Ho ho ho!

Napa Illustrations wishes y'all a merry christmas, and an illustrative new year!

Jenni Rope / Pienen iltahetki

Jenni Rope illustrated this beautiful CD booklet for The Parish Union of Helsinki. The CD booklet, commissioned by Dynamo Advertising, consists a CD, a songbook and a poster. Pienen iltahetki CD is given as a gift for Helsinkian families with newly born babies.

Jenni, what was the brief of the commission?

"The brief was to make record cover illustration for a CD booklet of traditional children's songs remakes."

What kind of technique did you use for this work?

"The art director Jere Saulivaara suggested me one of my techniques, the pencil texture drawing style. I was happy to go with it, as I hadn't used it for a couple of years. Illustrating something like angels and Christian symbols felt easy for me with this style. I added some collage bits to the style to make it more colorful and happy."

You were asked to make a remake of this traditional painting of angel guiding two little kids over the bridge. Was it hard to make your own version of it?

"First I thought it would be a tough one, but actually when I got into it, it came out very fresh I think. To some parts of it I was working with a light table and some part I went just freehand. It's a bit different looking than my drawings usually and I was surprised that it felt good doing it."

How was the commission in over all?

"This work was very interesting and challenging for me. I'm happy with the result! The booklet is sent to thousands of Helsinkian families with newly born babies and I guess a lot of people will be looking at it and listening to it. I'm sure it will be a nice present for them.

The CD booklet is part of the Pienelle parasta campaign. Jenni has also illustrated the web site and brochure for the campaign.

Terhi Ekebom / Multicoloured Dreams

Have you noticed that construction site walls in Helsinki look somehow nicer than usually? It might have something to do with Multicoloured Dreams, a visual movement taking over the temporary constructions and fabrications and turning them as street art galleries.

Our illustrator Terhi Ekebom was asked to participate in Multicoloured Dreams' project Serie 2-Miesten Viiko. Go and check out Terhi's wall painting Palikkakaupunki on Kiseleff's house construction site wall, right next to The Senate Square.

http://mcdreams.wordpress.com/

New arrivals at the Kasper Stromman Exclusive Webshop

With christmas just around the corner, what better way to do your christmas shoppping than by clicking your way to the Kasper Stromman Exclusive Webshop? With new and exciting products hand picked by Mr. Stromman himself, the discerning customer will be sure not to leave the site empty handed.

“Our clientele will no doubt be more than pleased byt these new arrivals” muses Kasper Stromman, “so much in fact, that we feel this new range of goods is almost like a christmas present in itself”.

This enchanted yuletide journey starts at www.kasperstromman.com.

Jenni Rope / The Open Daybook

Jenni Rope was invited to design one page for The Open Daybook, published by Mark Batty Publishers in November 2010. All the original work from the book will be also exhibited at LACE in Los Angeles from January 5, 2011.

"The Open Daybook, edited by David P. Earle, is both compilation of original art work and a functional perpetual calendar. Over the course of a single year, three hundred and sixty five artists were assigned a date and given 24 hours to create a work of art. Each artist's day is a page in the book. The design of each dated page allows users to record their life and engage artistically with this diverse array of wonderful artists."

NYC launch at Printed Matter - Saturday, December 11th, 5 - 7pm

http://www.davidpearle.com/theopendaybook

Elina's animation in Kiasma-teatteri

Stage Fright (drawn animation, 2 min, 2008)
by Elina Minn
1.12 at 18.00 / Kiasma-teatteri
In a screening of short art films dealing with stage and performance.
More info here

Psst, it's free.

