In July, our family spent two weeks up north: we visited Iceland, such a unique landscape and relaxed, rugged culture, and also Norway, Sweden and Denmark. I am in love with the Scandinavian sense of design; they have tons of Mid-century modern design which I learned was a mix of European and Japanese aesthetic. I love the practical, minimalist and comfortable styling of the chairs and couches.

Oehlen

Love this painting by artist Albert Oehlen in the Astrup Fearnley Museum in Copenhagen

We also discovered some cool museums and public art. There was much there to inspire my paintings and life in general: people in
Scandinavia are happy, contented and beautiful people. There was a totally unique part of the Copenhagen called Christiania, started by artists and hippies in the 70s, who govern their area apart from the city rules and regulations. It was overgrown with Nature and artistic graffiti and self-built or self-remodeled “homes” around a lake in the middle of the city. We walked around in their community for a couple of hours, enjoying a drink and the lively, colorful people and paraphernalia for sale. Their only rule is that you cannot take pictures, so unfortunately, I cannot show you how cool it was. As far as I know, this is the only experiment of its kind.

Only one more year and my son heads to college and my daughter gets her driver’s license and traveling is often the only way we get to have time as a family, without the distractions of summer jobs and friends.

For me, summer means spending time with family and less painting time and I do miss the weekly painting routines I have during the school year. However, I always feel that summer is an important time for my art. Summer forces me to take much needed gestation time. Every night I half-dream of paintings I want to create, new materials I want to try, and new ways to incorporate beauty and mystery into my paintings.

 

My hubbie and daughter at one of many incredible waterfalls in Iceland. If it looks like we are cold, we are. Fifty degrees, windy and rainy in July.

I had a lot of time to think of these things while lying in bed awake (there is an 8-hour time difference between Colorado and Scandinavia). I created in my mind and jotted ideas and scribbles down in a journal.

splotches

Love these first splotches of paint on the new studio floor. I celebrated the first paint splotches on my studio floor.
My new studio is done and I have been enjoying creating in my new space in my basement. It is difficult to find studio space in Denver these days, with the thriving marijuana industry taking up the industrial spaces that are also ideas for artists, so I feel
so fortunate to be able to create a studio in my home.

new paintings, new studio

First paintings created in my new studio!

One more thing! In the next month or two, my new website will be online and my newsletter will be updated and I am excited to bring you a new and improved look and feel to my communications soon.

I hope you all have been enjoying the summer- the chirping crickets at night, the warm breezes and afternoon showers. I always love to hear how you are doing and as always, I am grateful for your support.
Love,
Liz
Liz Lautrup Fine Art
www.lizlautrup.com
lizlautrup4art@gmail.com