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.