The moment of respite has already passed; let the journey continue

Organizing an exhibition is always a major undertaking, especially a solo show. In group exhibitions, costs and responsibilities are shared, but in a solo show, the reins rest solely in the hands of the gallerist and the artist. My exhibition at the small window gallery Räyhä in Turku has now come to a happy close, and I've taken a moment to breathe.

The journey continues. I feel an almost urgent need to paint something less representational, as a counterbalance to the intensity of the exhibition works. I'm currently working on landscape paintings. They speak of mountains, inner peace, and connection to nature.

This perhaps reflects my way of making art: after an intense phase of work comes another equally intense phase, but often I shift technique or mode of expression. Figurative feminist expression now gently steps into the background, and I seek freer forms with oil paints, without strict boundaries. At least for a while. Life, and especially art, is constant change: the evolving bond between gaze and emotion.

I don't know if composers or writers experience this same state of mind, but I've always felt this way. Perhaps I seek balance through change. Because I paint intuitively, I don't want to force myself into artistic frames. It's like chasing your own shadow, you never quite catch it. That's also my passion in painting: the ongoing search for unborn works and the struggle to find them. Listening to one's soul and mind, the compelling need to pause and hear the inner voice. The medium is only a tool for the feeling, an attempt to translate it into light, color, and brushstrokes.

If you enjoy nature-inspired art prints or slightly abstract green-toned landscape paintings, now's a good time to stay tuned.

Take care and have a beautiful autumn, Warmest regards, Hanna 🍂