Sunset in Stockholm’s Old Town brings the centuries old buildings to life in warm hues. I reflect. It’s is like walking in an old painting. I can feel the touch of the paint brush, sometimes gentle, other times more intense. Life in vibrant colors.
The streets are still lively at this hour and I melt in like I had never left.
I soak in the history of the narrow alleys guarded by old residential buildings. The echo of little feet running on the cobble stone streets in their Sunday shoes from the 1800s is still there.
And in my mind’s eye I can still see people from long ago drinking from the fountain at the Big Plaza.
From there I walk to the Royal Palace. And from the top of the palace hill I admire the huge canvas opening in front of me. The blue hour in Stockholm.
Leaving the palace and the Old Town behind me, I walk towards the city center.
Crossing the first bridge, I spott familiar buildings, like the Royal Opera House…
… and the City Hall, where I’d gotten married so many years ago. The sky glows in the colors of love. And I feel a profound touch of the Painter’s brush.
I stand here for a long while. As the day is fading away, I walk out of this painting into the next. The one depicting my current realities. And I still feel good.
To my delight, I also get an opportunity to visit an art exhibition of recent works by Lars Lerin at the Liljevalchs art gallery. And I invite you to join me.
Lerin is a beloved, contemporary Swedish watercolor master. My sister is a fan of his paintings, and while I have not seen his much of his work previously, I immediately fall in love with his fascinating watercolor worlds. The play of light is mesmerizing – whether he depicts Nordic nature scenes …
…or ships on the ocean.
His cityscapes are captivating too, not only because of the typical drama of light and darkness…
… but also because he gives us a peek into the life behind the lit windows. Love, disagreements, fights, forgiveness and laughter. Looking at the details in his multi-panel paintings, like the one below from Agadir, Morrocco, I feel touched by the lives of the people living there.
And in his darker paintings, such as the ones below from Syria, the pain of destruction brought by war is palpable.
Whether Lerin portrays drama and darkness or a quiet night camping under the stars, his work moves me. A new fan is born. One of many.
This post concludes the summer 2018 Stockholm series. Thank you for walking with me again. Have a wonderful week ahead.
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.
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’.
The skillfully sculpted exhibits featured artists from the 60s and 70s, like Jimi Hendrix…
…and Janis Joplin, both with an impressive hair of soft sand.
Some wild rock bands, like Kiss, were also featured…
…along with good ol’ bluegrass bands. Such an impressive detail. I could almost hear the banjo playing and feel the foot tapping on the sand.
Some classics, like the Glenn Miller Band, were present too.
And jazz of course, here represented by the phenomenal Louis Armstrong.
My visit to this exhibition was just a couple of days after the death of Prince. A sculptor was at work to add him into the parade of musicians who had passed away recently…
…such as David Bowie, here portrayed as Ziggy Stardust.
I really liked this whimsical portrait of Bob Marley. It made me smile too.
And I was intrigued by the fine representatives of the first musicians, the troubadours. They put their heart on their sleeve while serenading fine ladies. Sometimes with mixed success, I guess.
All in all it was a very interesting exhibition of sand sculptures. I am full of admiration for the sculptors and how they are able to create something so delicate yet durable out of the sugar soft sand we have here.
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