Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,astrattismo,fotografia,Mostre,Pittura

Kaisa Sirén and the art of making the invisible visible

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Kaisa Sirén lives in Rovaniemi, within the Arctic Circle of Finnish Lapland, where she works as a freelance photographer and artist.
She studied photojournalism in Canada but moved back to Finland after her studies.
Her works are widely published in various Finnish magazines and newspapers, and she have had several solo and group exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, USA and Germany
She is a photographic artist who makes the landscape of her soul visible with Intentional Camera Movement, using the northern landscapes of Finland as a backdrop.
She focuses on themes related to the seasons of Lapland and the sensitivity of nature.
She selects subjects from nature and transforms them into elements that were initially absent, thus visualizing the invisible.
She is the co-founder of the ICM Photo Academy, where she teaches ICM photography courses both in person and online.
Since 2017, she has run an art gallery called Villa Vinkkeli in her hometown.
Then she started to focus fully on ICM photography and making art.
Kaisa realized she was invisible as a child, which led her to feel somewhat of an outsider even as an adult.
ICM offers a way to make invisible feelings and repressed emotions visible.
When taking a photo with ICM, the movement of the camera can create elements that weren’t initially present in the scene and bring hidden things to light.
It retains the same serendipity and element of surprise that have always accompanied her throughout her life.
These are some of the foundations of her art today.
Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is a playful, expressive approach to photography that invites the photographer to let go of strict representation and start creating images that feel as much as they show.
The technique behind ICM is to use a relatively long shutter speed, something like 0,5 or 1 second to start with, and deliberately move the camera during the exposure.
The results vary depending on the time, the speed and size of the movement and the lens being used as well as many other factors. With time you can learn to control the movements and create intentional results but there is always an element of surprise involved

Read and see more on Kaisa:
www.artistkaisasiren.com
www.icmphotoacademy.com
Instagram page
Facebook page
email contact:  kuva@kaisasiren.fi

Kaisa Sirén – Colour contrast
Kaisa Sirén – Expressive precise

Kaisa Sirén e l’arte di rendere visibile l’invisibile

Kaisa Sirén vive a Rovaniemi, nel Circolo Polare Artico della Lapponia finlandese, dove lavora come fotografa e artista freelance.
Ha studiato fotogiornalismo in Canada, ma è tornata in Finlandia dopo gli studi.
Le sue opere sono ampiamente pubblicate su diverse riviste e giornali finlandesi e ha tenuto numerose mostre personali e collettive in Finlandia, Svezia, Danimarca, Scozia, Stati Uniti e Germania.
È un’artista della fotografia che rende visibile il paesaggio della sua anima attraverso un movimento intenzionale della fotocamera, utilizzando come sfondo i paesaggi settentrionali della Finlandia.
Si concentra su temi legati alle stagioni della Lapponia e alla sensibilità della natura.
Sceglie soggetti dalla natura e li trasforma in elementi inizialmente assenti, visualizzando così l’invisibile.
È co-fondatrice dell’ICM Photo Academy, dove insegna corsi di fotografia ICM sia di persona che online.
Dal 2017 gestisce una galleria d’arte chiamata Villa Vinkkeli nella sua città natale.
Successivamente ha iniziato a dedicarsi completamente alla fotografia ICM e alla creazione artistica.
Kaisa si rese conto di essere invisibile fin da bambina, il che la portò a sentirsi in qualche modo un’emarginata anche da adulta.
L’ICM offre un modo per rendere visibili sentimenti invisibili ed emozioni represse.
Quando si scatta una foto con l’ICM, il movimento della fotocamera può creare elementi inizialmente non presenti nella scena e portare alla luce cose nascoste.
Mantiene la stessa serendipità e lo stesso elemento di sorpresa che l’hanno sempre accompagnata nel corso della sua vita.
Questi sono alcuni dei fondamenti della sua arte odierna.
Il movimento intenzionale della fotocamera (ICM) è un approccio ludico ed espressivo alla fotografia che invita il fotografo ad abbandonare la rappresentazione rigida e a iniziare a creare immagini che trasmettano emozioni oltre che immagini.
La tecnica alla base dell’ICM consiste nell’utilizzare un tempo di posa relativamente lungo, ad esempio 0,5 o 1 secondo per iniziare, e muovere deliberatamente la fotocamera durante l’esposizione.
I risultati variano a seconda del tempo, della velocità e dell’ampiezza del movimento, dell’obiettivo utilizzato e di molti altri fattori.
Con il tempo si può imparare a controllare i movimenti e a creare risultati intenzionali, ma l’elemento sorpresa è sempre presente.

Leggi e guarda di più su Kaisa:
www.artistkaisasiren.com
www.icmphotoacademy.com
Instagram page
Facebook page
contatto email :  kuva@kaisasiren.fi

Polar Night

As a December girl polar night is my favourite time of the year. When November falls and the first snow covers the ground I am home! The short days mean that we go directly from sunrise to sunset and have the most stunning colors during those short hours of daylight. It is the time to go out with the camera

Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night
Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night
Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night
Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night
Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night
Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night
Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night

The Most Resilient 

I have visited Antarctica three times and it is by far my favourite continent. and the favourite creature is the emperor pengune. They have chosen the most peculiar strategy for survival wintering in those harsh conditions while incubating the egg. They must be the most curious and the most resilient creatures of us all.

Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient
Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient
Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient
Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient
Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient
Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient
Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient

Pelican Brief

In January 2026 I travelled to northern Greece, to Lake Kerkini, with a single intention: to photograph Dalmatian pelicans. I had seen images of these immense, almost improbable birds and felt a growing pull to meet them in their winter gathering place. I did not go in search of landscape or light. I went for the birds – and to see what might happen when their movement met my camera moves.

Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief
Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief
Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief
Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief
Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief
Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief
Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief

Wood Wide Web

My series Wood Wide Web has been inspired by the book Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, (2016). In the book Wohlleben describes his studies and observations about the life of trees during his long career as a forester. He talks about the ability the trees have, to communicate, form communities, to alarm each other and take care of their offspring and elders. The observations may be difficult to prove scientifically and equally difficult to photograph. In my attempts to make the phenomena visual I use a technique called Intentional Camera Movement (ICM). It is a technique during which the camera is moved during a long exposure. Thanks to ICM the images may have elements, which bring unseen stories or actions visible. It may form layers to the images which make room to the imagination of the viewer.  With this series I want to bring out the importance of trees to us humans as well as that they may be much more complex than we ever have thought. Wise old trees, they need our respect.

Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web
Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web

Iceberg Graveyard

I have always been drawn to the beauty the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes provide. This body of work illustrates vanishing ice of the polar regions initiated by climate change. The work is a collection of poetic abstractions, depicting the progression of global warming. The polar regions are more rapidly affected than many other areas on the globe. Unfortunately, the vastness of the problem is not yet well comprehended, due to lack of human habitation in those remote areas. These images are impressions of the beauty this world represents and the impending loss we face.

Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard
Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard
Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard
Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard
Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard
Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard
Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard

Lost in Venice

In January 2025 I had a chance to participate in a photography workshop in Venice. Before departure I did some homework and set my goals what I want out of the workshop. I learnt about the work of a German painter Wolf Bertram Becker who had been painting Venice buildings in and impressionistic, almost ICM style. This was a great inspiration for me and gave me direct guidelines about what I would be looking for besides the iconic vistas in the city. The next images are of his painting which served as my inspiration.

Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice
Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice
Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice
Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice
Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice
Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice
Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice

Dancing My Nature

This has been an exciting project photographing dancers out in the nature during our 7 seasons in Lapland. With these images I want to celebrate the precious nature we have in the North and also bring hope that it will stay for the future generations. I hope that the dances will convey the special light and colours we have in different seasons.

Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature
Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature
Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature
Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature
Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature
Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature
Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature

 

Dream

Earlier I slept well and had strong, colourful dreams. A long time ago, I suffered a burnout, lost my dreams and a good sleeping pattern. Now that my life is balanced again the dreams are slowly coming back. In this series I visualise the struggles, but yet how more light, harmony and colour has become more apparent in my life. And this has been achieved thru doing in life what I love.

Kaisa Sirén – Dream
Kaisa Sirén – Dream
Kaisa Sirén – Dream
Kaisa Sirén – Dream
Kaisa Sirén – Dream
Kaisa Sirén – Dream
Kaisa Sirén – Dream

Indian Flashes

These images are taken during my visit to India in 2018. It was a sudden unexpected journey as my nephew got married and I was invited to the wedding. I decided to not take it as a photography trip but rather just go and explore the colours and the feeling of the New Delhi streets as much as possible. It turned our to be a colour galore and just perfect for ICM. I did not take any traditional images which was also very liberating. I just concentrated on the wonderful colours of the Indian street and enjoyed the transformation I was able to create with ICM.

Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes
Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes
Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes
Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes
Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes
Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes
Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes

Rainforest People of Papua

One of my dreams became true in august 2025 as I was able to travel to Papua New Guinea and attend a local cultural festival, Sing-Sing of Mt Hagen. It is a country of more than 1000 tribes and 850 languages. They still lead a very traditional jungle life and collect food from the forests.  The festival was a mixture of chaos, screaming, dancing, marching, singing and a kaleidoscope of colours. For three days I was able to observe, participate and answer to the countless smiles.

Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua
Attualità,Politica

Ne vedremo delle belle

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La botta subita al Referendum sulla giustizia è stata di quelle pesanti e la signora Meloni sta tentando di correre ai ripari mettendo in atto il più classico dei “ vai avanti tu e vediamo che succede “.
Ma c’è un distinguo notevole da fare sulle richieste di dimissioni  ottenute nel giro di poche ore dopo la disfatta del SI, e sì perché le dimissioni di Del Mastro e Bartolozzi erano un atto dovuto già da prima della chiusura delle urne elettorali e soprattutto i loro comportamenti  non in linea con chi svolge un ruolo di governo si sono manifestati nel caso della Bartolozzi e invece scoperti nel caso di Del Mastro nel pieno della campagna elettorale.
La logica, il buon senso e il rigore istituzionale farebbero pensare che un Capo di gabinetto di un ministero e per di più del ministero titolare del quesito referendario si dovrebbe astenere dal fare campagna elettorale attiva partecipando addirittura a trasmissioni televisive, come se fosse non un funzionario dello stato ma un esponente di un partito politico.
Su Del Mastro credo che non ci sia nulla da commentare in quanto qualsiasi commento volto a giustificare il comportamento tenuto da un vice ministro della giustizia suonerebbe come una vera e propria presa in giro, per carità chi non ha mai commesso in vita sua una leggerezza,  ma poi viene fuori che la leggerezza l’ha commessa con altri  tre compagni di partito, tra cui la vice presidente della regione Piemonte  e se questi ultimi possono essere ritenuti dei bonaccioni o dei creduloni che si sono fidati della bontà dell’affare proposto dall’amico per Del Mastro vice ministro della giustizia è impensabile che prima di entrare in qualsiasi tipo di società non abbia fatto una piccola verifica non tramite i servizi segreti ma semplicemente digitando su Google il cognome dell’unica persona  al di fuori del suo giro di conoscenze politiche a cui avrebbe poi affidato il ruolo di amministratore unico della società che sarebbe andato a formare.
Ben altro discorso è quello che riguarda la signora Garnero in Santanchè perché quello che oggi per la signora Meloni non va più bene è sotto gli occhi di tutti da almeno due anni e se per  tutto questo tempo ha goduto della fiducia della capo di governo come mai oggi le vengono chieste le dimissioni ( ricordando che la coalizione che governa ha respinto a più riprese almeno tre mozioni di sfiducia presentate contro l’operato non etico della signora Garnero in Santanchè ) e il motivo è semplicissimo serve qualcuno che faccia da capro espiatorio per la disfatta patita al Referendum.
E’ più che logico che la signora Garnero in Santanchè punti i piedi, perché lei non è proprio apparsa nella campagna elettorale referendaria e non ci sta a passare alla storia come quella che avrebbe fatto perdere il referendum al centro destra.
Comunque vada a finire la vicenda, che non potrà che finire con un passo indietro se non altro per evitarsi una sfiducia parlamentare che questa volta arriverà di sicuro, una cosa è certa la vita politica della cuneese è arrivata al capolinea perché per potersi ripresentare in  qualsiasi tornata elettorale futura non potrà più farlo se al comando della coalizione ci sarà la signora Meloni.
Se la cuneese non se la passa bene non è che la romana della Garbatella stia meglio perché il giorno dopo la botta ricevuta  dal popolo italiano del No tutto cambia e nulla sarà più come prima.
E’ venuta meno la fiducia di 15 milioni di italiani che non è poca cosa e comincerà a venir meno la fiducia di personaggi che gravitano all’interno della coalizione che regge la sua maggioranza che già pensano alle prossime elezioni e soprattutto al dove e come collocarsi per non andare a casa.
Non vorrei essere nei panni della signora Meloni che da oggi più che mai avrà un chiodo fisso a cui pensare ( non certamente diminuire le accise, rimettere a posto la sanità, intervenire sugli aumenti  energetici che mettono in ginocchio gli italiani – su questi problemi non si è fatto nulla in tre anni e mezzo e meno che mai lo si farà da qui in avanti ) andare a nuove elezioni subito o aspettare il 2017?
Nel primo caso ci vuole quel coraggio che mi sembra le sia mancato quando avrebbe dovuto chiedere queste dimissioni in tempi non sospetti e fatto non secondario il coraggio dovrebbe farsi doppio per andare contro a tutti quei suoi alleati che non hanno nessuna intenzione di lasciare una poltrona già sapendo che potrebbero non riaverla.
Nel secondo caso si lascerà avvolgere dai pifferai magici che la convinceranno a soprassedere alla possibilità di elezioni anticipate e così facendo darà il tempo e la possibilità ai suoi avversari politici di organizzarsi e si sa che in politica quando si fiuta odore di possibilità di vittoria i campi stretti fanno ben presto a diventare non larghi ma larghissimi imbarcando dentro anche una marea di Pinocchi pur di arrivare a sconfiggere il nemico che era al Governo.
Una cosa è certa, ne vedremo delle belle!

