastic book about naive artists in Denmark called “Naivister i Danmark” which was so incredibly generous.  This is a big heavy coffee table book, 164 pages of glossy wonderful Danish artists by Ole Lindboe.  Comprising of some 35 Danish naive artists and also has an introduction of naive art featuring several more from yesteryears.  Obviously I am such a fan of naive art which I also collect myself so therefore I have seen and read most of the books on the subject and I must say this book is one of the best I have ever seen.  Danish naive art has totally blown me away, normally I would pick out 3 -4 artists in a collection as my favourites but this is an impossibility here as they, everyone of these artists have something so inspiring and fresh to offer, it is a delight to the senses.

THREE ORIGINAL PAINTINGS

Now if the story ended here that would be quite something all by itself – but I am afraid there is more…  Yesterday there was a knock on the door and a courier with another parcel from Denmark.   This time this most incredible generous man Knud Grothe had sent me 3 original paintings for my art collection.  I must say I was utterly SPEECHLESS when I unwrapped the parcel, can you imagine, it is not Christmas and not my birthday and this most warmhearted of men sent me a gift, just because!

In next week’s art blog I will share these wonderful paintings with you.  The 3 artists are Jan Thomas, Inge Selmer and Isis de Sequeira and all 3 artworks are a joy to behold.

PAINTINGS IN THE STUDIO

So what does one say when you receive an amazing gift like this, just because – well I had no words for a very long time.  Instead I took the 3 paintings into my studio and have them sitting next to me as I work.  I am not ready to part with them even temporarily by hanging them up on the wall.  No I just want them by my side so I can “drink” in their colours and joy and pleasure they are giving me every second of the day.  Both from the visual aesthetics of the 3 wonderful artworks that the artists have painted but also to think that such a kind, generous and very thoughtful act of kindness is even possible in this day and age.

HAPPY ARTIST

Thank you so very much Knud you must have a very beautiful heart and I am indeed a very very lucky girl to be so blessed and have you as a friend from far away and I do hope to meet you in real life soon.

I am really really Grateful, Happy, Overjoyed, Elated, Delighted, Ecstatic, Jubilant, and Thankful and feel extremely spoiled.

So I think this quote by G.K. Chesterton fits well here and conveys a little of how I feel right now;

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder”

Till next time,

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’sPAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE andSCULPTURES for sale orWALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.