Today I’m delighted to introduce you to Finnish artistVirpi Lehtinen, who lives in Vantaa, although her father’s roots are in Northern Lapland, in the village of Nellim, and therefore Inari Samiblood flows through her veins.
For me, having been to Laplandmany times, it wasn’t difficult to understandthat the mysticism and atmosphere that permeate her paintings are a sign of her deep Sami heritage.
Speaking to Virpi herself, she told me that when she closes her eyes, her imagination leads her to paint landscapes inspired by fairy tales, song lyrics, and memoriesof her childhood trips to Lapland.
The first impression I had when I looked out over the breathtaking panoramasof Laplandon my first trip above the Arctic Circlewas that of feeling transported to another dimension of peace and tranquility, and it’s exactly the same feeling I found when looking at Virpi’s paintings, especially when they invite you for a walk in the forest. It truly feels like entering a fairytale worldwhere you can encounter anything, from a foxwaiting to play hide-and-seek or a squirrel challenging you to find the first acorn along the path you’re walking, not to mention the mossesexuding fantastic colors. Virpi’sstory as an artist is very unique because she came to painting not as a young woman but only recently after being attacked in 2020 by a very rare form of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). This forced her to leave the job she had been doing with passion and great success for almost 30 years in the restaurant industry, where as a restaurant manager she welcomed everyone from ministers to nursery school children in what may at first glance seem like just a simple job but in reality is also a true art of hospitality.
In 2020, she noticed that her vision was no longer clear, and after extensive medical tests, she was diagnosed with this condition, sometimes also called a pseudo brain tumor.
A subtle disease that causes headaches, vision loss, tinnitus, dizziness, depression, and nausea.
For the first two years, Virpi sank into a state of depression and confusion, until she received painting materials as a Christmas gift, and from that moment, her artistic journey began.
Having taken a period of sick leave from which she is still recovering, Virpi, with the help of a YouTubetutorialand with great passion, began to create her works, fruit of her imagination, very colorful and full of emotion, works that are meant to convey to those who see them for the first time.
She currently paints with only one eye, because her eyes are so different and unique that she can’t wear glasses. One eye only sees close up(5-15 centimeters), while the other only sees at a distance of 2-3 meters,but neither can see at intermediate distances. For this reason, she often paints with the canvas on her lap.
Today, for Virpi, painting is above all about survival, and this passion was born during a time when she lost a lot, but at the same time discovered something completely new within herself. 2025was a turning point for Virpi, who began sharing her art on social media and subsequently received invitations from several art galleriesto present her works to the public.
Her first exhibition was held in March 2025 at the Museum of Technology, and there have been many others since.
Today, her paintings hang in nearly 30 homes across Finland, and one even in Singapore. Virpican barely believe how art has helped her survive and rediscover the joy of living a colorful life!
All her paintings are painted and finished at the edges, ready to be hung and varnished.
She is a member of the Helsinki Art Association.
More information about her works can be found on her Instagram and Facebook pagesand on her website, where some of her works are available for sale.
Virpi Lehtinen ci accoglie nel suo mondo di fiaba tra un mix di fantasia e sogni
Con grande piacere oggi vi presento l’artista finlandeseVirpi Lehtinenche vive a Vantaaanche se le sue radici da parte di padre affondano nella Lapponia settentrionalenel villaggio di Nellim e nelle sue vene scorre quindi sangueSami Inari.
Per me che sono stato molte volte in Lapponia non è stato difficile comprendere che il misticismo e l’atmosfera che permeano i suoi dipinti siano il segno che le deriva dal profondo della sua eredità Sami.
Parlando con Virpi lei stessa mi ha detto che quando chiude gli occhi la sua immaginazione la porta a dipingere paesaggi ispirati a fiabe, testi di canzoni e ricordi dei suoi viaggi d’infanzia in Lapponia.