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,astrattismo,fotografia,Pittura

Suomen talvi – Finnish winter seen through the eyes of 12 Finnish artists

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Winter is the longest season in Finland, lasting about 200 days in Lapland and 3-4 months in the southern part of the country.
Temperatures in the north of the country are usually below freezing for most of the winter, providing a sense of absolute peace and crystal-clear air.
A fairytale landscape will unfold before your eyes, with abundant snow, frozen lakes, and the chance to admire the Northern Lights, the icing on the cake.
In Lapland, everything seems muffled, with the snow reflecting an almost unreal light, even illuminating the polar night.
The first snow of the season, “ Ensilumi ” in Finnish, is always a very exciting moment, eagerly awaited by Finns, and its arrival, given the large size of Finland, which extends for over 1000 kilometers from north to south, can vary depending on where you are.
In Lapland, which lies mostly above the Arctic Circle, the first snow arrives as early as September, although I happened to encounter it many years ago in late June during the car transfer from Ivalo Airport to Inari.
Finland is a wonderful country that I recommend visiting in any season, but if you want to see it at its most elegant and fascinating, choose winter!
Thinking about Finnish winter I had the idea to ask twelve incredibly talented Finnish artists to show us “ Suomen talvi “  through their eyes, and I must say, the result of this experiment is truly astonishing, as you’ll see
In the article, along with a brief introduction to the artist, you’ll find two paintings: the first is her  “ Suomen talvi  “ and the second is one of her favorites
I invite you to visit their social media pages and websites to better understand their talent.
If you are interested in some of their works, the artists could reserve a small discount for the readers of my Blog
To Satu Kekäläinen, Mari Knuuttila, Meria Q, Paula Mikkilä, Milla Piirainen, Taru Rouhiainen, Minna Scheinin, Saila Seppo, Kaisa Sirén, Maj Sjö, Martina Uthardt, Liisa Viima, I extend my heartfelt thanks for making my idea possible

Satu Kekäläinen 

Satu Kekäläinen, she was born in Helsinki, but after living in various places across Finland, she currently lives in Lieto.
Ice is a sort of common thread that has accompanied Satu throughout her life, but artistically it all began in 2015 when, needing to find strength and breathe fresh air, she immersed herself in the nature of nearby Lake Littoistenjärvi, and since it was winter, she began photographing with her camera the figures she saw in the lake ice.
You can see her works on her Instagram and Facebook pages  and website
For Suomen talvi , she presents: Winter Fairy – aluminium print 30 × 40 cm edition 1/10 – photographed under a blue sky in the sunshine with a macro mirroring function from ice collected from Finnish winter nature
As a second works, she presents: The Soul of the Water – aluminium print 30 × 40 cm edition 1/10 – macro photography of ice collected from nature in winter in the colors and energies of blue anemones in spring

Sagastina – Winter Fairy
Sagastina – The Soul of the Water

Mari Knuuttila 

Mari Knuuttila born in Lapua, a town located in Southern Ostrobothnia and where she currently lives and creates her works in her studio.
Mari has been painting for about seven years, although her main profession is that of Chief Inspector at the State Administrative Agency, a role that requires strict compliance with laws and regulations.
Through painting, Mari has found a way to give free rein to her visual art, free from rules or pre-established patterns.
You can find more information about Mari on her Instagram and Facebook pages and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents: Winter Silence – acrylic / mixed media on canvas 89 x 115 cm – this work captures the quiet strength of the Nordic winter – a frozen horizon where light and shadow meet in stillness. Layers of texture reflect frost, earth and the silent breath of the northern landscape.
As a second painting she presents: With You – mixed media on canvas 80.5 x 65 cm – a layered field of ochre and shadow speaks of intimacy, memory and silent strength. The surface carries traces of time, emotion and the quiet power of being together.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Mari Knuuttila – Winter Silence
Mari Knuuttila – With You

Meria Q aka Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg

Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg  was born in Artjärvi (Lake of Art in english) but lives in Turku, a beautiful city on the west coast of Finland.
Meria Q became interested in art as a young girl, sketching evening dresses in her notebooks, and she cultivated this interest as a teenager by designing fabric prints.
As often happens, life sometimes takes strange turns, and Meria Q, abandoning her passion for art, took a different direction that led her into the world of marketing and business.
However, in early 2010, her artistic creativity reawakened and has been unstoppable ever since.
She held her first solo exhibition in 2018, followed by numerous others.
You can find more information about Meria Q on her Instagram page and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  First snow on the mountains – watercolour 19×14 cm, 2020 – this wonderful painting, which is a hymn to the joy of the first snow falling on the mountains, is part of the series that Merja Q has dedicated to Lapland.
As a second painting she presents: Poppies – watercolour 28×38 cm, 2023 – these wonderful poppies are fragile red spots, which in the middle of a field can give the hearts of sensitive people incredible emotions.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Meria Q – First snow on the mountains
Meria Q – Poppies

 

Paula Mikkilä

Paula Mikkilä born in Karvia, a hidden pearl of Finland surrounded by the wonderful rural landscapes of the Karvianjoki river, but resident in Tampere for over twenty years.
She graduated from the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Jyväskylä as a teacher specializing in fine arts and has dedicated a good part of her life to teaching as an elementary school teacher sharing much of her creative moments with children and teenagers.
In the 80s she created a considerable quantity of oil paintings, then after her move to Tampere she devoted herself to bronze sculpture and for almost twenty years in the evenings after her school work she went to the foundry.
Working with bronze is not easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding, like the material itself, which, once transformed into a work of art, can convey incredible emotions.
Paula draws inspiration for her works from her surroundings: home, nature, animals, and people, who, once part of her creative process, tell stories and fairy tales that take on an imaginative life of their own.
You can find more information about Paula on her Instagram page and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Two white spruces – acrylic, 40×40 cm, 2020  – this very beautiful painting is part of the series  “Sheltered by the Forest”
As a second work she presents: Two spruces – bronze, 29/26/13 cm, 2018 – a beautiful bronze statue depicting two spruces
Both works are available for purchase on her website.

Paula Mikkilä – Two white spruces
Paula Mikkilä – Two spruces, bronze

Milla Piirainen

Milla Piirainen is a Helsinki-based visual artist.
Her work is characterized by a versatile use of colors, materials, and techniques, through which she portrays human experiences and natural phenomena.
She works with acrylic, oil, and mixed media and primarily uses a palette knife, with which she has created her distinctive, layered, and vividly textured painting style.
Her works do not settle for a merely aesthetic impression but invite the viewer to explore deeper meanings and emotions that art can evoke.
She is primarily a marine painter, and the sea is a subject she returns to again and again. Flowers are also part of her artistic expression. The interplay of the characteristic colors and forms of the sea and flowers offers her endless possibilities for creativity
You can find more information about Milla on her Instagram page and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Purpura – oil on canvas 82 x 92 cm (with frame) – in this stream flowing between snow-covered trees, Milla used shades of violet and purple to paint the shadows on the snow and the reflections in the icy water. At first glance, we are greeted by a magical atmosphere where light plays a fundamental role. A very beautiful painting!
As a second painting she presents: Light –  acrylic on canvas 70 x 60 diptych – This work is a treatise on light and shadow. While painting, she tell the viewer stories about the beauty that surrounds me. Light and shadow go hand in hand like lovers. This story is about love. Light, light.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Milla Piirainen – Purpura
Milla Piirainen – Light

Taru Rouhiainen 

Taru Rouhiainen born in Hyvinkää but currently lives  in Vantaa.
Taru’s is one of those stories that shows us how not only painting, but art in general, can be the best medicine for overcoming difficult times.
In 2020, after the crisis, Taru found herself needing something that would allow her not only to stay busy but also to process and express her feelings.And so, making a life-changing choice, she enrolled in a painting course and fell in love with art!
Before discovering painting, she had always appreciated colors and, above all, their effect on our emotions, bringing joy into our homes.
You can find more information about Taru on her Instagram and Facebook pages and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  White noise – mixed medium in canvas90×70 cm – in this abstract work Taru makes us understand how she loves to play with colors, layers and textures that make her work full of emotions, stories and energy.
As a second painting she presents:  Waterlilly  – mixed medium on canvas 73×60 cm – this painting is part of the “Lummelampi” series and is inspired by the famous Water Lilies series by Monet, reinterpreting the theme with a material and contemporary style, depicting pink and white water lilies floating on a pond in blue and green tones, with bold brushstrokes that create a sense of movement of the water.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Taru Rouhiainen- White noise
Taru Rouhiainen – Waterlilly

Minna Scheinin

Minna Scheinin was born in Turku, a beautiful city on the west coast of Finland, where she lived for a long time before moving to Kaarina, where she currently lives.
Minna often visits Italy, where she has a home on Lake Iseo, and she says this Italian experience has greatly influenced her artistic development.
She worked for many years as a foreign language teacher ( Swedish and English ) and was responsible for pedagogical development  and online teaching at her University of applied sciences.
In 2011, she successfully completed a professional photography course at the New York Institute of Photography ( online ) and in 2013, she earned a degree in editorial graphics.
Since then, her photographic work has transformed into an artistic journey where her creativity has finally found a way to express itself through her art.
Minna expresses her art through photography, which plays a primary role, but also through painting and mosaics.
In photography, she began studying the ICM ( Intentional Camera Movement ) technique, which began a journey that led her to essentially paint with the camera, intentionally moving it during the exposure.
Nature is her greatest source of inspiration, and the deepest essence of her images is the beauty that surrounds us and often goes unnoticed.
You can find more information about Minna’s artistic work on her Instagram page   and  these are her email addresses : scheinin.minna@gmail.com minna@scheinin.fi
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Winter night – acrylic painting, 42 x 29,7 cm – with this painting, Minna managed to recreate the magical atmosphere of a Finnish winter night and embellished the painting with small fragments of glass capable of giving it a natural brilliance typical of the wonderful polar night.
As a second work she presents:  Snowballs  – photograph – with this very suggestive image Minna has captured a winter phenomenon in which small accumulations of snow or frost settle on the tips of common reeds (Phragmites australis) that emerge from partially frozen bodies of water with bright reflections created by the sun
Both works  are available for purchase on her website.