Jenni Rope: Paintings / Napa Galleria 27.10. – 27.11.2010

Jenni Rope: Paintings / 27.10. – 27.11.2010

“Laita siihen, että kun Nukku-Matti meni sateisenharmaana loppukesän päivänä metsäretkelle, poimi oksia ja kukkia ja sieniä, maalasi ne, leikkasi maalauksen silpuksi, meni nukkumaan, näki unta puusta ja vuoresta, käveli unissaan silpun luokse ja liimasi palaset paperille, niin siinä on Jenni Ropen työ.” –Anonyymi ystävä

Viimeisen vuoden aikana Ropen töitä on nähty vain ulkomailla. My Forest-maalaussarja on kiertänyt Chicagossa, Berliinissä ja Tokiossa. Napa Gallerian näyttely esittelee näistä näyttelyistä valikoidun kokoelman akryyli- ja kollaasimaalauksia sekä miniveistoksia.

Napa Galleria
Eerikinkatu 18
Helsinki

Avoinna ke-pe 12-18, la 12-16

www.jennirope.com
www.napabooks.com

Tigertime!

You're not one of ”those people” who think it's lame to exhibit in a library, are you? Well think again, because how often do you get to see artwork this classy, anywhere? That's right, not very often.

How fun then that Kasper is displaying some “roaring” artwork from his children's book Tigerkontoret at Rikhardinkadun kirjasto this month. Think about it; you could borrow a book on some interesting subject while you're there anyway. That can't be a bad thing.

Esteban at the Helsinki Book Fair

Tomorrow there's the rare chance to hear Kasper talk about his book Kiitos Esteban 2002–2010 at the Helsinki Book Fair. So rare in fact that it will happen twice: one o'clock at the Comics Society stand and five o'clock at the Kirjakahvila stage.

Kaspers regrets to announce that long time friend and collaborator Bo Hager couldn't make it to the fair, but he might read an open letter from the the man instead. How exciting is that?

Pauliina Mäkelä: Supermarsu

VISU Gallery is exhibiting Napa illustrator Pauliina Mäkelä’s works in November. Exhibition is showing Pauliina’s illustrations made for the popular book series Supermarsu, written by Paula Noronen.

Exhibition is part of the children’s and juvenile’s Loistavaa! event and will be open from October 30 to January 27.

Welcome to opening party on Sat 30.10. from 2-4 pm!

Visu Galleria, Pormestarinkatu 2, 67100 Kokkola

Open Tue-Wed, Fri-Sat 12-16 & Thu 16-20

www.pauliinamakela.com

JANNE HARJU, designer of the Valentine's Day stamps 2011!!

Take a look at the cool stamps designed by Napa's illustrator Janne Harju! The stamps were designed especially for Valentine's Day greetings, 2011. Read more on Itella's web site (in Finnish).

..and if you're on Facebook: see more pics here.

6G julistenäyttely / Ossi Pirkonen

6G-graafikkoryhmä, eli Samuli Harjunpää, Tero Harsunen, Sami Kuosmanen, Antti Kurvinen, Santtu Mustonen, Ossi Pirkonen, Ville Salervo ja Patrik Typpö ilmaisevat julisteen keinoin näkemyksiään kertakäyttöyhteiskunnasta.

Näyttely on esillä Korjaamon vaunusalissa (Töölönkatu 51 A-B) 22.10.2010 – 9.1.2011. Töölönkatu 51 A-B. www.korjaamo.fi

Kiitos Esteban 2002–2010

Kasper is talking about his new book tomorrow 16.30 at the Helsinki Comic Festival. Expect nothing less than an enchanting look into the mind behind the legend that is Esteban. It's been eight years in the making, you know.

King of Kasperpedia

(Click for larger images)

More fascinating reads at newly launched Burner Magazine.

Napa Agency at Habitare Market!

Napa Illustrations @ Habitare Ahead! Market / Fri 3 September / 10-19 / Come and say hi! Habitare 2010

Terhi Ekebom at Napa Gallery

Have you ever been to a rain forest? Terhi wouldn't even want to go. Her rain forest is an imaginary place, romantic, full of life, with a little hint of danger. At Napa Gallery you'll see Terhi's own version of the rain forest, a large wooden mobile and a sound installation you can walk inside.

