This rare Finnish crocodile made me smile. I knew he had not crawled up from the nearby lake. In Finland crocodiles can only be found in the world of art, or perhaps in a zoo. This big fellow was guarding the lawn sprinkled with water lilies at Leporanta Art Center, not far from my childhood home. And he was not alone. There was the familiar man with the horse, whom I first met several years ago.
And an impressive bronze bird, an eagle perhaps, who had settled in the yard more recently.
On the only rainy day during my visit ‘back home’, we decided to visit the annual art exhibition just before it would close for the fall. At Leporanta, paintings are shown in traditional log houses and old barns, but sculptures made of iron, copper, wood, glass and composite materials are exhibited all over the vibrantly green grounds. Here a friend, my niece and my sister are examining handmade glass decorations at one of the log buildings.
I was smiling at the cute family swinging happily in front of the main house: mother, father and son. Family fun rarely seen.
Inside the exhibition buildings we found smaller sculptures and paintings by both professional artists and amateurs. Many different materials, styles and price tags. To my delight I found lots of bird motives. Like this painting on wood boards by artist Marianne Kantanen.
I thoroughly enjoyed a series of playful lithographs of birds – here two of them. And I also liked the painting of a fantasy bird on hammered copper. I thought it was unique and colorful.
There were numerous beautiful oils, acrylics and watercolors. In particular, my eye was caught by two delicate, moody paintings by artist Vappu Kiili.
I would have loved to buy a few paintings to take home, but since I always travel light with only one carry-on bag and my wallet was fairly light too, I had to settle for two hand-painted watercolor cards by artist Seija Laukkanen.
After a couple of hours we had seen it all, a great variety of beautiful works. This exhibition never disappoints. When we finally came out again the rain had stopped. On our way home we passed another lake, one of thousands in Finland, and I thought it was pretty serene. Almost like a painting.
Thank you for coming along. I hope you enjoyed the tour. My last post in this R & R series will bring us back into the nature around our lake ‘back home’.
TINY LESSONS BLOG 
The eagle sculpture really stands out! I want one! lol 🙂
You are not alone 🙂 I loved it too, and all the smaller animal sculptures made of wood.
wonderful art!
I had missed this exhibition for the last three years because I went to visit later in the fall – it was great!
Beautiful Tiny, thanks for sharing more of your original homeland, it is such a beautiful place. Like you, I thought the last picture was a painting till I read what you wrote. The water lily pic is impressive and beautiful, and the eagle would look good in any garden:-)
This day was the only really rainy one, and it was really fun at the end. So many wonderful sculptures and paintings! And the whole environment was so vibrant and beautiful. Yes, I would love to have the eagle on my terrace 😀
I love sculptures in nature! These look enchanting 💛 thank you for sharing part 2! xo
Thanks for coming along, my friend! The Art Center as a whole was such a beautiful place, the grounds sprinkled with sculptures of animals of all kinds! XO
Beautiful! So happy to get a glimpse through your lens 🙂
Thank you for coming along on this little tour, my friend! It was a beautiful rainy day at the end 🙂
Wonderful sculptures, and I love those quirky ‘swingers’. 🙂 Your lake photos is so serene and yes, it does look like a painting. Looking forward to an update from the salt marsh.
Happy you liked the ‘swingers’ Sylvia. Many things we found in that art center were amusing or playful – a feel good place for sure 🙂 We stopped at the small boat harbor and looking in the other direction from all the boats, I saw this idyllic lake scene. I have one more post from Finland and then we’ll be back to the salt marsh.
Unique. I enjoyed the tour, thanks! 🙂
Happy you came along on this little tour, Maverick 🙂
The exhibition has some amazing art pieces Helen and I agree, your last picture does look like a painting! Hard to pick the best. 💚
I had missed this exhibition for many years now, but this time I was in luck…last weekend it was open for this summer. So many beautiful works. Happy enjoyed, Karen.
The camera was a wonderful invention! Now we can bring memories home in picture form and not just from our sometimes faulty human memories. ❤
I agree with you on the camera…lovely to preserve memories that we can come back to at any time. Our memories are quite faulty…I asked my dad about the 7 feet long snake I found in our garden when I was small. He laughed and said the snake was a very small one, 2-3 feet at best 🙂
Everything was bigger when we were small. lol
Love this post, because art is very near to my heart.
I know from your beautiful pictures that you love art. Happy you liked this small report from the exhibition, Matti.
