I’ve been painting, so I haven’t been on the computer much – honestly, I spend way too much time here anyway. I’m trying to learn a new art medium, though! Check out my latest attempts if you wanna swing by my other blog ArtByRitva and take a look.
Here are the links: In Seach for my Aquarelle Painting style and Aquarelle Cityscape
I did somethings right when bringing up my kids; now there has been a study about children in nature, in this case in daycare, but I did all by myself as it was so much easier to be outside with the kids than hear them argue and play inside in smaller spaces. I can without lying say I spent about 4-6 hours a day with them in nature and parks, where they could run free, climb trees, and explore the beauty around them. I have to admit it was not so much fun in the winter and late fall. We would often go on little adventures, discovering different plants and insects, which sparked their curiosity and imagination. The joy in their eyes as they splashed in puddles or built mud castles was priceless and created lasting memories for both of us. I was never a stickler to hygiene; instead, I believed that getting a little dirty was part of the fun and an important aspect of growing up. Embracing the elements allowed them to connect with the environment, learn about the world firsthand, and develop a love for the outdoors that I hope will stay with them throughout their lives.
I wanted to share this as I believed in this even without a study 😀 If you have small kids I hope you find the information in the article useful.
Someone made the request to see what I created this weekend. You should be careful what you wish for 😂
A quick introduction to Monotype as a printmaking technique.Result: The resulting print is a “one-off” or “mono” type, as it is the only one of its kind that can be produced from that specific matrix. Process: Monotype is a form of printmaking where an artist creates a unique image on a non-absorbent surface, like glass or metal. We used metal. Image transfer: The image is then transferred to paper by pressing the two surfaces together, either by hand or using a printing press. We used a press.
As a last note, these were the ones I most liked.
Have look if interested, leave a comment if so inclined, but it would be highly appreciated 😀
As Ann-Christine wrote; This week we are starting to look back… each month or maybe every 6 weeks, one of us in the LAPC – team will repeat a PREVIOUSLY USED subject for the week. We will share a link to the old post, and then create a new post on the same subject. This will also give us all a chance to address challenges we may not have done before.
The creativity that has flowed through this group is nothing short of amazing! Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to see the innovative ideas and the contagious enthusiasm of so many talented photographers. Even though I haven’t participated in these challenges from the beginning, I’ve truly felt the heartbeat of this incredible community, where support and inspiration beautifully spark joy. After observing for a while, I finally decided to join in, inspired by the wonderful posts created within this community. Thank you, Ann-Christine, for inviting us to reflect on the earlier days of this challenge with your lovely theme and for sharing your beautiful post from back then Creativity in the first post, #42, as well as the one you created for us this week.
This week, my heart is full of excitement as I decide to raise my own tail and share the delightful creative pursuits that ignite my passion! While I may have strayed a bit lately, I’m determined to rediscover the joy of creating. Whether it’s painting, sculpting, or aquarelle painting, time spent creating with my own hands fills me with happiness.
I am happy to share my little “masterpieces” 😂 with you all! Most of my art I am not happy with, and whenever I come across old paintings I’ve done, I see SO much need for improvement. They may have seemed okay at the time, but now, in hindsight, I realize there are countless aspects that could be enhanced. The colors, the technique, the composition—there’s always something I wish I could change. Despite this, I can genuinely say I enjoyed the creative process of making them at the time. Then there are certain pieces that stand out, ones that I can proudly say are truly mine. These artworks still look good to me and I achieved what I aimed for.
First thing was drawing – I don’t remember when I haven’t done that. Here is one sample done with pastel colors. I have always loved to draw faces as well as photograph them 🙂 As I have moved a lot from early age, I am sad to say my earlier drawing were lost in the process. It would be lovely at this age my work from my teenage years. I have only few left…
In 2011, I dedicated myself to mastering oil painting, achieving mixed results—some pieces I was happy of, while others fell short of my expectations. I shared a handful of these works on my original blog, which I still maintain, though I haven’t kept it updated regularly. If you’re interested, feel free to check out some of my attempts in my art blog as I did a repost of one of my earlier post from 2011. The one below I still like in all of its simplicity.
I was super into mixed media art for a long time, diving headfirst into this colorful world of creativity and expression. I mixed my art with old and new photos to create cool images that touched on different themes like nature, feelings, and my own experiences. My passion for color, which is a big part of these fun and layered pieces, really brought each artwork to life, letting people connect with it emotionally. The mix of textures and materials gave depth to everything, making each piece a one-of-a-kind reflection of my artistic journey and a shoutout to the beauty around us. While I was combining all these elements, I realized each creation had its own story, encouraging others to explore the layers of meaning and inspiration I was excited to share through my creative vision.