Minna Scheinin – Winter night
Minna Scheinin – Snowballs

Saila Seppo

Saila Seppo  was born in Kouvola but moved to Sastamala at the age of 1 or 2.
She studied in Espoo and currently live in Helsinki from a long time.
She worked at the Kemira factory in Pori and has worked and continues to work for the Research Council of Finland.
She is a member of the Helsinki Art Association, Espoo Art, and the Finnish Artists’ Association.
Saila is undoubtedly a multifaceted artist, and for her, the most important thing in art is the ability to create a new, diverse, and colorful work of art.
Saila holds a PhD in chemistry and a degree in technology, and thanks to these studies, she has a deep understanding of materials and pigments. This offers her a wide range of artistic possibilities, which she translates into her works, which closely resemble naive art, but in this case, I would say technological.
Thanks to her research, Saila created Sisusavi®, a material developed from natural ingredients that works well with all types of dyes, giving paintings a vivid surface and vibrant colors.
Sisusavi® is a soft, water-based, moldable mass that can be colored with pigments or vegetable dyes and hardens at room temperature through water evaporation.
Sisusavi® is a natural microcellulose material that contains no clay or plastic dyes, and the mass reproduces even the smallest details.
This product, entirely developed by Saila, is available for sale on Greenbutton.fi.
More information about Saila can be found on her social media pages, Instagram and Facebook, and on her website, sailaseppoart.fi,
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Snow – Sisusavi® and pigments on canvas, 47×55 cm – this large snow-covered tree, surrounded by a blanket of snow and kissed by the sun, has a naive, almost artisanal feel and the cracking effect due to the use of Sisusavi® makes it almost look like a material mosaic.
As a second painting she presents:  Flowers on Display – Sisusavi® and pigments on canvas, 40×59 cm – this work is part of the Sisusavi® project which stands out for its naive and material artistic style, characterised by a vibrant use of colour and three-dimensional textures that convey a sense of joy.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Saila Seppo – Snow
Saila Seppo – Flowers on Display

Kaisa Sirén

Kaisa Sirén lives in Rovaniemi, within the Arctic Circle of Finnish Lapland, where she works as a freelance photographer and artist.
She is a photographic artist who makes the landscape of her soul visible with Intentional Camera Movement, using the northern landscapes of Finland as a backdrop.
She focuses on themes related to the seasons of Lapland and the delicacy of nature.
She selects subjects from nature and transforms them into elements that were initially absent, thus visualizing the invisible.
She is the co-founder of the ICM Photo Academy, where she teaches ICM photography courses both in person and online.
She has held several solo and group exhibitions in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, the United States, and Germany, and since 2017, she has run an art gallery called Villa Vinkkeli in her hometown.
Her artistic focus is entirely on ICM photography and artistic creation.
ICM offers a way to make invisible feelings and repressed emotions visible.
When taking a photo in ICM, camera movement can create elements that were initially absent in the scene, making invisible elements visible.
This technique possesses the same randomness and element of surprise that have always accompanied Kaisa throughout her life.
More information about Kaisa can be found on her social media pages, Instagram and Facebook, and on her website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  First Snow – acrylic painting, 2025, unframed 60x80cm – in this Arctic landscape, Kaisa captures the magical moment of the first snowfall covering the autumn vegetation. The contrast between the warm tones (red and pink) of the earth and the cold tones (blue and grey) of the sky is her stylistic signature, with which she seeks to make visible the “invisible” emotions and sensations of nature. Also noteworthy is the vegetation (the red and purple marks in the foreground) which are transformed into abstract shapes.
As a second work she presents:  Solitude – photograph, 2025, unframed 30x40cm – this beautiful photograph by Kaisa, where the minimalist aspect of the scene prevails, leads us to a reflection on solitude which is not necessarily a negative feeling but in this case a condition of deep connection with the wild nature of Lapland.
Both works are available for purchase on her website.

Kaisa Siren – First snow, Ensilumi
Kaisa Siren – Solitude

MAJ SJÖ 

Maj SJÖ, born in Helsinki, where she has a studio space in Kaapelitehdas, Finland’s largest cultural centre, but currently lives in Espoo where she also creates in her home studio.
When I first saw MaJ’s works, I immediately understood how she managed to capture and convey in her art all those small and large miracles that life can give us day after day.
Her collection of works on the Archipelago and in general on everything that is sea or water (after all, her surname SJÖ in Swedish means lake/sea) can convey incredible emotions and for those like me who have experienced the magic that Hanko can convey, looking at her paintings that portray her means reliving moments of indescribable joy and serenity.
You can find more information about Maj  on her Instagram  and Facebook pages and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Winter Magic – oil on canvas, 2022, 100 x 80 cm – this painting features an ethereal, almost magical style, typical of Nordic illustrations, where snow and soft light create a suspended, enchanted atmosphere. The almost monochromatic choice, with a strong emphasis on white and elongated shadows (like that of the fox in the center), is a distinctive element that evokes the silence and solitude of Nordic winter landscapes.
As a second painting she presents:  What a Lady! – oil on canvas, 2023, 50 x 50 cm – in the background of this painting you can see a famous Helsinki landmark (Havis Amanda), which makes it very Finnish.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Maj Sjo – What a Lady
Maj Sjo – Winter magic

Martina Uthardt 

Martina Uthardt, born in Malax, where she currently lives in this big village and welcoming of about 5000 inhabitants in Southern Ostrobothnia, where Swedish is spoken rather than Finnish (about 6% of Finns speak Swedish)
After a 10-year stint running a photography agency specializing in portraits, Martina has dedicated herself fully to painting professionally since 2021.
She has experimented with various techniques but currently prefers acrylic painting with its possibilities for layering and variations that make each painting alive and unique in different lights.
When I first saw Martina’s paintings, I was struck by how this artist was able to perfectly represent the Finland I love so much.
You can find more information about Martina  on her Instagram and Facebook  pages and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Just Breathe – acrylic on canvas, 2021,  65 x 81 cm – this painting is intended to evoke a moment of pause and awareness, an invitation to slow down and take a breath of fresh air through the delicate pink and white tones contrasted by bold graphic lines. It is part of her abstract art collection, characterized by a style she herself defines as “mindful” allowing colors and shapes to play freely on the canvas.
As a second painting she presents:  Togetherness – acrylic on canvas, 2025,  100 x 81 cm – the painting depicts two swans swimming side by side under a large full moon in a Nordic landscape at night. The artist has described it as a “must-see” subject, conveying feelings of calm and beauty. The work explores the theme of connection and harmony, using swans as symbols of loyalty and enduring love.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Martina Uthardt – Just breathe
Martina Uthardt – Togetherness

Liisa Viima 

Liisa Viima, born in Oulu and currently based in Espoo.
Although she began painting as a teenager and dreamed of becoming a professional artist, she chose a more conventional path, earning a master’s degree in economics and dedicating herself to her family, including raising two daughters and caring for horse – her lifelong passion.
After facing significant life challenges, Liisa experienced a personal transformation that led her back to her original calling: painting.
Her mission became clear – to bring joy and beauty into the world through her art.
Liisa’s style is contemporary and abstract, often infused with elements of realism, surrealism, and even whimsy.
Recurring themes in her work include humanity, love, and forgiveness, expressed through symbolic imagery such as faces, hearts, stars, hands, the moon, pigeons and also horses.
For Liisa, horses represent courage and nobility values that have guided her life and artistic journey.
You can find more information about Liisa  on her Instagram and Facebook  pages and website
For Suomen talvi  she presents:  Mattitja – mixed media. Acrylic, oil, plaster reliefs, brick, mica pigment and epoxy, 2025, 90c90x4cm – from her Modern Icons collection – This painting explores the identity and deep awareness of being and includes some recurring symbols in the works of this artist, such as the dove (symbol of peace), the burning heart and floral motifs that evoke themes of spiritual awakening and love.
As a second painting she presents:  Ani Or – mixed media. Acrylic, oil, plaster reliefs, brick, mica pigment and epoxy, 2026, 90c90x4cm – from her Modern Icons collection – this painting features a central figure with a golden halo, surrounded by purple roses, a dove in her hand, and a pulsating red heart on her chest. Liisa’s style, characterized by an expressive use of color, bold textures, and the integration of symbolic and spiritual elements, truly emerges.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Liisa Viima – Ani Or
Liisa Viima – Mattitja

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musica,Spettacoli

C’era una volta il Festival di Sanremo

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Premetto di non essere tra quel 30% di italiani che non hanno visto il festival di Sanremo ma tra quelli che in quest’ultima edizione hanno contribuito a collocare il dato Auditel relativo allo share poco al di sotto del 70% ( 68,8 % il dato medio complessivo dell’ultima serata ).
Per dovere di cronaca devo confessare che lo vedo a modo mio e cioè non in diretta ma registrandolo e poi passando oltre su tutti quei momenti per me non interessanti, ma ascolto almeno una volta nelle quattro serata tutte le canzoni in gara e tutte le 30 esibizioni delle cover.
Certo così facendo i tempi da dedicare al festival si riducono notevolmente e sicuramente molto al di sotto di quelle 3 ore e 20 minuti che l’Annuario 2025 Auditel stima sia il tempo che ogni italiano passa giornalmente davanti alla tv.
Rimanendo ai dati è interessante sapere che l’Annuario 2025 della TV italiana patrocinato da AGCOM stima che la Tv nel prime time sera è vista giornalmente da 19,6 milioni di italiani e quindi ecco arrivare il primo dato comparativo sulla serata finale del festival che di fatto ha raccolto poco più di 11,2 milioni di spettatori sui 16 milioni incollati davanti alla tv ( con 3,6 milioni di italiani che non si sono avvicinati alla tv).
Bisogna poi dire che dal dicembre 2024 i dati Auditel  sono diventati Total Audience aggiungendo ai 45 milioni di apparecchi tv presenti sul territorio italiano anche i dati di altri 75 milioni di schermi  (Tablet, Smartphone, Smart TV, PC, etc.) che producono ascolti generati tramite browser e  App.
Premesso che ho sempre creduto a questi dati un po’ come agli esperimenti illusionistici di Giucas Casella non fosse altro perché il sistema lineare si basa sui dati rilevati da poco più di 5000 meter impiantati sui televisori di altrettante famiglie per un totale di circa 16.000 spettatori stimati a cui vanno aggiunti quelli rilevati in modo statistico dagli apparecchi digitali che rilevano gli ascolti di 5 editori che hanno proprietà digitali tra cui è presente ovviamente la RAI.
In buona sostanza i dati dello share servono non agli ascoltatori per capire il gradimento ottenuto dai vari programmi ma a chi fa soldi attraverso il mezzo televisivo vendendo spazi pubblicitari.
L’ultima edizione del Festival ha incassato oltre 70 milioni di pubblicità a fronte di costi di produzione che hanno di poco superato i 20 milioni e allora poco importa la qualità del prodotto perché il Festival è diventato un carrozzone pronto ad ospitare al suo interno tutto e di più, spot a nero ( durante le interruzioni ) da 150/300 mila euro per pochi secondi, per non parlare poi degli spazi promozionali all’interno del programma da 1 a 2 milioni di euro, senza dimenticare la nave crociera ormeggiata di fronte alla baia di Sanremo che ancora oggi qualcuno deve spiegare cosa c’incastra con il Festival.
E’ chiaro quindi che in un carrozzone del genere tutto cambia e il Festival potrebbe benissimo chiamarsi Tale e quale show o The Voice senior o generation perché all’interno della categoria Big ci sono personaggi che vanno sul palco dell’Ariston per fare una comparsata sponsorizzati e fatti diventare Big dalle case discografiche che devono ottenere per i loro performer il massimo della visibilità e allora ecco che sul palco si arriva nella maggior parte dei casi non per cantare ma per fare uno spettacolo che possa venire amplificato a dismisura sui social attraverso post, video e quant’altro sia utile a far vedere che sul palco dell’Ariston si è depositato un caco per far schizzare i punti del  Fantasanremo … ma per favore, se volete bene alla musica ridateci il festival della canzone, quello vero!
La ciliegina sulla torta in una serata in cui si è entrati a cavallo sul palco dell’Ariston non poteva che essere l’annuncio del passaggio di consegne tra Carlo Conti e Stefano De Martino come conduttore e direttore artistico per l’edizione del 2027.
La RAI è di tutto e di più e poco importa che negli ultimi 15 anni il Festival sia stato condotto e diretto artisticamente da cantanti come Morandi e Baglioni o Dj come Amadeus e Conti, mentre ora ci tocca un esperto di pacchi e chi meglio di lui potrà condurre Festival senza sapere da che parte cominciare.

