ARKEO series
detail from ARKEO #2
My latest completed work may now be viewed in my gallery - please have a look at ARKEO.
Regular readers may find the first one looks familiar. Now titled ARKEO #1, I had posted about in its earliest form, then in a later state. You may find it interesting to compare its development.
I work mostly in series and I usually wait to complete the whole series before I come up with the title. This time I have only three completed pieces to start with but the title came to me readily. However I hesitate to write too much about it in case it will limit the directions that future pieces in the series may take.
As always, I struggle with the words summarizing my work. It's particularly challenging for me to do so in one or two sentences, such as for this 'gallery'. A huge thank you goes to my visiting daughter Anita, a writer and editor, for brainstorming with me last night, helping me to clarify what my work is about and guiding me to a concise way to say it. This morning, it was clear to me that I'm still continuing to explore variations on the same themes as I did in my earlier series going back over more than a decade: messages (Silent Messengers series), connections (Nexus series), paths (Paths series), and transformation, deterioration (Meta-morphosis series) in the context of past, present and future. (See, this is wordy. Hope you like the one in the gallery much better.)
Posted by Marja-Leena on August 26, 2008 1:49 PM
Comments
Oh Marja-leena, I LOVE this work. #3 especially speaks to me. I'll be anxious to see what else happens in this series.
Posted by: Joan Rough | 16:34 26 August 2008
Beautiful work, Marja-Leena.
Posted by: Dave | 20:22 26 August 2008
I find these beautiful, complex and exciting. So much a continuation of earlier work, but a new direction also. The online gallery is a lovely interface, but seeing the detail also makes me realise how much of such delicate, multi-layered work can only be seen in the original. Still, it is wonderful to be able to share your newest work in this way.
Posted by: Jean | 06:40 27 August 2008
A recurring problem for the magazine editor: trying to fuse the skills of the design artist with those of the wordsmith.
You need graphics to illustrate an article. You summarise the article and the artist nods, having failed to understand a single word. What did you have in mind? the artist asks. Well I want you to use your imagination; I'm no artist and it might work this way; but I stress I want you to come up with something much better, an artists's interpretation.
Whereupon the artist dully reproduces that lousy idea you offered as an example.
This is the first time I've heard of this problem travelling in the opposite direction. You're lucky to have someone from the other side of the fence in your family. But then you're no slouch at writing anyway.
Posted by: Barrett Bonden | 07:39 27 August 2008
Just my sort of thing, Marja-Leena. Mysterious, elemental, archetypal. If we look deep enough, these images are familiar dwellers within our minds. You bring them out of the darkness into the light.
Posted by: Joe Hyam | 09:22 27 August 2008
Joan, thank you, I'm pleased you like these.
Dave, thanks!
Jean, I'm so pleased by your thoughtful words, thank you. I've been thinking of posting more of these kind of 'details' and you've confirmed for me that it may be a good thing.
Barrett, interesting story!! Communication by images OR by words and the challenges of making both work together. Yes, I'm blessed by talented and helpful daughters: a writer, an artist, and a designer, all artists really. My husband is disappointed that not one has inherited his engineering genes, though the youngest does have his math brains.
Joe, how beautifully you write about my work, thank you! How would you like a job as my publicist-agent?
Posted by: marja-leena | 10:25 27 August 2008
they are lovely...
Posted by: rosie | 14:46 27 August 2008
Rosie, thank you.
Posted by: marja-leena | 21:24 27 August 2008
Oh wonderful, beautiful. I particularly love number 3 which has a huge sense of journey for me. Wow. And what Jean said about the details. I so want to see these in the flesh.
Posted by: rr | 02:27 28 August 2008
rr, glad you like!
Posted by: marja-leena | 15:11 28 August 2008
Oh, those are wonderful! So interesting - each of them with two separated spaces bridged by the human touch.
Posted by: leslee | 16:22 28 August 2008
beautiful! Stunning! spirit stirring!
Posted by: taina | 17:10 28 August 2008
Leslee, you are always so supportive and appreciative, thank you!
Taina, kiitos paljon! Thanks so much for your spirited response.
Posted by: marja-leena | 21:04 28 August 2008
These speak to me so deeply about our human experience. Beautiful work, Marja-leena. I feel so proud to know you through the blog!
Posted by: patry francis | 19:12 30 August 2008
Patry, thank you so much for your positive words on my work, it means a lot to me, as does your friendship!
Posted by: marja-leena | 22:29 30 August 2008
Marja-Leena, I only caught up with blogs today after a bit of a gap. I am deeply intrigued by your images, and have returned to them a couple of times already. I find them fascinating: layers of technique and manipulated composition, they are so rewardingly contemplative. I suspect that they would stand looking at over years, still giving answers to questions we never thought to ask.
Posted by: Olga | 14:35 02 September 2008
Olga, your always thoughtful and generous responses give me great pleasure, thanks!
Posted by: marja-leena | 18:13 02 September 2008
Marja-leena,
Lovely images. Your work only gets better and better my dear! xo
Posted by: Heidi Henderson | 13:33 05 September 2008
Thanks so much, Heidi! Great to hear from you.
Posted by: marja-leena | 18:17 05 September 2008