Then I also dabbled a bit in sculpture; it’s a wonderfully relaxing and almost meditative form of creativity that offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. You can feel the clay beneath your fingers, its texture smooth yet malleable, inviting your imagination to take flight. Before you know it, you lose track of time, allowing your hands to work deftly while clearing your mind of distractions. As you mold and shape, the scent of the clay becomes a part of the experience, grounding you in the moment. The only thought is about where to add more clay to bring your envisioned result to life, each decision guided by an intuitive understanding of balance and form. This process not only enhances your creative expression but also fosters a deep sense of satisfaction and connection with the material. The joy of watching something take shape under your hands is simply unparalleled, leaving you rejuvenated and inspired.
As an artist, I find watercolor painting to be both exhilarating and frustrating. I have just recently ventured this with some confidence. The fluidity of the medium is a double-edged sword; mastering the right water-to-pigment ratio takes time and practice. Too much water can wash out the vibrancy I strive for, while too little leads to harsh lines that just don’t feel right. Watercolors have a mind of their own—they blend and react in ways I might not anticipate, which can either be a delightful surprise or a source of frustration, depending on how it goes. But despite these challenges, there’s something magical about watercolor. It captures light in a way that few mediums can.
Graphic monotype is a captivating printmaking technique that allows for spontaneous creativity, combining the fluidity of painting with the tactile experience of print. Although I’ve pursued it for several years, achieving the precise results I envision remains a challenge. Each print is unique, offering a beautiful surprise in texture and form, which makes the process both frustrating and exhilarating. The unpredictability and chance elements inherent in monotyping stimulate my artistic expression and keep me returning to this vibrant medium.
Thanks for last week’s challenge Anne,and everyone who participated in the challenge; reflections are a topic so many of us love and I saw lots of beautiful, creative reflections. Lens-Artists are on a short break for a week, but we invite you to join us Saturday July 12 at noon Eastern Time, when our guest host SH will be your guide. Until then, keep on smiling.
For information on how to join the Lens-Artists challenge please click here.
Thank you all my blogger friends who have been with me for years, I truly appreciate you and am inspired by you. A BIG thank you to all my new one I am up to 1999 followers as of now, one short of 2000. Nice to have here. I have been doing this for years and my aim has never been to search or do things that would create a huge following. I just do my thing post photos, sometimes I might even say something 🙂 I is my photo journal, diary of sorts of things I see and experience.
Thank you for joining me on my journey!
I love taking photos, I have been am a self learned photographer, even if I say so myself, I have a good eye. I see beauty all around me.
I take photos of everything that catches my eye, be it a tiny detail of a plant, beautiful view or urban surroundings.
Want a Portrait?
I love taking photos of people from babies to the more mature with the life showing in their appearance and face and everything in the between. Trying to the capture the essence of that person and find the individual beauty in everyone.
If you like the way I capture people, I would love to come and take photos of you or your loved ones. I always use natural light and like to take photos in locations where they are comfortable.
I have added Portfolio of Portraits so you can see my style.
Book a Photo session
Haluatko varata ajan valokuvaan?
Olen ollut itseoppinut valokuvaaja, vaikka itse sanonkin, minulla on hyvä silmä. Kauneutta on joka puolella kun oikein tarkkaan katsoo.
Otan kuvia kaikesta mikä osuu silmään, olipa kyseessä sitten kukan yksityiskohta, kaunis maisema tai urbaani kaupunkiympäristö.
Tykkään ottaa kuvia ihmisistä vauvoista vaariin. Käytän aina luonnonvaloa ja pidän valokuvaamisesta paikoissa, joissa kuvattava tuntee olonsa mukavaksi, kuvata heidät heille tärkeässä ympäristössä
Yritän vangita kuvattavana olevan henkilön olemuksen ja löytää jokaisessa heidän yksilöllisen kauneuden. Otan ylioppilaskuvia, rippikuvia tai vaikka jos omaksi iloksi haluat kuvan ilman sen kummallisempaa syytä Jos pidät tavasta, jolla kuvaan ihmisiä, tulen mielelläni ottamaan kuvia sinusta tai läheisistäsi
Oheisesta linkistä näet ottamiani Portfolio of Portraits
If you are interested in my photos or wish to book a photo session for a portrait please contact me by the form below and I will get back to you to discuss more.
New year is here, one moment of time is once again come and gone. New beginning or continuing of the same. For me the latter I think, not that much is going to change, not directly at least.