La prima impressione che ho avuto quando mi sono affacciato nel mio primo viaggio sopra il Circolo Polare Artico sui panorami mozzafiato della Lapponia è stata quella di sentirmi trasportato in un’altra dimensione fatta di pace e tranquillità ed è proprio la stessa sensazione che ho ritrovato nel guardare i dipinti di Virpi soprattutto quando ti invitano a fare un giro nella foresta dove veramente sembra di entrare in un mondo di fiabe dove si può incontrare di tutto, da una volpeche ti aspetta per giocare a nascondino o uno scoiattoloche ti sfida a chi trova la prima ghianda lungo il sentiero che stai percorrendo, per non parlare dei muschiche trasudano colori fantastici.
La storia di Virpicome artista è molto particolare perché è arrivata alla pittura non da giovane ma solo recentemente dopo essere stata aggredita nel 2020 da una rarissima forma di ipertensione intracranica idiopatica (IIH)che l’ha costretta a lasciare il lavoro che svolgeva con passione e grande successo da quasi 30 anni nell’ambito della ristorazione dove come responsabile di ristorante ha accolto tutti, dai ministri ai bambini dell’asilo nido in quello che può sembrare a prima vista solo un lavoro semplice ma in realtà è anche questa una vera e propria arte dell’accoglienza.
Nel 2020 ha notato che la sua vista non era più nitida e a seguito di approfonditi accertamenti clinici è arrivata la diagnosi di questa patologia che talvolta viene anche chiamata pseudo tumore cerebrale.
Una malattia subdola che causa mal di testa, perdita della vista, acufeni,vertigini,depressione e nausea. Virpi è sprofondata per i primi due anni in uno stato di depressione e confusione, fino a quando non ha ricevuto in regalo per Nataledel materiale per dipingere e da quel momento è partito l’inizio del suo percorso artistico.
Avendo preso un periodo di congedo per malattia che la vede ancora oggi convalescente Virpicon l’aiuto di un tutorialsu YouTube e con tanta passione ha iniziato a creare le sue opere frutto della sua immaginazione, opere molto colorate e piene di emozioni da trasmettere a chi le vedrà per la prima volta.
Attualmente dipinge con un solo occhio, perché i suoi occhi sono così diversi e particolari che non riesce a indossare gli occhiali, perché un occhio vede solo da vicino (5-15 centimetri) mentre l’altro solo a una distanza di 2-3 metri, ma nessuno dei due vede a distanze intermedie, e per questo motivo molto spesso dipinge tenendo la tela in grembo.
Oggi per Virpidipingere significa soprattutto sopravvivenza, e questa passione è nata in un periodo in cui ha perso molto, ma allo stesso tempo ha scoperto qualcosa di completamente nuovo dentro di se.
Il 2025 è stato un anno di svolta per Virpiche ha iniziato a condividere la sua arte sui social media ricevendo di conseguenza inviti da alcune gallerie d’arte per presentare al pubblico le sue opere.
La sua prima mostra si è tenuta nel marzo 2025al Museo della Tecnologia e da allora ce ne sono state molte altre.
Oggi i suoi quadri sono appesi in quasi 30 case in tutta la Finlandia, e uno persino a Singapore. Virpisembra quasi non credere a come l’arte l’abbia aiutata a sopravvivere e a riscoprire la gioia di vivereuna vita a colori!
Tutti i suoi quadri sono dipinti e rifiniti nei bordi, pronti per essere appesi e verniciati.
E’ un membro dell’Associazione Artistica di Helsinki.
