Olle Olsson-Hagalund IV

I adore the many portrayals of glass houses in Olle Olsson-Hagalund's work. they seemed to have allowed him to indulge his love of architecture and the colour and texture of the flowers and foliage.

Olle Olsson-Hagalund III

The crowd scenes of Olle Olsson-Hagalund  are full of humour and expression, the individuals carefully observed their characters and charms observed and rendered, people watching at it's best.

Olle Olsson-Hagalund II

The blossom is late this year and incredibly fecund. In Norfolk last week the hawthorn was in full bloom and like this painting  by Olle Olsson-Hagalund gave the trees a wondrous aura. My white weeping cherry is still in full bloom saved from its usual brief existence by it's late arrival and less boisterous winds.
Last night at dusk I stood beneath it while the white cups of petals, entertained the bumble bees with their supper, bejeweled with raindrops from an April shower.
While in Edinburgh the avenues of pink cherry in the meadows are only just peeping through. Spring is a joy.

Olle Olsson-Hagalund I

Recently I discovered the work of Swedish painter, Olle Olsson-Hagalund (1904–1972). (Thank you Donatella) Olle's work can be naive, but also exceptionally observed and sensitive, with tremendous use of colour. It is also a window through time to remind us to appreciate simple joys in life. Olle worked extensively on theatre design and in the next few posts I will share more examples of his works.

Above: Olle Olsson-Hagalund in 1956.

Ewa Poklewska-Koziełło II

Ewa Poklewska-Koziełło's series of illustrations about wanting a summer bonfire, made me think of Beltane and so on the eve of Beltane Weekend and the eve of summer it is good to share these beautiful images. 

Taili Wu

I have fallen in love with this surreal alphabet animation by Taili Wu created using stop motion animation with hand made puppets. Taili was born in Taiwan and now working as a designer & artist working with illustration, stop motion and ceramics in New York.

Home

I have been home for my grandmother Kathleen's funeral. She had a full and long life, living from 1920-2018. Here she is in approximately 1942 with my grandfather Cyril (1913-1984).
This has been a full month and I find myself musing on both the passage of time and what it is to know someone, when often even knowing oneself is difficult. I cannot say I 'knew' my grandmother. I knew my side of her, but that was a minute portion of who she was.
Life steals us away from loves, relatives, children, friends as well as jobs, roles, duties, hobbies, and passions, each element is a part of the enigmatic puzzle of who we are. At the end of a long life, so much is lost, especially when we lose who we were because our decline erases our most treasured memories.

Jun Tada III

An illustration started from a print from a severed tree trunk "Nakagawa Crocodile Jazz Book" illustrated by Jun Tada, published by Thumb Book Press (a fictional publisher). Jun Tada makes beguiling surreal illustrations that seem to grow in a conversation with themselves from the initial mark, creating magic worlds for us to step into.

Noemi Vola I

Humorous and charming illustrations by Italian illustrator Noemi Vola about the trials of having a bear who comes to stay and will not leave your side. Exploring the theme of working to accommodate, adjust and compromise in order to find balance.

Jerzy Srokowski II

Jerzy Srokowski's illustrations of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan published in 1958. I love seeing different interpretations of illustrators to classic texts of children's literature across time and culture and how these different interpretations change our perceptions of the story. This book is a mix of soft, full colour, watercolour illustrations and detailed, expressive pen and ink drawings.

Joanna Neborsky IV

Surreal collaged illustrations by Joanna Neborsky for Danil Kharms poetry 'Tumbing Old Women' published in 2011. Danil Kharms (1905-1942) was a Surrealist poet and pioneer of absurd literature is perfectly his words are perfectly married in this book with the quirky, lucid graphic illustrations of Joanna. Whose work seems to effortly stretch across time from modern illustration to avantgarde masters of mid twentieth century illustration.

Jiří Šindler II

Jiří Šindler (1922- 2015) was born in Polička, He studied at the School of Applied Arts of Antonín Strnadela and spent his holidays at the print studios of the Vokolka Brothers in Pardubic. Jiří worked most of his life as a teacher and had a passion for typography and calligraphy. Much of his artwork is in the form of woodcuts and prints. In this 1963 book was called 'Když Zvìràtka Ještê Mluvila' written by Ivan Franko Jiří's illustrations are painted to look like prints.