I have three boys, all grown up, but my boys. They have lived near me most of the time. Now that is about to change.
One is moving about 600 kilometers away, so are my grandkids that have been living 200 meters from us are moving also, big change. They are not going to pop up for some cookies anymore. The chance to see them grow is changing. Time will tell how it going to workout.
One is going on this travels again, when he is coming back, if he is coming back is in the unknown category. He is drawn to South America, Asia direction. He is starting in Peru and then he goes where the mood takes him.
One is staying put, at least for the time being and if he moves it will be with on half a hours drive.
Changes, but not directly to me, but to the near and dear ones. I will for a time been continue to work for the county as housing counselor, helping people to find homes, stay in their homes and trying to sort out the financial problems they might be facing regarding their housing issues. I have been doing this for the past months, a new direction to me as I have always worked in the private sector in various office jobs.
I do not often say much about myself in this blog, I post photos of the world I see and how I see it. Hoping that they tell the story. Like macro shots, well I am home, nothing much to do I will capture things near me. Summer photos, mostly from my summer home and the travels, not that many in the recent years. As I said, capturing what I see in the world surrounding me. I will continue doing the same thing. My life is not all that interesting, I do art, take photos and am happily married and occasionally see friends. Simple but happy life. Most of the time anyways!
I spent last weekend practicing, learning to do monotype. Janet from THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER THING wanted to know a bit about the technique, so here is some explanation about it.
It is hard, nothing turns out the way you think, you have to be really careful about colors how you lay them on top of each other as they mix in the printing process. white is not recommended, and I leaned why as is blurs the colors. if you wish to have white you scrape it off with various plastic or soft tools so you so not scratch the metal plate or use turpentine.
I was not really happy with any of the prints I got. I will try to silence myself critique and show some of my attempts. sorry about the photos, I just took them quickly with my mobile.
Monotype, , a technique that generally yields only one good impression from each prepared plate. Monotypes are prized because of their unique textural qualities. They are made by drawing on glass or a plate of smooth metal or stone with a greasy substance such as printer’s ink or oil paint. You can use a brush or more often a roller (cylindrical tool for applying paint or ink.)you can see them in the pictures below.
After the artwork you wet the paper for, it has its own kind paper, of course, several minutes. Then you dry the excess off by placing it between newspapers. This is an art form of its self you cannot have too wet paper or you too much paint or it spreads/leaks of the sides of the art work.
You set the metal plate on the press printer , add the wet, paper on top. Next step is to add several layers of felt on top of the plate. However, the tradition of imprinting conveyed in the literature in the field is unambiguous here. When printed, the press has several blankets of different thicknesses and qualities. the basic practice is to stack the blankets so that the densest thin 1/16 remains lowest against the tile and the more porous come on top of 1/8 and 1/4. Combinations vary slightly depending on different techniques and printing papers.
You press it once or twice depending how much color you want to get on the paper.
Yesterday we had vile weather, lots of rain and wind. I still went out, braced myself to the weather, for a good cause. I picked few of my art works from the printer and later took my artwork to the person who commissioned them, sound so formal and grand. I felt so good to see the finalized work to see it as an artwork instead an image on the screen. She was happy, I was happy 🙂
If you like my artwork, take some time to check out my Art By Ritva pages.
Yesterday I had a appointment with a neurologist. I felt rather frustrated after it, doctors and their manners, how they talk to patients. He was not rude, but he did not come across as sincere, compassionate person or as he cared about me and my ailments. He seemed very blaséd.
It felt so good to tell your symptoms to a person who seems not to really care. Not. I think one of the most helpful things to do would be is add training to the doctors on bedside manners and basic listening skills. A doctor might be skilled very knowledgeable, but to get the most information from your patient you need to show interest and care – maybe have some follow up questions. I don’t know. I did not feel all that good after that visit. Nothing had changed from year ago, I did not learn anything new, get explanations…
He sent me to have couple blood tests, I was lucky I got in even if I did not have a appointment in 25 minutes. The lab technician seemed unsure about my test, even went to check if it was the right tube, apparently it was not frequently done test in this hospital. Happy that it was done I drove home only to receive a phone call from the lab that the lab technician has not taken all the tests. Well, mistakes happen so I need to go back today to have the rest.
On Thursday I am going to have my first Covid jab… that is good news.
Now I am trying to figure what photo to add, as I did not take any at the hospital. I cannot have a post without a photo. You know, Ritva Sillanmäki Photography being the title 🙂 So these have no relevance to my text. Swans just happen to be beautiful, graceful birds.