Maggiori informazioni sulla sua attività si possono trovare sulle sue pagine social InstagrameFacebooke sul sito webdove si possono trovare alcune delle sue opere in vendita
Virpi Lehtinen _ Viimeinen valo – Last LightVirpi Lehtinen _ Aamu merellä – Morning at sea
Virpi Lehtinen _ Aattoilta – From the eve
Virpi Lehtinen _ Lähdetäänkö metsään – Shall we go to the forest
Virpi Lehtinen _ Upsidedown flowers
Virpi Lehtinen _ Toivo – Hope
Virpi Lehtinen – Ääretön flow _ Infinite flow
Virpi Lehtinen _ Avaruuskukat – Space flowers
Virpi Lehtinen _ Kukkasirkus – Flower Circus
Virpi Lehtinen _ Kaksin -Two
Virpi Lehtinen _ Rakkaus – Love
Virpi Lehtinen _ Ruskan kimallus – Autumn glitter
Virpi Lehtinen _ Usko – Faith
Virpi Lehtinen _ Flora Amore
Virpi Lehtinen _ Hehku – Glow
Virpi Lehtinen _ Pääskylänkatu 9
Virpi Lehtinen _ Liekki – Flame
Virpi Lehtinen _ Isoisänsilta Mustikkamaalta – Grandfather Bridge from Mustikkamaa
Virpi Lehtinen _ Kallio
Virpi Lehtinen _ Kappeli keskellä kaupunkia – Chapel in the middle of the city
Virpi Lehtinen _ Under my umbrella
Virpi Lehtinen _ Purppuratie -Purple Road
Virpi Lehtinen _ Joutsenpilviä – Swan clouds
Virpi Lehtinen _ Auringonlasku Espanjassa – Sunset in Spain
Virpi Lehtinen _ Broken earth –
Virpi Lehtinen _ Broken
Virpi Lehtinen _ Harhaa – Delusion
Virpi Lehtinen _ Iltapurjehdus – Evening sailing
Virpi Lehtinen _ Joutsenpilviä – Swan clouds
Virpi Lehtinen _ Lähdetäänkö laguunille – Shall we go to the lagoon
Virpi Lehtinen _ Lapinpöllöt ja kurjenkanervaa – Great grey owls and geranium heather
Virpi Lehtinen _ Latu – Ski trail
Virpi Lehtinen _ Lumous – Enchantment
Virpi Lehtinen _ Lumpeet lähteellä – Water lilies at the spring
Virpi Lehtinen _ Minun peikkotyttöni. Vielä keskeneräinen – My little girl. Still unfinished
Virpi Lehtinen _ Saapaskallio – Boot Rock
Virpi Lehtinen _ Uusin, vielä vähän kesken. Ei nimeä vielä – The newest one, still a little unfinished. No name yet.
Virpi Lehtinen _ Varjon toivo – Shadow’s Hope
Virpi Lehtinen _ Yksin – Alone
Virpi Lehtinen _ Mökki Porvoossa – Cottage in Porvoo
Exhibitions
March 14-March 31, 2025Zarin Gallery, Helsinki Museum of Technology April 29-May 17, 2025Group Exhibition “Landscapes,” Kookos Gallery, Helsinki May 14-May 25, 2025Spring Exhibition, Pisto Gallery, Vantaa November 3-November 28, 2025Pisto Gallery, own exhibition, Vantaa December 1, 2025-January 6, 2026Christmas Card Exhibition, Kajaani December 6, 2025-February 7, 2026Group Exhibition “Light into the Darkness,” Om’Pun Gallery, Helsinki February 2, 2026Social Media Exhibition Art Person of the Month, Helsinki Art Association March 10-March 22, 2026Flora & Fauna Group Exhibition, Alli Gallery, Kerava August 2026Helsinki Outlets 24.8.-12.9.2026, Tikkurila Library
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 Canadabut 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-founderof the ICM Photo Academy, where she teaches ICMphotography coursesboth 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. Kaisarealized she was invisible as a child, which led her to feel somewhat of an outsider even as an adult. ICMoffers 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 ICMis to use a relatively long shutter speed, something like 0,5or1second 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
Kaisa Sirén e l’arte di rendere visibile l’invisibile
Kaisa Sirén vive a Rovaniemi, nel Circolo Polare Articodella 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 collettivein 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 chiamataVilla Vinkkelinella sua città natale.
Successivamente ha iniziato a dedicarsi completamente alla fotografia ICMe 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 arteodierna. 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 0,5o 1secondo 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.
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.
Winteris the longest season in Finland, lasting about 200 days in Laplandand 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 peaceand 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 IvaloAirport to Inari. Finlandis 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 discountfor 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 inHelsinki, but after living in various places acrossFinland, she currently lives in Lieto.