Terhi's new graphic novel Voyage (Napa Books) is launched at the opening party on wed 1.9. from 6-8 pm. Welcome!

Terhi Ekebom: Mobile 1.– 25.9.2010
Napa Gallery & Shop
Eerikinkatu 18
Helsinki

Open wed-fri 12-6 sat 12-4

www.napabooks.com 

WINDOWS IN HELSINKI

Windows Installations is multiple venue exhibition across downtown Helsinki. Artists and designers are being commissioned to create a piece for the participating shop windows based around the theme of Storytelling, allowing art to temporarily take over these traditionally commercial spaces. We're taking part:

Isku: Kasper Strömman
Eteläesplanadi 20


Design Forum: Jenni Rope
Erottajankatu 7

Windows Installations in Helsinki, 27 August – 5 September 2010.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144951632206226
http://www.wearehelsinki.fi/window-treatment/

Shadow Harbour documentary!

Jenni Rope's animation touring

Jenni Rope's animation The Climbing Tree takes part in touring screening by Package Deals! The Finnish program by Package Deals which has a premiere at Scandinavia House in New York this June collects the best in new short film, video art and music videos. Following the premiere the program will travel to the Northwest Film Forum in Seattle Washington, and to several other sites later in the year 2010. http://www.packagedeals.org/

Jenni Tuominen @ South Gallery & Shop!

Jenni Tuominen's exhibition @ South Gallery and Shop, Brick Warehouse, Satamakatu 3, 10900 Hanko! Open Tue-Sun 12.00-18.00, August 6 to 29, 2010. Welcome! www.south.fi

Ossi Pirkonen's exhibition

Diana Luganski / Ossi Pirkonen | Lasipalatsi, 20.7.-20.8.2010!

Napa's illustrator Ossi Pirkonen is exhibiting his work together with Diana Luganski behind Lasipalatsi, the functionalist building right in the center of Helsinki, Finland.

The exhibition is FREE OF CHARGE and will be up from 20th of July to 20th of August, every hour of the day.

WELCOME!

Nytt Nordiskt Arkiv #2

Didn't catch Kasper's exhibition in Gothenburg last month? Don't worry about it, since it's travelled to Helsinki now where Myymala2 is showing eight contemporary artists “reinventing narrative art” until the 18th of July.

What's that? You're saying you're not in Helsinki? Well, maybe you should be?

Good Morning, Africa

“We all know Kasper likes to draw by now, but how about his photographs? Will we ever have the chance to see them in a gallery context?”

These words have actually never been spoken out loud, but we all know too well we're thinking it. Well then – now there's hope, since Kasper is exhibiting some nice pictures of sandals as part of the “Good Morning, Africa” exhibition at the Kunsthalle Helsinki, opening tomorrow and closing on August 19th.

The exhibition will be a “colourful jubilee” of everything African, complete with workshops featuring clowns – and then the sandals, of course. I'd hurry if I were you!

Napa's Animation Container

Napa's Animation Container is set up in Kalasatama on Helsinki Day, Sat 12.6. We show animations by Napa illustrators + the documentary of the last years painting project in Kalasatama area, made by Noomi Ljungdell.

You can find us near the dot number 6 in the Kalasatama map!

Welcome!

Nytt nordiskt arkiv @ Galleri Oro

Dying to see some original artwork by Kasper Strömman but don't know where to go? Now's your chance – Kasper is exhibiting at Galleri Oro in Gothenburg, Sweden until the 20th of June. Nytt nordiskt arkiv shows a “rich and carefully composed variety of sequences & personal accounts from a selection of young contemporary artists ... showing various expressions and strategies found on the borders between art and literature”. My contribution to this is some pretty drawings.

There's also a Zine Symposium on Saturday the 12th, so if you're in town you'd be a fool not to go!