Once again thanks for reading this far about my today’s grievance.
The saying; Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans, is true in many cases. And now, in this moment in time nothing happens, no plans can be made, even if you do are you able to do them in this current situation.
Plus as a fact, you cannot plan life really, it happens. I have had this happen to me so many times. You can make all the plans you want for yourself, but life probably has a completely different set of plans. Everyone has been let down at one time or another when their life hasn’t quite gone the way they would like. I know my life is far from what I had planned and I’m sure a lot of people have had that happen to them, too.
Life molds you as time goes on changing your life as it sees fit. This is not to say that I don’t have a good life, but it is totally different to what I planned when I was young.
in this moment in time, I feel sad, kind of helpless and frustrated at the same time. Depression, I have mild one. A self diagnosis for sure. I think lots of people do at this time. Lots of things contribute to it in my case.
The fact, that I am not able to get a job. I have this feeling, that I don’t know anything or a not able to do anything that is required in the jobs I have skills for. I know I have the skill, but I feel that I don’t. You apply to various positions, maybe get an interview, end up being in the best 2 – 5 people, this is no comfort. Also this relates to the main thing, where am I going to get the money to live. The feeling of being worth something, also in this context.
Covid, it has some effect on everyone I am sure, some more, some less. I have taken it mostly OK, it is what it is. Still, that you are not able to do all the things you want to is restrictive. I am in the good situation that all my family is close and we are able to be in contact. But one of the concerns is that it has caused also unemployment in the younger generation including my kids, so you worry about their income.
Also depression has hit some of my close ones hard, not mildly but severely. It is hard to see how it takes hold of the person and how it resonates to the people close to them. The helpless feeling as you do not know how to help. Action more than words are more effective.
Winter is, and never has been, the best of the seasons, and people who have read my post in the past know this. I have complained about enough. But as winter go this was not the worst by all means. And spring is on it’s way, I am so happy about that.
I’ll stop now. Work on my art and photos to put my mind out of this non productive rambling.
If you read this far, thank you 🙂
I got a request from a woman whose husband had once when they started dating, long time ago, said to her that his ideal woman in the beauty sense was Sophia Loren. Now she wanted to surprise him with an artwork that had Sophia in it.
So I went to work, I did several sketches and used different photos trying to capture a look that worked for me, as I need to be happy with it before I can show it to anyone. Then I asked for the main color that they wanted for the piece. It was orange. I also needed to know what size they would like it to be. Wow, they wanted it to be 100 x 140cm. That’s big I had never had one of my art been printed to that size.
I sent her this as an example of what I thought was nice and suitable for the space. She came over to look at all the options and we decided that this was the one, she saw the others too, liked this one best.
Now I had to finalize the work by going through the picture with big zoom to see that the pixels would not be too obvious, as this was BIG. I got all the the issues that I found fixed, so that it could be printed.
I think this turned out rather nice 🙂 It looked really big when we took the wraps off it, but on the wall not so much so.
If you wish to see more of my artwork you can see them at https://artbyritva.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/artbyritva/
I wonder where dreams come from… from where from the subconscious the images, come from
This morning I woke from a dream, a color one, where I was with people, lots of subtle conversation around the place all trying to make a bid on a painting. It was a man in the field with a scythe cutting crops of wheat, In my mind I saw the long curved blade at the end of a long pole. Blue sky in the background…autumn landscape from the countryside. In my dream the the words scythe and crop came up often, but the conversation in the back was vague. We could not find a resolution who was going to own this piece of art.
I woke, and called out to my hubby in the next room, he had already started in work day in his office (not a long distance to go to work, as it is located next to our bedroom)
-Do you remember… telling him about the picture in my mind – have we had a poster a LP or something like this…in my mind I had a name – Tom Petty – I did not voice it.
He remembered that we had the Southern Accents LP in our vinyls , it is the sixth studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, kid you not, the image I had in my dream was , the cover art for the album Southern Accents.
I love the way he is able to pick up my idea, what I am searching for subtle hints that i randomly tell him and give me my answers to the music questions I have…well this time cover art ..
The thing is, I have not looked at this LP or listened to Tom Petty lately, thought I have often done so in the past, but recently not so much, not at all really.
Where did this memory come from, why, it was so vivid..
So that is my question for today… where to dreams come from, is there a meaning reason for them. Why am I thinking of harvest, art, scythe in the middle of winter.
Happy New Year 2021! Hyvää uutta vuotta 2021!