Ice is a sort of common threadthat 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 Instagramand Facebookpages 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. Marihas 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 Marion her Instagramand Facebookpages andwebsite ForSuomen 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 paintingshe 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 inArtjärvi (Lake of Artin 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, andMeria 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 paintingshe 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 Tampereshe 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. Pauladraws 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 workshe 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 Piirainenis 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 mediaand 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 seais 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 paintingshe 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 inHyvinkää 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 toKaarina, where she currently lives. Minna often visitsItaly, where she has a home onLake Iseo, and she says this Italian experience has greatly influenced her artistic development.
She worked for many years as aforeign 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. Minnaexpresses her art through photography, which plays a primary role, but also through painting and mosaics.
In photography, she began studying theICM( 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.comminna@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 Seppowas born in Kouvola but moved to Sastamala at the age of 1 or 2.
She studied in Espoo and currently live in Helsinkifrom a long time.
She worked at theKemira 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. Sailais 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. Sailaholds 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 herworks, which closely resemble naive art, but in this case, I would saytechnological.
Thanks to her research, Sailacreated 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 bySaila, is available for sale on Greenbutton.fi. More information about Sailacan be found on her social media pages, InstagramandFacebook, 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 Finlandas a backdrop.
She focuses on themes related to the seasons of Laplandand 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 Vinkkeliin 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 Kaisacan be found on her social media pages, InstagramandFacebook, 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’sworks, 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 Hankocan 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, whereSwedishis 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 theFinlandI love so much.
You can find more information about Martina on herInstagramand Facebookpages 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 Ouluand 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 herInstagramandFacebookpages 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.
Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artistMinna 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 experiencehas 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 yearfrom school to devote herself to studying photography.
In 2011, she successfully completed a professional photography courseat 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. Minnaconsiders 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, Minnasought 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.comminna@scheinin.fi
Dalla Finlandia le emozioni visive dell’obiettivo di Minna Scheinin
Oggi ho il piacere di presentarvi l’artista finlandeseMinna Scheinin che è nata a Turku una splendida città sulla costa occidentale della Finlandia, qui ha vissuto a lungo prima di trasferirsi a Kaarinadove attualmente vive. Minnaviene spesso in Italiadove ha casa sul lago d’Iseo e questa sua frequentazione italianaa suo dire hamolto 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 ICMla 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. Minnasi 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? Minnasi 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
Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artist Saila Seppo, she was born in Kouvola but moved to Sastamalaat 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 theFinnish 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. Sailaholds 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 saytechnological.
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, Sailacreated 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. Sailacollects 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 Sailacan be found on her social media pages, Instagramand 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 finlandeseSaila 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 Porie 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. Sailaè 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 Sailavivere 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 Marimekkoche 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 Sailasi possono trovare sulle sue pagine social InstagrameFacebook e sul suo sito web sailaseppoart.fi dove troverete anche le sue opere in vendita.
Paintings
Saila Seppo – Our SunSaila Seppo – Floral DressSaila Seppo – House of RomanceSaila 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
Today I have the pleasure of introducing Finnish artistMerja 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’smind 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 Qconveys 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 Qdoesn’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 websiteitself.
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 finlandeseMerja Sipiläinen-Kuhlbergche 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’Enricoa 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 Qha 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 webwww.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
Meria Q – Coming home, 56×76 cm, 2025, watercolourMeria Q – Love planet – 56×76 cm , 2025, watercolourMeria Q – Looking back, 38×56 cm, 2022, watercolourMeria 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
Today I’m pleased to introduce you to Finnish artistAnnika Aro, born in Iitti, a small village in the Päijät-Häme region of southern Finland, and currently residing in Vantaa.
As a child, Annika loved reading and drawing and was very creative and a dreamer, but she had the level head to excel in school and put in the effort she put in at everything she did – the classic “good girl” who wants to please everyone and thus gain everyone’s approval.