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,astrattismo,fotografia,Mosaici,Mostre,Pittura

From Finland, the visual emotions captured by Minna Scheinin’s lens

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Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artist Minna Scheinin. She was born in Turku, a beautiful city on the west coast of Finland, where she lived for a long time before moving to Kaarina, where she currently lives.
Minna often visits Italy, where she has a home on Lake Iseo, and she says this Italian experience has greatly influenced her artistic development.
She worked for many years as a foreign language teacher ( Swedish and English ) and was responsible for pedagogical development  and online teaching at her University of applied sciences.
She became interested in photography at an early age, thanks to her mother’s passion for photography; Mom took a lot of photographs and in doing so she passed on the same passion to her.
Her career and the growth of her family left little room for creativity and art, although the camera has always been a faithful friend to Minna.
The turning point came in the 2000s when she was able to take a gap year from school to devote herself to studying photography.
In 2011, she successfully completed a professional photography course at the New York Institute of Photography ( online ) and in 2013, she earned a degree in editorial graphics. Since then, her photographic work has transformed into an artistic journey where her creativity has finally found a way to express itself through her art.
Minna expresses her art through photography, which plays a primary role, but also through painting and mosaics.
She came to painting thanks to the evolution of her artistic mindset, which also led her to try her hand at painting after long thinking she couldn’t draw. From what can be seen in her works, abstract painting is for her a moment of experimentation in which to study contrasts and chromatic values, as well as shapes and compositions.
In photography, she began studying the ICM ( Intentional Camera Movement ) technique, which began a journey that led her to essentially paint with the camera, intentionally moving it during the exposure.
While photojournalism requires an authentic and therefore sharp image, in the ICM technique, blurring is the element that allows the viewers  to distance themselves from the real subject, leaving room for their own reflection and, consequently, a personal interpretation of the work they are observing.
Minna considers herself not only an omnivorous but, above all, passionate experimenter, and in her works she loves to create unique atmospheres, often very tranquil and permeated by a persistent and reflective atmosphere where colors, light, shadows, and contrasts play a primary role.
Nature is her greatest source of inspiration, and the deepest essence of her images is the beauty that surrounds us and often goes unnoticed. However, she also embraces urban environments, where, with the ICM, she manages to capture moments and moods that allow the viewers  to form their own personal interpretation.
For Minna, the starting point of her photographic art is to create an understanding of the simplicity and complexity of life.
On this fascinating topic, Minna sought inspiration in Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary, which revealed that many of life’s great questions have remained the same and unchanged for centuries: what are equality, vanity, morality?
Minna then wondered if photography could be used to obtain answers to these questions, demonstrating that happiness does not come from matter, but from a good life, where things are in balance, both for better and for worse.
But a good life doesn’t mean an easy or always happy life. All life also includes pain, worry, anxiety, sadness, anger, disappointment, and despair. They are the opposite of positive things, whose value is difficult to see or understand without this framework.
With her current photographic project created using ICM technology, Minna is trying to interpret all emotions from one extreme to the other, when the different extremes find a balance in everyday life, or not.
Minna has held a number of private and group exhibitions, mainly in the Turku region, but also in Rovaniemi.
You can find more information about Minna’s artistic work on her Instagram page   and  these are her email addresses : scheinin.minna@gmail.com minna@scheinin.fi

Dalla Finlandia le emozioni visive dell’obiettivo di Minna Scheinin

Oggi ho il piacere di presentarvi l’artista finlandese Minna Scheinin che è nata a Turku una splendida città sulla costa occidentale della Finlandia, qui ha vissuto a lungo prima di trasferirsi a Kaarina dove attualmente vive.
Minna viene spesso in Italia dove ha casa sul lago d’Iseo e questa sua frequentazione italiana a suo dire ha molto influenzato il suo percorso artistico.
Ha lavorato per molti anni come insegnante di lingue straniere ( svedese e inglese ), ed è stata responsabile dello sviluppo pedagogico nella sua  Università di scienze applicate.
Ha  iniziato ad interessarsi alla fotografia molto presto, grazie alla passione per la macchina fotografica della mamma che scattava molte fotografie e  le ha fatto da apripista in quella che nel tempo diventerà una vera e propria attività artistica.
La sua carriera lavorativa e la crescita della sua famiglia non hanno lasciato molto spazio alla creatività e all’arte anche se la macchina fotografica per Minna è sempre stata un’amica fedele.
La svolta è avvenuta negli anni 2000 quando ha avuto la possibilità di prendersi un anno sabbatico dalla scuola per dedicarsi allo studio della fotografia.
Nel 2011 ha completato con successo un corso di  fotografia professionale al New York Institute of Photography (online) e nel 2013 ha conseguito una laurea in grafica editoriale  e da allora il suo lavoro fotografico si è trasformato  in un percorso artistico dove la sua creatività ha finalmente trovato il modo di esprimersi attraverso la sua arte.
Minna esprime la sua arte attraverso la fotografia che ha un ruolo primario ma anche con la pittura e i mosaici.
Alla pittura è arrivata grazie all’evoluzione della sua mentalità artistica che l’ha portata anche a cimentarsi con la pittura dopo aver pensato per lungo tempo di non saper disegnare e da quello che si può vedere attraverso le sue opere la pittura astratta è per lei un momento di sperimentazione in cui studiare i contrasti ed i valori cromatici così come per le forme e le composizioni.
Nella fotografia ha iniziato a studiare la tecnica ICM  (Intentional Camera Movement) con la quale ha iniziato un percorso che l’ha portata in pratica a dipingere con la macchina fotografica muovendo intenzionalmente la fotocamera durante l’esposizione.
Se nel fotogiornalismo c’è la necessità di avere un’immagine autentica e quindi nitida nella tecnica ICM la sfocatura è l’elemento che consente al pubblico di allontanarsi dal soggetto reale per lasciare spazio alla propria riflessione e di conseguenza ad una interpretazione personale dell’opera che si sta osservando.
Minna si considera una sperimentatrice non solo onnivora ma soprattutto appassionata e nelle sue opere ama provare a creare atmosfere particolari, spesso molto tranquille e permeate da un’atmosfera persistente e riflessiva dove colori,luci,ombre e contrasti giocano un ruolo primario
La natura è la sua più grande fonte di ispirazione e l’essenza più profonda delle sue immagini è quella bellezza che ci circonda e che spesso passa inosservata, ma non disdegna però anche gli ambienti urbani dove con l’ICM riesce a rubare con il suo obiettivo momenti e stati d’animo in cui l’osservatore può arrivare ad una sua interpretazione personale.
Per Minna il punto di partenza della sua arte fotografica è creare una comprensione della semplicità e della complessità della vita.
Su questo tema appassionante Minna ha cercato la fonte nel Dizionario Filosofico di Voltaire, dal quale traspare che molti dei grandi interrogativi della vita sono rimasti gli stessi e immutati per secoli: cosa sono l’uguaglianza, la vanità, la moralità?
Minna si è quindi chiesta se la fotografia possa essere usata per ottenere risposte a queste domande, mostrando che la felicità non deriva dalla materia, ma da una buona vita, dove le cose sono in equilibrio, sia nel bene che nel male?
Ma una buona vita non significa una vita facile o sempre felice. Tutta la vita include anche dolori, preoccupazioni, ansia, tristezza, rabbia, delusioni, disperazione. Sono l’opposto delle cose positive, il cui valore è difficile da vedere o comprendere senza questa cornice.
Con il suo attuale progetto fotografico realizzato con la tecnica ICM,  Minna sta provando a interpretare tutte le emozioni da un estremo all’altro, quando i diversi estremi trovano un equilibrio nella vita di tutti i giorni, oppure no.
Minna ha realizzato un buon numero di mostre tra private e collettive, principalmente nella regione di Turku, ma anche a Rovaniemi.
Potete trovare maggiori informazioni sull’attività artistica di Minna sulla sua pagina Instagram   e questi sono i suoi indirizzi email: scheinin.minna@gmail.com, minna@scheinin.fi

Photographs taken using ICM technique

Asunheinikossa – Minna Scheinin
Auringonlasku – Minna Scheinin
Morning – Minna Scheinin
Tikkumetsä – Minna Scheinin
Magic moment – Minna Scheinin
Myrskyn – Minna Scheinin
Aallot – Minna Scheinin
Blue Venice – Minna Scheinin
Venice – Minna Scheinin
Venice – Minna Scheinin
Venice – Minna Scheinin
Venice – Minna Scheinin
Burano – Minna Scheinin
Burano – Minna Scheinin
Butterflies – Minna Scheinin
Colours – Minna Scheinin
Happamia – Minna Scheinin
San Antonio – Minna Scheinin
Olive tree – Minna Scheinin
Mysteeripuu – Minna Scheinin
Olive tree – Minna Scheinin
In the evening – Minna Scheinin
Lights – Minna Scheinin
Lights – Minna Scheinin

Watercolors

Hauskuutus – Minna Scheinin
Tivoli – Minna Scheinin
Vuorilla – Minna Scheinin
Iloinenaamu – Minna Scheinin
Kuutamo – Minna Scheinin
Tulppaanit – Minna Scheinin
Kuutamo 2 – Minna Scheinin
Riippuva_puutarha – Minna Scheinin
Vihreähetki – Minna Scheinin
Kaikki_kukat – Minna Scheinin
Vihreät_perus – Minna Scheinin
Kukkapelto – Minna Scheinin

Mosaics

Geisha_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin
Tivoli_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin
Rannalla_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin
Tivoli_tarjotin – Minna Scheinin
Planeetat_tarjotin – Minna Scheinin
Puutarhassa_tarjotin – Minna Scheinin
Puutarhassa 2_tarjotin- Minna Scheinin
Hedelmätarha_vati – Minna Scheinin
Greece – Minna Scheinin
Palmut – Minna Scheinin
Kalatarjotin – Minna Scheinin
Japan_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin
Mosaic Mural – Minna Scheinin