Wishing you 12 months of success, 52 weeks of laughter, 365 days of fun, 8760 hours of joy, 525600 minutes of good luck, and 31536000 seconds of happiness. Happy New Year!
Wishing everyone a safe and peaceful Christmas!
I am amazed, I really am!
It was way back (2016) when I was so happy to have 1000 followers and now slowly, but surely it is now 1700 followers. You have to come to follow me on your own accord, not due to my activity on commenting or following that many new bloggers, as I am rather bad at that. Thank you all for staying on with me all these years and for the new ones, THANK YOU SO MUCH for he follow! I do truly appreciate it, as I do not do this to gain followers, not really, but I appreciate you liking my recent ramblings and photos.
I remember that back in the days you took an apple to say thanks’, so here you are!
Some ranting from a blogger who usually does not share that much personal staff other than photographs, that also tell a story about a woman who is happy and has a positive outlook on life. I still do have a positive attitude, in spite of this post.
I think this is the most I’ve written about me personally about what I do, or did for a living. I have tried not to be a bore, but why not share. I have nothing to loose or be ashamed off, not an employer or a co-worker to to take offence of my opinions.
So I have a dream, of seeing far away places, sunset and sunrises, new experiences and being able to work to support myself.
It is a good thing. I am not going to let this thing get me down, make my bitter or loose hope.
I am a middle aged woman, with a dream, even though I know it won’t come true, it is still a dream. I would love to earn from my art and photographs.
Or getting a job. I have been unemployed for a 18 months and not a job in site for a woman of my age. Covid-19 is also a factor, but a small one compared to age discrimination. I am being put into my own reference bloc; not innovative enough, too expensive, too much experience, too much wrinkles (no I know that is not the issue)it is the age factor.
Also in Finland, it seems to be impossible to get a assistant, coordinator or office work position if you do not have a degree from a Vocational university also known as university of applied sciences. I don’t have that, I have hands on experience since 1990’s, only 30 years, but now days it does not account for nothing ( she says bitterly 🙂 )
Covid-19 made it nearly impossible for anyone to get employed, in Finland 60% of the workforce worked from home. And in is still an ongoing thing. it is time consuming, job applying for jobs, The CV is ready, but writing a letter to go with is so hard when basically all you wish is to get a job and you have to sell yourself in in every letter, but also trying to tell them why you want to work for them… really. I want a job, I do not have a five year plans etc. I don’t care that much which sector they are in, I want to use the skills I have and earn a living.
I have been having trouble with getting the comments and likes etc to my screen. This feature did not at all, I mainly saw them on my app on my phone. Not the most convenient to say the least, it frustrated me totally. I got help, I have to say that when you contact the help on WordPress they do respond immediately. I appreciate that. That said, I had an invasion of spams, mainly from Russia and they all were sent in the past week over 2500 of them. They jammed my sites!!!
That is huge amount – 2500 spams in weeks time, please see your sites if similar thing is happening to you. All these came after I’ve updated the themes on both of my sites Ritva’s Art- Photography and ART BY RITVA .
The photo I’ve chosen is in no way related to the topic. It is a photo of an old ledger book. I just like the photo 🙂
Hi all,
it is nearly new year and I decided to make a bold move. I changed my theme here on WP – what do you think? My aim was to lessen the clutter and give the spotlight on my photos.
As you know I am not a writer, I don’t have that much to say at least I do not think that too many would be interested in my rambling style of writing. My writing reflects the clutter in my mind, hopping and popping from one thought to an other. So to get a something other than a mind flow kind of text from me here is a challenge. I reserve that to my work. This is for my photos, the way I see the world through my lens.
As a hint of the coming month – I am once again picking a theme. I will be visiting friends in Florida in January, so my photos will be filled with sunshine and sights. I am posting some photos from my previous trip to begin with and when I get there, my uploads will all from my mobile as I an not going to carry my laptop with me – you know I will be on holiday.
Hi, I have finally activated myself at my Facebook page, I would highly appreciate a follow if you are in the mood for it. Sometimes it easier to look at the pictures a there than to come to the blogs, so if interested here is a link Ritva’s Art – Ritva Sillanmäki . I should give it a new name, that sounds so boring, even if it is kind of informative, any suggestions ?
Hi all,
time for my moment in sun – this years winter vacation is starting tomorrow. See you all in February with new photos. Looking forward to nice restaurant, good food, sea, SUN and warmth. Warm Florida awaits for us.
This photo is from a visit to Capri and has nothing to do with my next destination. I just like the photo 🙂 the feeling in it.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 