Her passion for art and an innate creativity accompanied her throughout her adolescence, but after graduating and moving from her small native village, her creative side abandoned her to the point of thinking she had lost it completely.
For 20 years, she focused on her studies and a career in marketing, and also studied to become a nutritionist, but during this time, her relationship with art faded.
But life sometimes takes strange turns and brings you back to square one, but the greatest thing about all this is that the new beginning will be experienced differently because you are no longer the same, but you have changed.
And that’s exactly what happened to Annikawhen, in 2020, after separating from her partner, she moved into her own apartment, where she felt her creativity reawaken within her.
She began painting again and hasn’t stopped since, and over time she has modified and refined her painting technique.
At first, she used watercolors, drawing inspiration from her grandmother’s old photos, a path she enjoyed but which somehow stifled her desire for freedom, which truly emerged when she approached abstract painting. Annikapaints intuitive, abstract works in which the layered and ever-evolving pictorial process becomes visible, and her works are composed of multiple dimensions of color, mood, and form.
Through her creative process and her inner world, Annika uses abstract expression as a tool to convey intuitions and emotional states that are difficult to express in words.
Today, Annika can be considered a well-rounded artist who expresses herself primarily with acrylics, but also occasionally uses watercolors and freehand drawing, a playful medium that simultaneously relaxes and creates, yet without pressure.
Especially in her depictions of the human figure, the technique creates an intriguing, organic atmosphere that adds depth and emotion to the work. Annika is a member of the Suomen Taiteilijat Ryand the Helsingin Taideyhdistys.
Her works have been exhibited in several group shows and galleries in the Helsinkimetropolitan area, and in 2024 and 2025, she also participated in the summer exhibitions at the beautiful Strömfors Ironworks in Loviisa, Finland.
In addition to painting, Annikaloves exploring creativity as a channel of empowerment and a tool to overcome the exhaustion, oppression, and lack of deep meaning she often experiences in her 9-to-5 office job.
In recent years, creativity has also become a gateway to deeper self-knowledge and understanding, leading her to share and discuss these topics on her creativity-focused Instagram account @mariannica.art, where she has also created a transformative coaching service on these topics.
Also, something really interesting is that she organizes Paint & Wine events in Helsinki with her fellow artist Kaisa Palonen.
Together, they teach painting, and participants can unleash their creativity while painting and sipping a glass of wine!
For information and contact, you can find them on Instagram at @sivelvin.
You can find more information about Annika Aro through her Instagram page:@mariannica.artand her website www.annikaaro.com
Annika Aro la vita a volte fa dei giri strani e ti riporta al punto di partenza, l’arte!
Oggi sono lieto di presentarvi l’artista finlandeseAnnika Aro nata a Iitti, un piccolo villaggio situato nella regione del Päijät-Häme situata nella Finlandia meridionale e attualmente residente a Vantaa.
Da bambina Annika amava leggere e disegnare ed era molto creativa e sognatrice ma con la testa sulle spalle quanto basta per essere molto brava a scuola e capace di impegnarsi al massimo in tutto quello che faceva, la classica “brava ragazza” che vuole accontentare tutti per ottenere di conseguenza l’approvazione di tutti.
La passione per l’arte e una innata creatività l’hanno accompagnata per tutta l’adolescenza ma dopo aver conseguito la laurea e il trasferimento dal piccolo villaggio natio il suo lato creativo l’ha abbandonata fino al punto di pensare di averlo perso del tutto.
Per 20 anni si è concentrata sugli studi e sulla carriera nel marketing, e ha anche studiato per diventare nutrizionista e in questo periodo il suo rapporto con l’arte è venuto meno.
Ma la vita a volte fa dei giri strani e ti riporta al punto di partenza, ma la cosa più grande di tutto questo è che il nuovo inizio sarà vissuto in modo diverso perché tu non sei più lo stesso, ma sei cambiato.
Ed è proprio quello che è successo ad Annikaquando nel 2020 dopo essersi separata dal suo compagno si è trasferita in un appartamento tutto suo dove ha sentito la creatività risvegliarsi nuovamente dentro di lei.