Minna and the ice

Minna Scheinin at work 2025
Ice – Minna Scheinin
Ice – Minna Scheinin
Ice – Minna Scheinin
Ice – Minna Scheinin
Ice – Minna Scheinin
Ice – Minna Scheinin
Minna Scheinin – Exhibitions
Minna Scheinin – Exhibitions
Minna Scheinin – Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Colours Matter – Colours Matter, Brinkhall Manor, Turku
2023 With Glass and Lenses, Waudevilla, Parainen
2018 Nature Pictures, Joutsen Medical Clinic, Loimaa
2017 Unreachable Stories – Encounters in Ecuador, Café Art, Turku
2012 Natura II: Galapagos – Fearless Islands, Pulssi  Window Gallery, Humalistonkatu 9-11, Turku
2011 Natura I: Poetic Images of Nature, Turku University of Applied Sciences ICT Building

 ENVIRONMENTAL ART
2025 Happiness, mosaic mural, 9m x 1.5m, Kaarina

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026 Imaginary Worlds, Mökkigalleria, Kaarina
2021 A House Full of Artists. In conjunction with the Konstrunda and Rovaniemi Week events. Rovaniemi
2017 Time – Nature as a mirror of time, Kuusisto Art Manor, Kaarina
2012 Periscope, Workshop series and exhibition organized in connection with the 20th anniversary of Turku photography education, Photo Centre Peri, Turku
2011 2000 & 11 self-portraits, Turku Capital of Culture project, Finnish Museum of Photography, Helsinki
2011 2000 & 11 self-portraits, Turku Capital of Culture project, Turku Art Academy Cable Car Gallery
2011 2000 & 11 self-portraits, Turku Capital of Culture project, Turku University of Applied Sciences language teachers’ self-portrait exhibition, Turku University of Applied Sciences ICT building premises

 

 

 

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,ceramica,fotografia,Pittura

Pia Zettinig with Tierra Finlandia shapes life through clay

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Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artist Pia Zettinig from Turku, where she was born and lives, working in her art studio, “Tierra Finlandia.”
Pia is a visual artist with a strong, but I would say above all natural, ability to shape clay into forms that contain space for life, death, and the transitions in between.
Her practice ranges from public art to sculptural reliefs and ecological cremation urns: works that blend craftsmanship, ethics, and emotional intelligence.
Clay entered her life very early, having grown up surrounded by art since she was a child when she began modeling clay on her mother’s pottery wheel and spent time in the studio of Finnish master ceramist Abbe Kantor.
For Pia, clay was never just a material; rather, it became a language through which she connected with the world, reaching out to her inner self.
This connection has always accompanied her, even when life took her elsewhere.
Before dedicating herself fully to art, Pia studied healthcare and worked for over twenty years as a physiotherapist, therapist, and guide in various parts of the world, meeting people at their most vulnerable moments: on the margins of pain, illness, birth, loss, and transformation. This background has profoundly influenced her artistic approach.
Her works are not just objects, but genuine emotional encounters that exude the experience of a lifetime, where a human being is more than a body and life is much more than individual, measurable moments.
Life has taken Pia to Canada, the United States, and New Zealand, but it has also brought her profound loss and hardship, including a fire that destroyed her home and nearly all her material possessions.
Through these trials, Pia has come to understand that nothing is permanent, and that is precisely why everything matters.
Pia’s life and work have grown in layers, just like the earth she shapes with her hands. Her path has never been linear or pre-planned, but rather has formed layer by layer through experiences, losses, encounters, and an inner calling that, at a certain point in her life, she could no longer ignore.
At the heart of Pia’s artistic practice is raw Finnish clay, completely biodegradable and returned to the natural cycle.
Whether creating large-scale public installations using ancient excavated soil or intimate hand-sculpted urns, Pia approaches materials with profound respect because for her, ecology is not a trend or a marketing value but an ethical foundation: what is taken from the earth must be returned with care.
Urns entered Pia’s life not by design, but through seemingly random intersections (a moment in Italy, a call from an old ceramics teacher) that led her on a path where everything she had experienced and learned found its place.
Becoming an urn maker wasn’t a career choice; it was the answer to a calling.
Pia doesn’t create urns as objects, but as gifts, each urn slowly crafted by hand and guided by intuition rather than biography, allowing form, symbol, and material to convey a meaning beyond words.
She uses raw Finnish clay, which is completely biodegradable and returns to the natural cycle, because clay and ash nourish the earth and sustain new life.
A personalized urn is born not from facts or biographies, but from what Pia has intuited after listening to an emotion or perceiving a recurring image that will guide the creation process, which can only be intimate and profoundly human.
The urn encapsulates a life lived, love, and memories in a way that words can’t always capture.
For those grieving, the urn holds profound meaning because it’s often the first object they touch after a loss, and many speak of receiving more than they expected: comfort, peace, and the feeling that the bond isn’t over, but has changed shape.
As an artist, Pia also works in public art, and her works literally emerge from the ground, like the reliefs created from millennia-old clay excavated beneath Turku’s Market Square. These works connect the city’s archaeological layers with the present moment and the movement of people. They are silent reminders of time, continuity, and the awareness that we are only one layer in a much longer journey.
Pia’s work isn’t limited to an urn, a work of art, or a single moment, but lives on in people, in memories, and in the earth itself. Through clay, she makes visible what we often forget:
that life is limited, incomplete, and imperfect, and therefore beautiful.
That death is not the opposite of life, but part of it.
And that love doesn’t disappear, but continues its journey.
Pia’s urns are internationally recognized for redefining how death can be approached: with dignity, beauty, and honesty.
Pia is also a death awareness advocate and a founding member and president of Pro Morte, an organization dedicated to reshaping the way societies talk about death, grief, and remembrance.
She firmly believes that the more courage we have in facing death, the more deeply we learn to live. As a mentor and guide, Pia opens clay to the living as well. In her workshops, clay becomes a tool for emotional expression, liberation, and the search for one’s inner voice.
You can find more information about Pia and her artistic work on her social media pages Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube and on her website, tierrafinlandia.

Pia Zettinig con Tierra Finlandia plasma la vita attraverso l’argilla

Oggi ho il piacere di presentarvi l’artista finlandese Pia Zettinig di Turku, dove è nata e vive lavorando nel suo studio artistico “ Tierra Finlandia ”.
Pia è un’artista visiva con una spiccata ma direi soprattutto naturale capacità di plasmare l’argilla in forme che contengono spazio per la vita, la morte e le transizioni intermedie.
La sua pratica spazia dall’arte pubblica ai rilievi scultorei e alle urne cinerarie ecologiche: opere che fondono artigianato, etica e intelligenza emotiva
L’argilla è entrata molto presto nella sua vita essendo cresciuta circondata dall’arte già da bambina quando ha iniziato a modellare l’argilla sul tornio della madre e ha trascorso del tempo nello studio del maestro ceramista finlandese Abbe Kantor.
L’argilla per Pia non è mai stata solo un materiale, ma anzi è diventato un linguaggio con cui lei si è connessa con il mondo passando attraverso il suo io interiore.
Questa connessione l’ha sempre accompagnata, anche quando la vita l’ha portata altrove.
Prima di dedicarsi completamente all’arte, Pia ha studiato in ambito sanitario e ha lavorato per oltre vent’anni come fisioterapista, terapista e guida in diverse parti del mondo, incontrando persone nei loro momenti più vulnerabili: ai margini del dolore, della malattia, della nascita, della perdita e della trasformazione e questo  background ha influenzato profondamente il suo approccio artistico.
Le sue opere non sono solo oggetti, ma veri e propri incontri emotivi che trasudano il vissuto di una vita intera, dove un essere umano è più di un corpo e la vita molto più di singoli momenti misurabili.
La vita ha portato Pia in Canada, negli Stati Uniti e in Nuova Zelanda, ma le ha anche portato una profonda perdita e momenti brutti, tra cui un incendio che ha distrutto la sua casa e quasi tutti i beni materiali.
Attraverso queste prove che le ha riservato la vita, Pia ha compreso che nulla è permanente e proprio per questo tutto conta.
La vita e il lavoro di Pia sono cresciuti a strati, proprio come la terra che plasma con le sue mani e il suo percorso non è mai stato lineare o pianificato in precedenza, ma al contrario si è formato strato dopo strato attraverso esperienze, perdite, incontri e una chiamata interiore che a un certo punto della sua vita non ha più potuto ignorare.
Al centro dell’attività artistica di Pia  c’è l’argilla finlandese cruda, completamente biodegradabile e restituita al ciclo naturale.
Che si tratti di realizzare installazioni pubbliche su larga scala con antichi terreni di scavo o di urne intime modellate a mano, Pia si avvicina ai materiali con profondo rispetto perché per lei l’ecologia non è una tendenza o un valore di marketing ma è un fondamento etico, ciò che viene preso dalla terra deve essere restituito con cura.
Le urne sono entrate nella vita di Pia non in modo pianificato, ma grazie a quegli incroci apparentemente casuali della vita ( un momento in Italia, la chiamata di un vecchio insegnante di ceramica ) che l’hanno condotta su un percorso in cui tutto ciò che aveva vissuto e imparato ha trovato il suo posto.
Diventare una creatrice di urne non è stata una scelta di carriera, è stata la risposta a una vocazione.
Pia non crea urne come oggetti, ma modella dei doni, dove ogni urna è realizzata lentamente a mano e guidata dall’intuizione piuttosto che dalla biografia, consentendo a forma, simbolo e materiale di trasmettere un significato che va oltre le parole.
Utilizza argilla finlandese cruda, completamente biodegradabile e che ritorna al ciclo naturale, perché argilla e ceneri nutrono la terra e sostengono nuova vita.
Un’urna personalizzata non nasce da fatti o biografie, ma da quello che Pia ha intuito dopo aver ascoltato un’emozione o percepito un’immagine ricorrente che guideranno il processo della lavorazione che non potrà che essere intimo e profondamente umano.
L’urna racchiude una vita vissuta, amore e ricordi in una forma che le parole non sempre riescono a raggiungere.
Per chi soffre, l’urna ha un significato profondo perché è spesso il primo oggetto che tocca dopo una perdita e molti parlano di aver ricevuto più di quanto si aspettassero: conforto, pace e la sensazione che il legame non sia finito, ma abbia cambiato forma.
Come artista, Pia lavora anche nell’arte pubblica e le sue opere nascono letteralmente dal terreno, come i rilievi creati con l’argilla millenaria scavata sotto la Piazza del Mercato di Turku. Queste opere collegano gli strati archeologici della città con il momento presente e il movimento delle persone. Sono silenziosi promemoria del tempo, della continuità e della consapevolezza che siamo solo uno strato in un viaggio molto più lungo.
Il lavoro di Pia non si esaurisce in un’urna, un’opera d’arte o un momento, ma vive nelle persone, nei ricordi e nella terra stessa, perché  attraverso l’argilla, rende visibile ciò che spesso dimentichiamo:
che la vita è limitata, incompiuta e imperfetta, e quindi bella.
Che la morte non è l’opposto della vita, ma parte di essa.
E che l’amore non scompare, ma continua il suo viaggio.
Le urne funerarie di Pia  sono riconosciute a livello internazionale per aver ridefinito il modo in cui la morte può essere affrontata: con dignità, bellezza e onestà.
Pia è anche una sostenitrice della consapevolezza della morte e membro fondatore e Presidente dell’associazione Pro Morte, un’organizzazione dedicata a rimodellare il modo in cui le società parlano di morte, dolore e ricordo.
Lei crede fermamente che più coraggio abbiamo nell’affrontare la morte, più profondamente impariamo a vivere e come mentore e guida Pia apre l’argilla anche ai vivi e nei suoi workshop, l’argilla diventa uno strumento per l’espressione emotiva, la liberazione e la ricerca della propria voce interiore.
Troverete maggiori informazioni su Pia e la sua attività artistica sulle sue pagine social Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube e sul suo sito tierrafinlandia

