Christmas Painting Friday

Today's artwork is by the brilliant Swedish contemporary artist, Lennert Helje....Hmmm, do I sense a Swedish theme going on here? It's just that the Swedes seem to do Christmas very, very well and very cheerfully too. We need a little cheer these days.

While Helje's painting is not specifically Christmasy, it still says 'Christmas' in its own way. There is always magic in the sweet (never cloying) gentleness of his images.

A Monday Salon: A Favorite Painting or Two...or Three!

Lennart Helje is a Swedish illustrator particularly known for his wondrously moody paintings of gnomes either with animals or without, but usually with snow. He was born in Lima (I'm assuming a village or city in Sweden and not the Lima of Peru) in 1940.

I am very fond of  his work and fancy that I can spot a Lennart Helje illustration at twenty paces. The first thing I think of when I see his work is: softness. There is such welcoming softness in this cozy world of gnomes and snow and friendly animals. Just lovely, comforting work.

Perfect, I think, for a quiet Monday after an exciting holiday weekend.