Some old and one new coloring pages for kids! They aren’t my best work but some might like them :)

In Finnish for the googlers: VÄRITYSKUVIA!

I need someone to tell me to finish my children’s book. Really. I need someone to kick my ass (we really use that expression in Finnish not for violence, but for when someone is encouraging, almost forcing you to do something when you yourself are too lazy to do it) when I stop drawing and writing it.

I’ve had this story in my head since I was 18 or so. FIFTEEN YEARS I’ve known it, the whole plot, the main characters and their adventures in a strange fantasy land. Back then, I actually had 12 paintings ready for it, but I sold them since I was young and stupid and needed the money. The pictures were framed and all, and I was working for this.. I guess you could call it a media study group. There were also some theater folks working alongside of us, and they did a fun trip to Ireland to do a few plays and meet some local colleagues. They took me with them, and I had a couple of short art exhibitions featuring my paintings. And me, telling the whole story to groups of people.

I think the best memory of those storytelling sessions was this old, lovely couple who came to tell me they had visited Finland 10 years earlier and that my style of painting reminded them of Akseli Gallen-Kallela. Whhaaat! I took it as a huge compliment, although I still can’t see how they made that connection. I mean really.

On our way back to Finland, I lost a couple of those paintings – I still have no idea if they’re hanging on someone’s wall or if they were just destroyed as suspicious packages at some airport.

After that, I had an exhibition at a library in Helsinki – the kids’ department librarians actually told me it’s amazing they haven’t been published, and wondered how I never offered them to any publishing house. So that gave me a bit of courage to actually think of doing so. Now I just need the backbone to paint everything again and do it.

I don’t mind selling / losing the pictures anymore, cause I think some of them weren’t good enough anyway. But it’s fun to think about – what if I’d finished the story back then and someone actually published it? Would I now be a happy author, making a living by painting and drawing these characters or a dozen others?

Who knows. As Tuitu says, you must not regret the life you’ve lived. I agree – there’s nothing I can do about the past anyway.

So, now. I have to start working on this. I don’t know if anyone is gonna like it, or publish it, but at least I’d get some peace of mind. I’ve set a schedule now, let’s see if I can keep it or do I really need someone to KICK MY ASS.

It’s not obsession. It’s dedication. Digital painting, wacom and stuff.

Winter photos. Some of you might know how I feel about this time of the year, so you can imagine how much courage it took to spend 30minutes outside just to get these pictures.

The Gannet. She’s protecting to girl on her back, but the rest of the story.. you’ll just have to figure it out. This one’s for sale, too.

Me and a friend of mine are working on this big project, that will actually give me some more REAL work to do. We’re gonna start a blog about that later on, and you’ve been warned: I will promote that thing a LOT in the upcoming months! So excited!!! Wish us luck, we really need it.

Hello reader! Just a quick update – a couple of paintings I’ve been working on. They’re all for sale! If you’re interested, send me an e-mail or leave your e-address in the comments!

“Hugger Tree” & “My Voice” – Acrylic on deep edge canvas, 20cm x 20cm.

“The Crocodile Ride”: Width 90cm, height 32cm (with frame). Original china ink drawing with wooden frame, passepartout and glass.

Helsinki maksaa freteille 10 euron tuntipalkkaa

Freteistä eli kesyhillereistä on tullut Helsingin kaupungin työntekijöitä. Kaupunki ottaa frettejä citykanijahtiin ja maksaakin työstä. Suomen Frettiliitto pohtii paraikaa, millaisia työehtosopimuksia näätäeläimille pitäisi tehdä. Kaniongelman levitessä lemmikeille riittää kohta työtä eri puolilla Suomea.

Koko uutinen Taloussanomien sivuilla.

Guess this will only open up to my Finnish readers…

Basicly, we’ve been having this “city rabbit” problem in Helsinki. These small-ish rabbits, originated from pet rabbits (escaped or worse, freed on purpose) have been taken over the city, breeding quickly). The city of Helsinki is now considering using ferrets to sort out the problem. These tame, trained hunting ferrets would chase the rabbits out of their holes and they could then be catched and sold on to the local zoo for carnivores. The ferrets (their owners) would be paid for their work 10 euros per hour.

In this drawing the ferret is queueing to pay for new harness he’s been wanting for a long time. Hmm, explaining the joke kinda takes the fun out of it, huh?

A moon man, a starry night. Inspired by a music video by Poets of the Fall – not an exact copy but not far from it either. Acrylic on canvas, 100cm x 50cm, FOR SALE. Doesn’t necessarily need framing, since the canvas edges are black and neat.

Contact via e-mail tiia@unikissa.com for details!

So, I finally did it. I booked flights to Dublin and I’m leaving in less than four weeks. I have no idea where I’m going, yet, but I have a few options open. Anyway, it’s going to be something to do with animals and volunteer work. I’m gonna stay on a farm or an animal center for 3-4 weeks, find out what it’s like, then maybe go back at some point to stay even longer.

This is something I’ve been dreaming about for my whole life! Doing it now! And I couldn’t be more excited. What I don’t get is the fact it’s taken me years to actually make the decision and leave – now that the flight is booked, it feels like the easiest thing in the world. I might end up going from farm to farm, seeing the world, meeting new people for the rest of my life! Who knows.

Oh yeah, wait. I still have a fiance and a dog in Finland. Well, I’ll just have to balance these two things!

The black paintings I posted earlier – I just sold the other one a few days ago. The butterfly picture is still here and ready for a new loving home! I’m planning to do two bigger ones (100 x 50cm) soon, so keep posted!

Here are the latest paintings and details from them. Both are the same size, 80cm x 40cm and for sale. Will be putting them up in my store soon. Acrylic on canvas, inspiration for both came from two beaaaautiful music videos, old favourites.

I was thinking I’d do a whole series of these, already got a bunch of ideas.

Oh yeah. I switched to English now. You like?