Builder: Man who build for calling ( buildersbelt in the urn)
Kauri: The Strong one (hands holding black ball)
Roses: Wisdom of power (golden roses)
Golden helmet
Siika: Dreamer of a free spirit (Silver fish around the base)
Red Magic: World within ( Red urn covered with feathers and etc.)
Pia: Nature is my garden (little birds in nature)
Harkka: Traveller of the nature realms (ginko biloba leaves)
Freedom
Yönkuningatar: Queen of the night
Yönkuningatar: Queen of the night

National bird of Finland- Unique beauty of Nature
Turku Market Square Collection
Turku Market Square Collection

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Arte naif,astrattismo,fotografia,Mostre,Pittura

Saila Seppo when naive art becomes technological through an explosion of colors that transmit joy

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Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artist Saila Seppo, she was born in Kouvola but moved to Sastamala at the age of 1 or 2.
She studied in Espoo and currently live in Helsinki from a long time.
She worked at the Kemira factory in Pori and has worked and continues to work for the Research Council of Finland.
She is a member of the Helsinki Art Association, Espoo Art, and the Finnish Artists’ Association.
Saila is undoubtedly a multifaceted artist, and for her, the most important thing in art is the ability to create a new, diverse, and colorful work of art.
Daughter of a greengrocer, she began creating flower bouquets as a child, and thus understands the importance of colors and their combinations.
Saila holds a PhD in chemistry and a degree in technology, and thanks to these studies, she has a deep understanding of materials and pigments. This offers her a wide range of artistic possibilities, which she translates into her works, which closely resemble naive art, but in this case, I would say technological.
Curiosity has accompanied her throughout her life and has been a sort of common thread that has followed her on all her travels, which have seen her reach and visit 47 countries!
For Saila, experiencing cultural differences is enriching, and being constantly on the move can only fuel creativity towards generating new ideas and inventions.
Throughout her artistic journey, Saila has never remained in a comfort zone through her travels, but rather has continually challenged herself, creating well-rounded art and even publishing four books, with a fifth soon to be released.
In the past, she has presented her technological inventions to Marimekko’s head of design. Regretting that she didn’t have an open position as an artist, she encouraged her to organize an art exhibition, considering Saila’s works to be pure art.
And so it was, Saila followed the path indicated to her and began organizing several solo exhibitions with the aim of offering the public the opportunity to enjoy them.
The spark that starts the process of creating a new work has always been the most important moment, followed by the execution, which can take a long time but not always, and the gradual development of the idea, which must transform into an engaging work, capable of repeatedly attracting the viewer’s attention, repeatedly conveying important moods such as playfulness, joy, calm, nature, and unity.
Thanks to her research, Saila created Sisusavi®, a material developed from natural ingredients that works well with all types of dyes, giving paintings a vivid surface and vibrant colors.
Sisusavi® is a soft, water-based, moldable mass that can be colored with pigments or vegetable dyes and hardens at room temperature through water evaporation.
Sisusavi® is a natural microcellulose material that contains no clay or plastic dyes, and the mass reproduces even the smallest details.
This product, entirely developed by Saila, is available for sale on Greenbutton.fi.
The paste is also used in watercolor art, and casein or glue can help the paste adhere to paper or fabric; Saila uses glue.
Saila collects wild plants and has cultivated marigolds, for example, to isolate their color in an aqueous solution, which is stored in bottles and used as a color in some of her works.
Speaking of curiosity, some of Saila’s paintings, in which she has used food coloring, become edible, much to the delight of children in particular.
More information about Saila can be found on her social media pages, Instagram and Facebook, and on her website, sailaseppoart.fi, where you can also find her works for sale.

Saila Seppo quando l’arte naif diventa tecnologica attraverso un’esplosione di colori che trasmettono gioia

Oggi ho il piacere di presentarvi l’artista finlandese Saila Seppo che è nata a Kouvola, ma si è trasferita a Sastamala all’età di 1-2 anni, ha studiato a Espoo e vive da molto a Helsinki.
Ha lavorato nello stabilimento dell’azienda Kemira a Pori e ha lavorato e lavora tuttora per il Consiglio di ricerca della Finlandia.
E’ membro dell’Helsinki Art Association, dell’Espoo Art e dell’Associazione degli Artisti Finlandesi.
Saila è sicuramente un’artista poliedrica e per lei quello che più conta nell’arte è il saper creare un’opera d’arte nuova, diversa e colorata.
Figlia di un ortolano ha iniziato a creare bouquet di fiori fin da bambina e quindi ha ben chiara l’importanza dei colori e del loro abbinamento.
Saila ha conseguito un dottorato in chimica e una laurea in tecnologia e grazie a questi suoi  studi conosce molto bene materiali e pigmenti fatto questo che le offre un ventaglio non indifferente di possibilità artistiche che trasferisce nelle sue opere che ricordano molto da vicino l’arte naif ma in questo caso direi tecnologica.
La curiosità l’ha accompagnata per tutta la vita ed è stata una sorta di fil rouge che l’ha seguita in tutti i suoi viaggi con i quali ha raggiunto e visitato ben 47 paesi!
Per Saila vivere le differenze culturali è qualcosa che arricchisce e l’essere sempre in movimento non può che alimentare la creatività verso la generazione di nuove idee e invenzioni.
Durante il suo percorso artistico Saila grazie ai suoi viaggi non è mai rimasta in una zona confort ma al contrario si è messa continuamente alla prova creando arte a tutto tondo e arrivando anche a pubblicare quattro libri, mentre un quinto è in uscita.
In passato ha presentato le sue invenzioni tecnologiche alla responsabile del design di Marimekko che rammaricandosi di non avere una posizione aperta come artista l’ha incoraggiata a organizzare una mostra d’arte, considerando i lavori di Saila a tutti gli effetti arte pura.
E così è stato, Saila ha seguito la strada che le è stata indicata è ha iniziato ad allestire diverse mostre personali con l’intento di poter dare la possibilità al pubblico di godersele
Da  sempre la scintilla che dà inizio al processo di creazione di una nuova opera è il momento più importante a cui seguono l’esecuzione che può richiedere molto tempo, ma non sempre e lo sviluppo graduale dell’idea che deve trasformarsi in un opera coinvolgente, capace di attirare più volte l’attenzione dell’osservatore trasferendogli a più riprese stati d’animo importanti quali giocosità, gioia, calma, natura e unione.
Grazie ai suoi studi Saila ha creato Sisusavi®, un materiale che ha sviluppato a partire da ingredienti naturali e che funziona bene con tutti i tipi di coloranti conferendo al dipinto una superficie vivida e con colori che appaiono brillanti.
Sisusavi® è una massa morbida, a base d’acqua e modellabile, che può essere colorata con pigmenti o coloranti vegetali e che indurisce a temperatura ambiente con l’evaporazione dell’acqua.
Sisusavi® è un materiale naturale, micro cellulosa e non contiene argilla o plastica coloranti e la massa riproduce anche i più piccoli dettagli.
Questo prodotto interamente sviluppato da Saila è in vendita su Greenbutton.fi
La massa viene utilizzata anche nell’arte dell’acquerello e la caseina o la colla possono aiutare la massa ad aderire alla carta o al tessuto, Saila usa la colla.
Saila raccoglie piante selvatiche e ha coltivato ad esempio la calendula  per isolarne il colore in una soluzione acquosa conservata in bottiglie e utilizzata come colore in alcune sue opere.
a proposito di curiosità, certi dipinti di Saila in cui ha utilizzato coloranti alimentari diventano commestibili per la gioia soprattutto dei bambini.
Maggiori informazioni su Saila si possono trovare sulle sue pagine social Instagram e Facebook e sul suo sito web sailaseppoart.fi dove troverete anche le sue opere in vendita.

Paintings

Saila Seppo – Our Sun
Saila Seppo – Floral Dress
Saila Seppo – House of Romance
Saila Seppo – Clouds, Flowers and the shimmering sea

Sculptures

Photographs

Next Exhibitions 2026

31.1. – 5.2.2026
Finland in Tokyo
Design Festa Gallery in Tokyo
2.3. – 23.3. 2026
Espoo Artin 50-vuotisjuhlanäyttely
Kaapelitehdas Puristamo, Helsinki
14.3. – 2.4. 2026
Lintutarha
Galleria Art Frida, Korkeavuorenkatu 25, Helsinki
2.9. – 6.9. 2026
Habitare
Messukeskus, Helsinki

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Pittura

Christmas atmosphere seen through the eyes of 8 Finnish artists

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While Denmark is saying goodbye to traditional mail and will definitively cease the delivery of paper letters from 31 December 2025, in Santa Claus’s country, Christmas greeting cards will continue to be a real must.
I know that Finns use Christmas greeting cards with great pleasure and many are handmade by themselves.
Sending and receiving these greetings by post  is an integral part of Finnish Christmas tradition, a symbol of love, peace and friendship, and strengthens the bond with the legendary figure of Santa Claus
Thinking about Christmas atmosphere I had the idea to ask eight incredibly talented Finnish artists to show us Christmas atmosphere through their eyes, and I must say, the result of this experiment is truly astonishing, as you’ll see.
In the article along with a brief introduction to the artist, you’ll find two paintings: the first is her Christmas atmosphere and the second is one of her favorites and both are available for sale
I invite you to visit their social media pages and websites to better understand their talent.
To Satu Kekäläinen, Mari Knuttila, Ella Petman, Meria Q, MaJ Sjö, Martina Uthardt, Ulla  Väisänen and Liisa Viima a heartfelt thank you for making my  idea of ​​presenting Christmas atmosphere in a slightly different way possible.

Santa Claus Post Office has been operating since 1985 and receives over 2 million letters a year – for more information see website 

Satu Kekäläinen a fairy tale born from ice

Satu Kekäläinen, she was born in Helsinki, but after living in various places across Finland, she currently lives in Lieto.
Ice is a sort of common thread that has accompanied Satu throughout her life, but artistically it all began in 2015 when, needing to find strength and breathe fresh air, she immersed herself in the nature of nearby Lake Littoistenjärvi, and since it was winter, she began photographing with her camera the figures she saw in the lake ice.
You can see her works on her Instagram and Facebook pages  and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents: Christmas tree light 
As a second photos, she presents: Fairy Cow
This ” Fairy Cow “ will be included in Kaarina’s upcoming group exhibition from January 10 to 26, 2026, at Mökkigalleria (Cottage Gallery).
It is photographed in nature, with ice. The colors in the image come from the flowers and the light from the sun.
Both photos are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Satu Kekäläinen – Christmas tree light – Valokuusi
Satu Kekäläinen – Fairy Cow – Keijulehmä

Mari Knuuttila when painting becomes poetry

Mari Knuuttila born in Lapua, a town located in Southern Ostrobothnia and where she currently lives and creates her works in her studio.
Mari has been painting for about seven years, although her main profession is that of Chief Inspector at the State Administrative Agency, a role that requires strict compliance with laws and regulations.
Through painting, Mari has found a way to give free rein to her visual art, free from rules or pre-established patterns.
You can find more information about Mari on her Instagram and Facebook pages and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents: Ornament Glow
As a second paintings, she presents: Shadows in Flame
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Mari Knuuttila – Ornament Glow – Joulupallojen hehku
Mari Knuuttila – Shadows in Flame 81cm x 100cm

Ella Petman after a long journey she found her paradise

Ella Petman, born in Jyväskylä, central Finland, where she has lived most of her life, except for the period when she moved to Tampere while studying to join the police.
Since May 2023, Ella has begun to devote herself entirely to painting and has begun producing her works, which are mostly semi-abstract, leaving the observer complete freedom to interpret the painting according to their own vision.
You can find more information about Ella on her Instagram page and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents: Lights of the North
As a second painting , she presents: The Tale of the Nebula
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Ella Petman – Lights of the North
Ella Petman – The Tale of the Nebula

 

Meria Q aka Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg, a mysterious artist who believes in miracles created by the free flow of the mind

Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg  was born in Artjärvi (Lake of Art in english) but lives in Turku, a beautiful city on the west coast of Finland.
Meria Q became interested in art as a young girl, sketching evening dresses in her notebooks, and she cultivated this interest as a teenager by designing fabric prints.
As often happens, life sometimes takes strange turns, and Meria Q, abandoning her passion for art, took a different direction that led her into the world of marketing and business.
However, in early 2010, her artistic creativity reawakened and has been unstoppable ever since.
She learned acrylic painting during an astronomical painting course, and thanks to the guidance of excellent professional teachers, she acquired skills in mixed media and watercolor painting.
Once her artistic streak was rekindled, she began painting and drawing as much as possible.
She held her first solo exhibition in 2018, followed by numerous others.
You can find more information about Meria Q on her Instagram page and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents: Peace on Earth
As a second painting , she presents: Can you hear the water flowing?
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Meria Q – Peace on Earth, watercolour size A5water
Meria Q – Can you hear the water flowing? – 27cmx35cm, mixed media

MAJ SJÖ from Finland comes with a breeze of positivity 

Maj SJÖ, born in Helsinki, where she has a studio space in Kaapelitehdas, Finland’s largest cultural centre, but currently lives in Espoo where she also creates in her home studio.
When I first saw MaJ’s works, I immediately understood how she managed to capture and convey in her art all those small and large miracles that life can give us day after day.
Her collection of works on the Archipelago and in general on everything that is sea or water (after all, her surname SJÖ in Swedish means lake/sea) can convey incredible emotions and for those like me who have experienced the magic that Hanko can convey, looking at her paintings that portray her means reliving moments of indescribable joy and serenity.
You can find more information about Maj  on her Instagram  and Facebook pages and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents: Many reasons to smile – Acrylic on canvas, 70cmx70cm
As a second painting , she presents: Room of Vision – Oil on canvas, 40cmx40cm
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

MaJ Sjö – Many reasons to smile – Acrylic on canvas, 70cm x70cm
MaJ Sjö – Room of Vision – Oil on canvas, 40cmx40 cm

Martina Uthardt from Finland send a hymn to the joy of living

Martina Uthardt, born in Malax, where she currently lives in this big village and welcoming of about 5000 inhabitants in Southern Ostrobothnia, where Swedish is spoken rather than Finnish (about 6% of Finns speak Swedish)
After a 10-year stint running a photography agency specializing in portraits, Martina has dedicated herself fully to painting professionally since 2021.
She has experimented with various techniques but currently prefers acrylic painting with its possibilities for layering and variations that make each painting alive and unique in different lights.
When I first saw Martina’s paintings, I was struck by how this artist was able to perfectly represent the Finland I love so much.
You can find more information about Martina  on her Instagram and Facebook  pages and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents:  Joyful Christmas – 61cmx50cm
As a second painting , she presents: held by Light Collection, ” Breeze-kissed waves “, 120cmx100cm
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Martina Uthardt – Joyful Christmas – 61cmx50cm
Martina Uthardt – “Breeze-kissed waves”- 120cmx100 cm

Ulla Väisänen from Finland between dream and reality!

Ulla Väisänen, born in Nerkoo, Lapinlahti, a small village in central Finland.
Ulla currently lives in Jyväskylä, a beautiful city that offers the opportunity to live what I call “a Finnish life” where quality of life is definitely at the top of the scale of values for living a good life.
Studied at Kuopio Academy of Design (Textile art, designer) and pedagogy at Tampere Open University
You won’t believe it but when she was young, after watching Fellini’s film “La Strada”, she fell in love with Italy and even started studying Italian.
I don’t know if the vision of this masterpiece by Fellini, where fantasy and reality often alternate, has somehow influenced the artistic vein of Ulla who began drawing and painting as a teenager, certainly her art is a well-calibrated mix of symbolism, surrealism and a bit of realism.
Her works can be viewed and requested through her social channels, Instagram ( ullamirjam ) and Facebook ( Ulla Väisänen )
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents the card : ” A Christmas elf girl sends greetings in the form of stars “
As a second painting , she presents: ” Angry birds ” – 90cm x70cm, she painted it in 2003 and finished it by adding more birds in 2025
The painting is available for purchase on her social media pages.

Ulla Väisänen – A Christmas elf girl sends greetings in the form of stars
Ulla Väisänen – Angry birds – 90cmx70cm

Liisa Viima – It’s never too late to bring joy and beauty into the world

Liisa Viima, born in Oulu and currently based in Espoo.
Although she began painting as a teenager and dreamed of becoming a professional artist, she chose a more conventional path, earning a master’s degree in economics and dedicating herself to her family, including raising two daughters and caring for horse – her lifelong passion.
After facing significant life challenges, Liisa experienced a personal transformation that led her back to her original calling: painting.
Her mission became clear – to bring joy and beauty into the world through her art.
Liisa’s style is contemporary and abstract, often infused with elements of realism, surrealism, and even whimsy.
Recurring themes in her work include humanity, love, and forgiveness, expressed through symbolic imagery such as faces, hearts, stars, hands, the moon, pigeons and also horses.
For Liisa, horses represent courage and nobility values that have guided her life and artistic journey.
You can find more information about Liisa  on her Instagram and Facebook  pages and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents: ” Liisa ” 2022 – 60cm x90cm x2cm, it’s a Finnish horse that pulls logs with twice its weight in the cold and the painting is based on “Liisa“, the family mare from Mikko Niskanen blockbuster film
As a second painting , she presents: ” Coeur des Coeurs ” 2023 – 90cm x90cmx4cm, represents Christ after suffering, when everything has been done and forgiven.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Liisa Viima – Coeur des Coeurs – 90cmx90cmx4cm

Click on the photos to enlarge them

Satu Kekäläinen – Christmas tree light – Valokuusi
Mari Knuuttila – Ornament Glow – Joulupallojen hehku
Ella Petman – Lights of the North
Meria Q – Peace on Earth, watercolour size A5water
MaJ Sjö – Many reasons to smile – Acrylic on canvas, 70cm x70cm
Martina Uthardt – Joyful Christmas – 61cmx50cm
Ulla Väisänen – A Christmas elf girl sends greetings in the form of stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A tavola,Eventi,Ristoranti

Asti – 13° edizione del Bagna Cauda Day 21,22, 23 e 28,29 e 30 novembre 2025

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A Monaco di Baviera celebrano l’October Fest, Asti e il Piemonte puntano sul novembre dedicato alla Bagna Cauda con una punta d’ironia a cominciare dal logo: Bagna Cauda Day si può leggere anche Bagna Cauda d’aj, cioè d’aglio in piemontese.
Asti e dintorni ospita l’evento (che quest’anno spegne tredici candeline)  promosso dall’Associazione Astigiani con lo scopo di mettere insieme la tradizione del più famoso piatto piemontese con la novità di un incontro che diventa festa, un po’ happening, un po’ evento a sorpresa, BCD (l’acronimo di Bagna Cauda Day, gioca tra il piemontese e l’inglese) è convocato via Internet e aperto a tutti i fans della Bagna Cauda nel mondo
Quest’anno per i tantissimi bagnacaudisti che vorranno degustare questo piatto prelibato la manifestazione si terrà in due weekend, dal 21 al 23 novembre e dal 28 al 30 novembre quando in più di 150 ristoranti, vinerie, cantine storiche ( per oltre 30.000 posti a sedere ) ad Asti, in altre località del Piemonte e del Mondo verrà celebrata  la Bagna Cauda, il piatto della convivialità, con la possibilità di scegliere a seconda dei propri gusti la versione più indicata a ciascun palato:
Rossa: “Come Dio Comanda” (ricetta tradizionale), Gialla: “Eretica” (poco aglio),Verde: “Atea” (senza aglio)
Cuochi e cuoche dell’Astigiano, Langa e Roero proporranno la loro Bagna Cauda tradizionale e la fortunata formula non cambia, con  un prezzo di riferimento del piatto in tutti i locali che sarà di 30 euro, mentre il vino doc e docg verrà proposto al prezzo di 15 euro a bottiglia, direttamente dai produttori nei locali aderenti.

Molti locali aderiranno anche alla Bagna della Merla, dal 29 gennaio al 1 febbraio 2026.

Anche in questa edizione si potrà ordinare la bagna cauda da asporto, grazie al servizio Sporta a cà.

Le prenotazioni possono essere fatte telefonando direttamente ai locali indicati sul sito web della manifestazione, dove sarà possibile verificare in tempo reale la disponibilità dei posti ancora liberi per ogni singolo ristorante aderente all’iniziativa.
I bagnacaudisti riceveranno in omaggio  il bavagliolone d’autore, firmato da Raffaele Iachetti in tessuto, con logo del Bagna Cauda Day  e ben visibile la scritta ” Usiamo la testa! “ da usare e tenere a ricordo dell’evento.

LA RICETTA della BAGNA CAUDA
Esistono varie ricette per realizzare la bagna cauda, a libera interpretazione del singolo cuoco o secondo tradizioni famigliari tramandate di madre in figlia o di generazione in generazione.
Tra tutte, l’Accademia Italia della Cucina ne ha depositata una, registrata il 7 febbraio 2005, ritenuta dopo vari assaggi la più affidabile e tramandabile.

Ingredienti per 12 persone:

12 teste d’aglio
6 bicchieri da vino di olio d’oliva e, se possibile un bicchierino di olio di noci
6 etti di acciughe rosse di Spagna

Tagliare a fettine gli spicchi d’aglio precedentemente svestiti e privati del germoglio, quindi mettere l’aglio in un tegame di coccio, aggiungere un bicchiere d’olio e iniziare la cottura a fuoco molto basso rimescolando con un cucchiaio di legno, senza fargli prendere colore.
Aggiungere poi le acciughe dissalate e diliscate continuando a rimescolare, quindi versare il restante olio e portare l’intingolo a cottura a fuoco basso per circa mezz’ora evitando che la bagna frigga.
Al termine della cottura si può aggiungere a piacere un pezzetto di burro freschissimo per dare un gusto più morbido alla bagna.
La bagna una volta pronta va versata negli appositi “fujot” (forellini di coccio) e accompagnata con le seguenti verdure:
crude: cardi gobbi di Nizza, topinanbours, cuori di cavolo bianco, indivia e scarola, peperoni freschi e sotto graspa, cipollotti inquartati ed immersi nel vino barbera crudo;
cotte: barbabietole rosse, patate lesse, cipolle al forno, zucca fritta, peperoni arrostiti.
La tradizione vuole che alla fine lo “spesso della bagna” si raccolga strapazzandovi dentro un uovo

In the two last weekend of november in Piedmont the “Bagna Cauda Day” is celebrated, this tasty and very particular sauce will be served in many restaurants
The bagna cauda typical winter dish of the Piedmont region (in Italian is called “hot sauce“) is history, tradition, encounter of cultures and flavors
The preparation of bagna cauda is based on a few basic ingredients (garlic, extra virgin olive oil and anchovies) and then the classic seasonal vegetables to dip in the wet come on the scene: cardoon, pepper, topinambur, cabbage, fennel, celery, artichokes, spring onions, beets, etc.
My recipe adapted for Finnish friends is this: remove the inner core from the garlic so that it is more digestible and soak it in milk for 1 hour, then finely chop it
Fry the garlic in an earthenware pot (or in a normal pot) in plenty of extra virgin olive oil and then add the desalted anchovies or those in oil
When the anchovies begin to melt, add 100 ml of cream, mix well and serve hot in single portion cups where everyone can dip the various raw and cooked vegetables (the delicious Finnish potatoes are also perfect )

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,astrattismo,Mostre,Pittura

Meria Q aka Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg, a mysterious artist who believes in miracles created by the free flow of the mind