Wonderful tour with such interesting works of art, I loved it all.
I am very happy you enjoyed the little art tour, Susan.
So glad you’re enjoying your trip back ‘home’, Tiny. Fascinating article. The sculptures are amazing and and I love the lake photo. It does indeed look like a painting.
Thank you Isabella. The art was truly beautiful and the surroundings with all the sculptures so serene. The idyllic lake we passed on our way home reminded me of all the nature-themed art in the exhibition.
At first I thought that last photo was a painting. Anyway, it belong with all the art you saw at Leporanta.
Yes, the lake appeared to me too almost as if it were a part of the exhibition we had just visited 🙂
I could look at these all day….people are so darn creative aren’t they?
Yes they are…I particularly liked the playfulness of some of the art works.
That croc is crafty!
Looks like a great outing, Tiny. Like you, I often buy note cards rather than wall hangings . . . they take up less space.
It was a great outing for a rainy day. I really like the cards I bought…just the right size for a memento from the exhibition.
I was thinking of you this morning as I was missing your regular check in’s. So happy to see you were able to visit home for a bit. I had missed your earlier post of R & R Part 1 and just now went to catch up. Love seeing the places you grew up and hearing your stories. There is beauty everywhere and I am so glad you were able to capture it for us! Safe and enjoyable travels!
Thanks you, Cyndi, for coming along on this little tour. I am back home now and just visited the salt marsh for the first time after my return…what a reception 🙂
I often think nature is the best of all artists, Helen, so the photograph of the lake gets my greatest admiration. 🙂
I fully agree with you Hariod. What we produce, however beautiful, still comes second to the art of nature.
Very good art but the lake topped them all.
I tend to agree 🙂
Amazing! I especially love the gator 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Must have been a joy to see family and friends, Helen. Don’t blink, else it changes, comes to mind!
I love the ‘moody’ paintings and all the sculptures. Like Genie, I want an eagle too, plus a croc, a man with a horse…. etc., etc.
Your ‘rare’ contribution certainly meets the criteria… 🙂
Happy you enjoyed my ‘rare’ contribution, Carolyn 🙂 It was a great joy to be with my dad, my sister and my niece, and to meet aunts and several cousins (one of who just traveled back to Australia for the second part of his producer stint). The art center visit became a highlight of the only totally rainy day I had during my visit.
What an enchanting place! I love the idea of an inside/outside art museum with different small buildings to meander through and around. I would have been very tempted to buy “A Moment of Reflection” and ship it home. 🙂 Definitely a one-of-a-kind gift shop.
It truly was an enchanting place, Barbara. I would have loved to buy several art works, but because of the lightness of my wallet I didn’t even come to consider the shipping option 🙂
Beautiful post, dear Tiny!! I’m with you on those paintings …. I stared and drank deeply for a long time. And your last photograph took my breath away. Incredible capture and yes it does look like a painting. This is the “look” I am going after with my landscape and macro images because for some reason it just speaks volumes to me. Thank you for sharing with us this beautiful place. ❤
I am so happy you liked the lake picture, dear Amy. When I stood there and looked at the view, I thought of a painting. It was so idyllic and I edited it just slightly. I love your macros and I am determined to practice more using my new Canon 100 mm macro lens. You are an inspiration my friend ❤
I’m beginning to put my camera settings on some of my images, Tiny. The only thing I am omitting is WB. I usually shoot either shade or cloudy WB to get that mysterious look and I make sure that my flowers are always out of direct sunlight. I also underexpose when shooting macro. It’s taken me years to get where I am today, dear friend. Just take it slow, and follow your Heart. What makes you light up? You’ll know it when you see it. YOU inspire me how you take images of birds. That is one area of photography I just have not got the experience. Anytime you have questions or need help, ask. I mean it. I know how challenging it has been for me to learn what I have. I’ll be more then happy to share what I have learned. 🙂 ❤
Thank you my friend ❤ , I will.
The paintings are lovely! I share a similar issue too, when seeing a painting that I like during my travel.. Love the sculptures too!
Thank you for coming along for the exhibition tour, Indah! Happy you liked what you saw 🙂
The metal sculptures are awesome! The little crocodile is so funny and lovely done:)
The crocodile and the other guys are happy you liked them 🙂
Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip back home! I felt so peaceful scrolling through this post…the photos are so beautiful:) We all need a good dose of love from HOME 😉 Have a super week🌻