by a Christmas memory
Mother & Child – etching – image size: 11 x 7 cm. (4.25″ x 3″)
I handprinted this etching in an edition of 65 for Christmas cards sometime in the mid 1980’s, I think. (The date is obscured behind the mat.) It was during a special time when I had found a wonderful print studio where I was able to take up my longed for desire to focus on printmaking. When I came across this particular framed piece in my storage recently, I recalled that it had been hanging in my late parents’ home. With those happy memories, I became inspired to use this as my online Christmas card for this year.
So my dearest friends and readers, with this I wish you a warm and love-filled holiday season, one with happy new memories to hold close. Hyvää Joulua!
December 22, 2013 in Culture, Current Events, Older Works, Printworks by Marja-Leena
Thank you. And to you also.
A time for warmth given and warmth needed – hugs all round!
Marja-Leena!
It would be easy to imagine this mother and child on a St Stephen’s Day (26th of December) ride on a horse pulled sled (sleigh?) just going around a snowy village around and around!
Or going into the village church early Christmas day in time when there was no cars, or hardly none. A very Finnish idea for the winter holiday…
Happy Holy Days, as one American friend put it. For everybody warm days with friends and relatives, independent of any religion! Well, we still exist, which is a miracle, so maybe it can be called “holy”, or “wholesome”.
It has been a good year for me, visiting in this blog. And most likely everybody else too, even though we live far apart.
It’s a very beautiful image, Marja-Leena, and timeless too. The one thing our ancestors knew that we seem to have forgotten (at least in the aggregate) was to make best use of what was available.
I hope you too enjoy a wonderful Holy-day Celebration.
A charming print:) happy Holidays, hyvää joulua, to you and yours xo Leena
Lovely etching–wouldn’t mind seeing more from that era!
And a very merry Christmas to you, when it arrives…
Thank you all for the appreciative comments and good wishes and hugs, dear friends!
I like ‘Holy Days’, as Ripsa writes, for it seems more inclusive than “Christmas”. Here in multi-cultural Canada, there have been some heated arguments about not using it in schools and other public institutions for it excludes others not of that tradition.
Call me sentimental, but I love the idea of riding a horse-pulled sleigh in a snowy village to a little wooden church. Better yet, reindeer led!
Marly, I think I may have posted most of my older works by now, under Printworks – Older Works. I did find one image in my files that I’d forgotten to publish – will do sometime after the holidays.
Again, thanks to all of you. Now must get back to getting ready for Christmas with all our family getting together. It is Christmas Eve tomorrow!
Frohes Weihnachtsfest to you and your family, dear Marja-Leena! Thank you for the beautiful online card. Wishing you deliciousness and sounds of harmony and love on these magical days and nights!
Dear Rouchswalwe, danke! Are you celebrating on Christmas Eve too? Husband and I are lucky that the Finnish and German traditions are similar. Our two sons-in-law like their English tradition of Christmas morn so we celebrate that too. Frohes Weihnachtsfest to you too! Have an extra glass of porter for me.
It’s a beauty, Marja-Leena. the very happiest of Christmases to you and yours, and a peaceful, hopeful New Year.
Thank you, dear Marja-Leena. Warmest Christmas greetings to you and your family from the Scheffers.
–Marianna
Wonderful! Happy Christmas to you and yours, Marja-Leena!
Lucy, Marianna, Leslee – warmest thank yous for the wishes. Hope all of you had a great Christmas Eve.
We’ve had a wonderful evening starting with a great feast, carols accompanied by violin, guitar and those little bells kids get. Santa managed to drop his gifts on the deck without being caught – what fun for the grandkids! Then finishing off with homemade eggnog, holiday baking and chocolates. Now we are ready for a sleep and more food and fun tomorrow.