I just found this lovely painter!

Elin Danielson Gambogi came from a farming background in Finland.
Her father committed suicide but although  this made the family hard up she was able to get an art education.

 

She studied in Paris and Italy.

 



 

 

 Eventually aged thirty six she married Gambogi who was thirteen years her junior

 

These delicate domestic pictures are delightful.

The couple had no children and she continued to paint after her marriage which was not often the case for women artists .Karen Larsson for instance gave up her career to be a full time mother although she put her talents into textile design and needlework.

I particularly like this self portrait which shows her beauty and character and a hint of humour.

I love the intimacy of this painting of the women reading and sewing together.

 

While they were living in Italy Gambogi had an affair and Elin left him ,she went back to Finland.It was the first sign of a mental health problem in her husband.

 

 

She continued to paint.

 

Another self portrait

 

Later the couple tried to mend their marriage and when it became clear that her husband's illness

was worsening she returned  and cared for him.

I like this composition and  and the haze of the beach.

She treats her subjects with delicacy.

This little girl reminds me of my friend Karen. 

 She died in1919 of pneumonia.

 

The couple in the lamplight intrigue me,what is he playing to her?
Elin's work has moved me and I would like to find out more about her but I can only come up with very basic facts.A biography is needed!

Sorry for silence!

Well,as I say sorry not to have posted properly lately, at the moment I am not well ,nothing life threatening but unlpeasant and I am lacking in energy.A good time to read anything and everything so I promise to return with some offerings soon.Meanwhile I am sitting in bed in a victorian nightie hoping that I look pathetic enough for Steve to keep me going with fodder! See you soon and thanks to my new members for following !Meanwhile I have just found out that the sequel to one of my favourite books Rose Petal Jam is coming out in October ,can't wait for that.

http://www.tabulabooks.com/Tabulabooks.com/Sugar_Orange_Coming_Soon.html

One Day in Truro Community Library

I work in a library,an endangered species perhaps?

The government seems to think that public libraries are the best and first places to make cuts!

Who goes to them anymore they say.

Why not have them open fewer hours and get them run by volunteers?

They seem to have the idea  that all we do is shelve books,anyone could do that could'nt they?

Think again !

Libraries are places for entertainment ,study and inspiration!

Community based activities and having fun.

Reading aloud outside in our lovely garden.

The garden was created by volunteers.

All the family have a good time in the garden,kids are learning about planting and insects and making art!

Chidren are taking part in the summer reading scheme which keeps them reading through the summer hols!

The help desk where you can order your books,sign up for a bus pass or ask for all kinds of information.

Some of the organic veggies grown in the garden,they were sold and the money will go to buy more seeds!

Local crafts people had a day to show their talents and sell their work..

Some members of the library craft group who we know as The Material Girls!

Gorgeous recycled clothes!

Mother and daughter at their stall.

Two of the staff.

Gentleman checking the financial times in the newspaper lounge.

We have a literature room,art and history rooms with quiet study areas where people can use lap tops and generally browse .We also have a lively front of house with thrillers ,adventure general fiction,displays and chick lit!There is a local history lounge full of info about the amazing land of Cornwall and a young adult section which is positively alive or maybe undead with vampires and mates and dates!

The childrens library is crammed with great reads,talking books,board books for babies.  There are regular story times an after school club too.

There are also yoga  classes for little ones and carers etc.

I  love those romantic poets,I run a poetry group  and readers group once a month..

The cafe has lovely lunches ,tea,coffee cakes and is a great place to meet your friends.

All this took place in one day in the life of my workplace and that is not to mention the shelves full of books of all kinds and now DVDs ,talking books,large print books,graphic novels and music on CD. A housebound service for those who find it hard to get to the library is also avaialable.

There are computers to use, you can download books from our website,find us on facebook too. Ok I am very partisan but I have spent most of my working life in public libraries and I have watched them grow, I have seen the difference they can make in peoples lives sometimes even though spending cuts have slowed us down. We are still here!! I am happy to  be working with books and people and I embrace the new additions too.
The best thing  is still to curl up with a good book. I have not tried curling up with a Kindle yet ! A government that does not value libraries is a government that does not value it's citizens. It denies the magic ,the cohesion that a good library gives to a community.  That is my rant folks!!Now to bed with a good book,I am away to Venice with Donna Leon's lovely Comissario Brunetti !