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Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artist Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg, who was born in Artjärvi (Lake of Art in english) but lives in Turku, a beautiful city on the west coast of Finland.
Meria Q became interested in art as a young girl, sketching evening dresses in her notebooks, and she cultivated this interest as a teenager by designing fabric prints.
As often happens, life sometimes takes strange turns, and Meria Q, abandoning her passion for art, took a different direction that led her into the world of marketing and business.
However, in early 2010, her artistic creativity reawakened and has been unstoppable ever since.
She learned acrylic painting during an astronomical painting course, and thanks to the guidance of excellent professional teachers, she acquired skills in mixed media and watercolor painting.
Once her artistic streak was rekindled, she began painting and drawing as much as possible.
She held her first solo exhibition in 2018, followed by numerous others.
She is currently exhibiting her work at the exhibition “Art. Peace and Meditation” at the Ecumenical Art Chapel of St. Henry in Turku, until November 30th.
In her stage name, Meria means happiness and sun, while Q stands for the moon, an important guide to other worlds and feelings.Initially, she signed her works with the MSK symbol, but gradually a new logo emerged, in which many people have seen an angel or a butterfly, both elements are luminous and beautifully reflect the energies that move Meria Q’s mind in her creative state.
If we were to define this artist, she could be considered an intuitive painter of mental images, a true communicator of art.
Meria Q visualizes the subconscious, and by doing so, she manages to transfer images into her works that we cannot see with our physical eyes, thus becoming a sort of interpreter of the invisible that dwells within us, both in the present and the past.
The messages, emotions, and stories Meria Q conveys in her paintings manage to convey a sense of peace and tranquility to the viewer, almost to the point of becoming healing.
The viewer’s eyes magically find themselves in a place where the mind can rest.
Art, upon closer inspection, is the primary place where meditation dwells, and Meria Q’s works are a true invitation to meditate, allowing one to fully understand the messages they emanate.
Almost like a flow of wonders, a work becomes predestined for someone who can fully grasp the artist’s message.
Meria Q has received a description of herself from the world of astrology: “A mysterious artist who believes in miracles.” Looking closely at her works, it’s not hard to see her in this description.
By letting go of the free flow and letting things happen, miracles are created, and a new world opens up before us with all its colors, moods, and details.
This, no doubt, is the art of Meria Q!
She is a member of NAS Nordiska Akvarellsällskapet.
Meria Q doesn’t sell paintings online, but you can view some of her paintings on her website, www.meriaq.art.
If you’re interested in any of them, you can contact her through the website itself.

Meria Q alias Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg un’artista misteriosa che crede nei miracoli creati dal libero flusso della mente

Oggi ho il piacere di presentarvi l’artista finlandese Merja Sipiläinen-Kuhlberg che è  nata ad  Artjärvi ( lago d’arte in italiano ), ma  vive a Turku una splendida città sulla costa occidentale della Finlandia.
Meria Q si è avvicinata all’arte già da ragazzina quando disegnava abiti da sera nei suoi quaderni e ha coltivato questo interesse da adolescente disegnando stampe su tessuto.
Come spesso succede la vita a volte fa dei giri strani e Meria Q  tralasciata la passione per l’arte ha preso un’altra direzione che l’ha proiettata nel mondo del marketing e degli affari, ma agli inizi del 2010 la sua creatività artistica si è risvegliata e da allora è diventata inarrestabile.
Ha imparato la pittura acrilica durante un corso di pittura astronomica e grazie alla guida di bravissimi insegnanti professionisti ha acquisito un ottima preparazione nella tecnica mista e nella pittura ad acquerello e una volta che la vena artistica si è rimessa in moto,  ha iniziato a dipingere e disegnare il più possibile.
Ha tenuto la sua prima mostra personale nel 2018 a cui ne sono seguite numerose altre e proprio in questi giorni è presente  fino al 30 novembre con la mostra “ Arte. Pace e meditazione “ presso la Cappella d’arte ecumenica di Sant’Enrico a Turku.
Nel suo nome d’arte Meria  significa felicità e sole mentre Q è la luna che è un’importante guida verso altri mondi e sentimenti.
Agli inizi firmava le sue opere con il simbolo MSK, ma a poco a poco è nato il nuovo logo in cui molte persone hanno visto un angelo o una farfalla, entrambi gli elementi sono luminosi e riflettono molto bene le energie in cui si muove la mente di Meria Q  nello stato creativo.
Volendo dare una definizione di questa artista, la si può considerare una pittrice intuitiva di immagini mentali, una vera e propria comunicatrice d’arte.
Meria Q  visualizza il subconscio e facendolo riesce a trasferire nelle sue opere immagini che non si è in grado di vedere con i nostri occhi fisici, diventando quindi una sorte di interprete dell’invisibile che si alberga in noi, sia al presente che al passato.
I messaggi, le emozioni e le storie che Meria Q  trasferisce nei suoi dipinti riescono a trasmettere a chi li osserva un senso di pace e tranquillità fino quasi a farli diventare curativi a tal punto che gli occhi di chi li guarda si ritrovano come per magia in un luogo dove la mente può riposare.
L’arte a ben vedere è il luogo principe in cui alberga la meditazione  e le opere di Meria Q sono un vero e proprio invito alla meditazione per poter ben comprende i messaggi che emanano, quasi un flusso delle meraviglie che fa diventare un’opera la predestinata per quel qualcuno che riuscirà a cogliervi appieno il messaggio che l’artista ha voluto lanciare.
Meria Q ha ricevuto una descrizione di se stessa dal mondo dell’astrologia: “ Un’artista misteriosa che crede nei miracoli” e a ben guardare le sue opere non è difficile ritrovarla in questa descrizione perché lasciandosi andare al libero flusso e lasciando che le cose accadano, si creano miracoli e un nuovo mondo si apre davanti a noi con tutti i suoi colori, stati d’animo e dettagli, e questa non c’è che dire è l’arte di Meria Q!
Fa parte come membro della NAS Nordiska Akvarellsällskapet
Meria Q  non vende quadri online, ma attraverso il suo sito web www.meriaq.art potete vedere alcuni dei suoi dipinti e se interessati ad alcuni di questi prendete contatto  tramite il sito stesso.

Solo exhibitions:
Raisio Museum Harkko/ Aulagalleria (Hall Gallery), Raisio 2024
Arbis Turku, Galleriväggen 2023
Brinkhallin kartanon Kahvila (Brinkhall Manor Café), Turku 2022
Brinkkalan Outolintu, Turku 2022
Hemmotteluhuone Sinulle, Turku 2022
Turku City Main Library, digital exhibition, Turku 2022
Hemmotteluhuone Sinulle, Turku 2021
Hemmotteluhuone Sinulle, Turku 2020
Brinkkalan Outolintu, Turku 2020
Hemmotteluhuone Sinulle, Turku 2019
Tierra Finlandia, Turku 2019
Arbis Turku, Galleriväggen 2019
Restaurant Prego!, Kaarina 2019
Tierra Finlandia, Turku 2018

 Duo-exhibition:
”Art.Peace and meditation” with Victoria Björklund
at Ecumenical Art Chapel of St. Henry, Turku
until November 30th, 2025

 Group exhibitions:
Kaarina-talo, Kaarina Artist Assosiation Exhibition, Kaarina 2025
Mökki Galleria, Kaarina 2025
Nordiska Akvarellsällskapet NAS, Internet exhibition 12.2024-4.2025
Mökki Galleria, Kaarina 2024
Arbis Turku, watercolour paintings 2024
Galleria Petite & Cherie, Helsinki 2023
Arbis Turku, watercolour paintings 2023
Mökki Galleria, Kaarina 2019
Arbis Turku, watercolour paintings 2019
Arbis Turku, watercolour paintings 2018
Arbis Turku, watercolour paintings 2017

Meria Q – Coming home, 56×76 cm, 2025, watercolour
Meria Q – Love planet – 56×76 cm , 2025, watercolour
Meria Q – Looking back, 38×56 cm, 2022, watercolour
Meria Q – Dates stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in prosciutto 30×40 cm, 2024 watercolour

Acrylics

Meria Q – Woman sitting in the wind, 70×70 cm, 2024, acrylic
Meria Q – Birches in the forest, 40×40 cm, 2020, acrylic
Meria Q – Lion’s Gate, 65×90 cm, 2019, acrylic
Meria Q – The singing sparrow’s home nest, 25×30 cm, 2020, acrylic
Meria Q – Would you go with me, 60×60 cm ,acrylic
Meria Q – Invitation to the Snowfields, 70×80 cm, 2025, acrylic

Birds

Meria Q – Kingfisher, 16×13 cm, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – Seagulls, 35×25 cm, 2021, watercolour
Meria Q – A little bit of Västäräk, 28×19 cm, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – A rare bird guest appears, 14×19 cm, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – Bird of the mountain birch, 14×19 cm, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – Chirping, 27×35 cm, 2023, watercolour
Meria Q – Wader, 28×19 cm, 2020, watercolour

Watercolour

Meria Q – Crumbed Cod with Tartar Sauce, 30×40 cm, 2025, watercolour
Meria Q – Dancing Northern Lights, 14×19 cm, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – Drop your mask and remember who you are, 38×56 cm, 2021, watercolour
Meria Q – I’m cackling at the chicken, a little girl’s yoik, 14×19, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – Sunset in the archipelago, 34×25 cm, 2021, watercolour
Meria Q – Born Deep, 30×40 cm, 2024, watercolour
Meria Q – Clouds, 35×25 cm, 2021, watercolour
Meria Q – Flying high in the shades of blue, 28×19 cm, 2021, watercolour
Meria Q – Island Summer, 28×38 cm, 2021, watercolour
Meria Q – Love Tree, 38×28 cm, 2023, watercolour
Meria Q – Midsummer, 21×29 cm, 2023, watercolour
Meria Q – Overtone, 15×21 cm, 2022, watercolour
Meria Q – Poppies, 28×38 cm, 2023, watercolour
Meria Q – Sailing, 28×37.5 cm, 2023, watercolour
Meria Q – Summer Night, 21×15 cm, 2022, watercolour
Meria Q – The first snow fell on the fell, 19×14 cm, 2020, watercolour
Meria Q – Vibrations, 15×21 cm, 2022, watercolour
Meria Q – Winter, 33×17 cm, 2020, watercolour

Mixed media

Meria Q – A mouse in a pillbox hat, a squirrel and a few other animals, 60×80 cm, 2021, mixed media
Meria Q – Dreamer, 35×26 cm, 2020, mixed media
Meria Q – In the Golden Nest, 70×50 cm, 2018, mixed media
Meria Q – Running feet, 30×40 cm, mixed media, 2024
Meria Q – Vortex of Life, 70×70 cm, 2023, mixed media
Meria Q – A little girl’s big journey, 50×70 cm, 2020, mixed media
Meria Q – Adventurers, 40×40 cm, 2024, mixed media
Meria Q – At the Edge of the World, 60×80 cm, 2019, mixed media
Meria Q – Birth, 50×70 cm, mixed media
Meria Q – Cinderella puff, 50 x70 cm, 2018, mixed media
Meria Q – Contemplator in the lap of nature, 50×70 cm, 2020, mixed media
Meria Q – High in the treetops, 36×46 cm, 2022, mixed media
Meria Q – Himalaya, 40×40 cm, mixed media, 2024
Meria Q – On a bike ride, 50×70 cm, 2020, mixed media
Meria Q – On an evening walk, 36×46 cm, 2022, mixed media
Meria Q – Pike jawbone, 50×70 cm, 2020, mixed media
Meria Q – Pond ice chips , 36×46 cm, 2022, mixed media
Meria Q – Raindrops, 30×40 cm, 2022, mixed media
Meria Q – Spell, 60×80 cm, 2021, mixed media
Meria Q – The Sea’s Embrace, 40×40 cm, mixed media, 2023
Meria Q – Towards dreams. 50×70 cm, mixed media, 2024

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

un giornalista in viaggio che non sopporta gli ombrelli