It’s a sunny Labor day Monday here in SF, and the sky is charmingly blue!

Had a wonderful day exploring downtown again yesterday and met some great creative people I’ll share with you soon, but first the long awaited gallery opening I went to my last Friday in Norway.

My parents moved to the city of Moss on the south east fjord cost of Norway 5 years ago.

They moved to a beautiful island with the most gorgeous beaches and lush forests, that I have happily embraced as my own.

In our part of the island there are few houses, longs stretches of fields, and old mansions that has been converted to cafe’s, art galleries, artist ateliers etc.

It’s a true paradise, as American boy calls it, and I could not agree more.

Our closest city is just a hop and a skip away and is truly getting there when it comes to being a creative city.

Let me introduce to you House of Foundation!

House of Foundation is a great artistic venue.

Not only is it an intriguing bookstore, with a up and coming gallery in the back, it also offers artist studio space on their second floor, and houses an art school with Bruce Naigles as one of their main professors.

This place is definitely worth a visit, as it’s creative people like this who work hard for a city to have a heartbeat.

House of foundation has an amazing array of books.

Political books, art books, poetry and novels, it’s the perfect place to spend and afternoon wandering through all it has to offer.

Order a smoothie or Tea from their little bar, and lean back in their vintage sofa arrangement with a book.

Then head on back to their gallery that this month features «E.I» of Markus Stabel.

His video installation will last until October 20th.

If you want to support their work, go here to see how you can be one to keep the artistic heartbeat of Moss alive.

And if you want to see more of the galleries and ateliers that Moss has to offer, go here for their gallery stroll each Saturday with free bus rides!

Hope you’re all having a great Monday!

Photos by: Marte Marie Forsberg

]]> http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=3612 1 http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?p=3655 http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?p=3655#comments Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:24:01 +0000 Marie http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?p=3655

Today has been a quite day.

A day to contemplate and rest.

I had a full day planned today too, but then my little body gave in and said no.

So I spent today thinking about the choices we make in life, and where they lead us.

I thought about love and how wonderfully powerful and beautiful love between two people is.

Then I went for a petite walk in the mist and cool air outside, before curling up in bed to rest some more.

I think we need to be more gentle with ourselves.

To let go, forgive and forget, but most importantly continue walking as tomorrow is a bright new day full of fresh possibilities.

We need to give ourselves time to reach our goals.

And make goals that are not too lofty.

We need small goals and big goals.

Some we can easily reach everyday, to boost our self-esteem, and some that demand great effort and persistence.

Some things we simply need to let go.

Things that are creating exhaust and pollution in our heart and minds.

Other things we need to hold on to.

Cling to even.

We need to be gentle with ourselves and say nice things to ourselves in the mirror every morning.

There are so many things that may bring us down, but don’t let them.

Take a day to rest, but don’t shy away from living just because your afraid you might fail.

If you don’t fall, you have nothing to get up from, and getting up feels so good!

So, today was a day of rest and contemplation, and tomorrow will be a day of being grateful and moving on.

——-

Now, yesterday was a wonderful marathon of fun events.

Meeting Zandra Rhodes was so great, and seeing how she did the costumes for the Opera Aida was so inspiring.

The art show at the Ferney art studios was beyond charming.

Every petite painting had a cute story printed underneath it, like a sneak peak into someones life.

I was carried away, and totally fell in love with one of the cake paintings that I might have to get my hands on.

Go here on Monday to see the paintings, and become the lucky owner of one yourself.

The night ended in the fog, with a charming dinner in a big white villa with a view on Russian Hill right above Fisherman’s Wharf.

A blanket of mist had clouded the city, but the view was still amazing

After arriving home late at night, my friends threw a petite party that lasted into the wee morning hours.

Could not have asked for a better Friday night.

Hope your all having a great weekend!

Photos via: Pretty things and Jordan Ferney

Just before I headed out the door to fly to SF last weekend my beloved mom took me for a tour of her atelie that she had just redone.

It was full of light, a welcoming daybed, green plants, nice big desk, and some new things she had just finished.

So I though since it’s Thursday and all that I would share a necklace that she had just made.

Dont’ you just love it?

I just adore the way my mom mixes traditional crochet techniques with new creative ways of using the final product.

She is such a wonderfully creative soul, and I will be sharing more of her work throughout the fall.

——-

Today I went to Berkley to sniff around a bit. But it was too hot!

So after having meandered around the city, walked through Berkley campus and had lunch in a cozy cafe, my tired feet and overheated body returned home to cool off the rest of the afternoon.

And now, I’m fighting that jet-lag again!

So instead of caving into tiredness I’m trying to organize my overbooked weekend ahead.

- Meeting British fashion designer  Zandra Rhodes tomorrow at noon.

- Heading to the Ferney gallery opening in the afternoon. A creative collaboration of paintings by Paul Ferney, art directed by his wife Jordan Ferney  .

Go here for more details if you live in the bay area.

- Then off to a dinner with a view later that night.

Saturday there is an art festival over in gorgeous Sausalito that I will have to swing by.

Go here for more details if you want to swing by too!

Well, that’s it for now.

But this weekend should be a good and hectic one, and I cant wait to experience it all.

But before the weekend officially hits, lets enjoy today!

Have a great Thursday.

Photos by: Marte Marie Forsberg

]]> http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=3643 2 http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?p=3627 http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?p=3627#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:19:59 +0000 Marie http://www.mmforsberg.com/blog/?p=3627

The heat is on here in SF!

The sun is high, and the sky is blue, luckily there’s that wonderful breeze from the cold ocean to cool it all down.

However my jet-lag is not cooled down.

So after a whole day in the city again, I get home to work, and before I know it…. I’m vertical on the sofa wandering off to dreamland before dinner.

Not good.

So instead of working on the gallery opening post like I promised, I’m giving you this petite bite of my new hometown San Francisco, and hope you’ll forgive me for taking a nap instead.

I came across this little postcard book as I browsed a great store the other day.

The way the photographer has captured the essence of San Francisco, in my eyes, just spoke to me.

Graphic, minimalistic and full of atmosphere.

The photographer Michal Venera has a great story to tell of how he became a photographer.

Originally from Prague, formerly communistic Czechoslovakia, he went to America at the age of 19, defected, and went on trying to support himself by taking on any odd job that came his way.

But after having picked up his first camera, he never put it down again. He attended photography school, assisted and then went out on his own!

I just love his eye!

His images are so clean and full of emotion.

Head on over here to his site to find many, many more photographs to get lost in.

Photos of Michal Venear’s photos by: Marte Marie Forsberg

When I woke up today, SF was misty and had a wonderful cool breeze.

I had a bite of Norwegian chocolate, replied to emails, started making my nest cozy, and are soon off to explore the city.

Jet-lag has kicked in already, hence the chocolate, and I’m feeling a bit zoombi-ish.

So I leave you with this great blog of the week.

Creative, full of super inspiring and beautiful images to meander in.

On their website they write:

GROSSOMODO is a group of crafters that works in Spain since 2008, like a workshop of textile design and production.

We make clothes, accessories, and illustrations of our textile prints.

And boy do they make beautiful things!

Hop on over and check them out their new catalogue here.

Have a great day you all!

I’ll be back more awake tomorrow with the post about the cool store that had a gallery opening and book launch last Friday.

Photos via: Grossomodo