Doolbyland-sarjiksen arkistot avautuvat!

Christer Nuutisen Rumbassa vuodesta 2005 ilmestyneen Doolbyland -sarjakuvan vanhoja jaksoja voi nyt lueskella täällä!

Tigerblog

If you like this blog, why not try Kasper's and his sisters daily blog on Söderströms this month? Unlike this blog it's updated every day, and Kasper's even drawn an exclusive comic strip for the occasion. So now's the time to brush up your Swedish skills... and if you can't be bothered there's always the pretty pictures.

Jenni Rope in Tokyo

Jenni Rope: My Forest / Exhibition at NOW IDeA Gallery in Tokyo, Japan. The exhibition is open from Monday 3rd until 16th of May. Welcome! www.nowidea.info

Tigerkontoret

Do you like tigers? Then you really will like Kasper's new children's book, written by his sister.

Rather than drawing the tigers as wild animals Kasper has chosen to illustrate the tigers as – wait for it – people with tiger features! We believe this is something new and exciting altogether in the world of illustration.

I mean, have you ever seen an ambush of tigers watch TV in a living room? No you have not.

Of course, we couldn't recommend this book without asking for a small child's opinion first.

And wouldn't you know: the small child was really into it. Phew!

So – all in all a pretty nice book, available through all quality book stores.

Release party to be held at the Napa Gallery on the 19th of May from 5 to 8pm, to which y'all are very welcome (there could be tiger cake.) And hey, why not enjoy the playlist in advance?

Animation music video for Eleonoora single from Sintti Silmusuu album. Paintings and animation by Ilja Karsikas

Eleonoora from Ilja Karsikas on Vimeo.

Sintti Silmusuu

Ilja Karsikas's debyt album Sintti Silmusuu and children's book Sintti Silmusuu tahtoo oppia lukemaan are out and available right now. Order your own copy in Levykauppa Äx.

Lyrics, music and illustrations by Ilja Karsikas, produced by Samae Koskinen. Books text by Juho Gröndahl

Sintti Silmusuu

in Facebook

in MySpace

in Blogspot

Eleonoora!

The first single Eleonoora from Ilja Karsikas's forthcoming debyt album Sintti Silmusuu is out and in the air right now! Lyrics, music and illustrations by Ilja Karsikas, produced by Samae Koskinen.

The album will be published at the same time with the Sintti Silmusuu tahtoo oppia lukemaan book, that is illustrated by Ilja Karsikas and written by Juho Gröndahl.

You can pre-order your own copy of Sintti Silmusuu record and Sintti Silmusuu tahtoo oppia lukemaan book in Levykauppa Äx.

Sintti Silmusuu

in Facebook

in MySpace

in Blogspot

Pizza, anyone?

Would you have pizza made by a Chinese (?) chef who has a cracked face (and skull), is wearing lipstick and whose left arm is badly mangled, probably in some horrible pizza-related accident?

I thought so. I just wish I had included this charming gentleman in our book.

New stock in for 2010

The Kasper Stromman Exclusive Webshop is happy to announce the arrival of some new, exciting and expensive items for 2010. We have also done a thorough inventory of all old stock and raised the price of everything, sometimes as much as thousands of euros.

The Kasper Stromman Exclusive Webshop is once again open for business.

Remember: It is not the name of Kasper Stromman that makes the webshop good, but rather the webshop and its excellence which makes the name supreme.

Jenni Rope's solo exhibition in Berlin

Jenni's exhibition My Forest is travelling at the moment in Berlin.
Visit the forest at Torstrasse 110, at Bongout Gallery. www.bongout.org

I'd rather be fishing

I'm a big fan of outsider artwork; this one was for sale at
flea market in Tattarisuo, Helsinki. I'm especially intrigued
by the physique of the little fellow in the boat since he doesn't
seem to have a body at all. Or maybe there's a hole in the bottom
of the boat and he's actually walking on the sea floor?