Ha ricominciato a dipingere e non ha più smesso, e nel tempo ha modificato ed affinato la sua tecnica pittorica.
Agli inizi ha usato gli acquerelli, ispirandosi a vecchie foto della nonna un percorso che le piaceva ma che in qualche modo soffocava la sua voglia di libertà che è uscita fuori alla grande nel momento in cui si è avvicinata alla pittura astratta. Annika dipinge opere intuitive e astratte in cui il processo pittorico stratificato e in continua evoluzione diventa visibile, e le sue opere sono composte da molteplici dimensioni di colore, umore e forma. Attraverso il suo processo creativo e il suo mondo interiore, Annika utilizza l’espressione astratta come strumento per trasmettere intuizioni e stati emotivi difficilmente esprimibili a parole.
Oggi si può dire che Annikaè un’artista a tutto tondo che si esprime principalmente con l’acrilico ma non disdegna ogni tanto l’acquerello e il disegno a mano libera che è un modo giocoso capace di rilassare e creare al tempo stesso, ma senza pressione.
Soprattutto nelle raffigurazioni della figura umana, la tecnica crea un’atmosfera intrigante e organica che aggiunge profondità ed emozione all’opera. Annikaè membro del Suomen Taiteilijat Rye del Helsingin Taideyhdistys.
Le sue opere sono state esposte in diverse mostre collettive e gallerie nell’area metropolitana di Helsinki e, nel 2024 e nel 2025, ha anche partecipato alle mostre estive presso la splendida Strömfors Ironworks a Loviisa, in Finlandia. Annika oltre alla pittura, ama esplorare la creatività come canale di empowerment e strumento per superare la stanchezza, l’oppressione e la mancanza di significato profondo che ha spesso sperimentato nel suo lavoro d’ufficio dalle 9 alle 17.
Negli ultimi anni, la creatività è diventata anche una porta d’accesso a una più profonda conoscenza e comprensione di sé, tanto da portarla a condividere e parlare di questi temi sul suo account Instagram dedicato alla creatività @mariannica.art dove è presente anche un servizio di coaching trasformativo su questi temi.
Inoltre, cosa davvero molto interessante organizza eventi Paint&Wine a Helsinkicon la sua collega artista Kaisa Palonen, insieme insegnano a dipingere e i partecipanti possono liberare la loro creatività dipingendo e sorseggiando un bicchiere di vino!
Per informazioni e contatti le trovate su Instagram con il nome @sivelvin
Potete trovare maggiori informazioni su Annika Aro attraverso la sua pagina Instragram : @mariannica.art e il suo sito web www.annikaaro.com
Annika Aro – Serenity
Annika Aro – Bliss
Annika Aro – Rebirth
Annika Aro – Orchid
Annika Aro – Triangle Drama 1
Annika Aro – Triangle Drama 2
Annika Aro – Triangle Drama 3
Annika Aro – Finding Joy
Annika Aro – TRUST
Annika Aro – Frequencies
Annika Aro – The Wait
Annika Aro – Transitions
Annika Aro – Roots
Annika Aro – What title would you give to this painting?
Art exhibitions
Cable Factory, Helsinki Annual exhibition, Finnish Artists Association 11.-31.8.2025 Cable Factory, Helsinki Rhythms, Helsinki Art Association 11.-31.8.2025 Strömfors Ironworks, Loviisa Eudaimonia. Group exhibition Annika Aro, Lotta Sahrqvist, Sanna Nyberg & Marie-Elisabeth Tiitinen 4.-30.7.2025 Piano Art Gallery, Helsinki Joint exhibition Annika Aro & Sanna Nyberg 6.3.-13.5.2025 Opus Business Park, Helsinki Private exhibition 5.2.-3.8.2025 Jorvi Hospital, Espoo Joy and Inspiration, Helsinki Art Association 26.1.-22.2.2025 Strömfors Ironworks, Loviisa Eudaimonia. Group exhibition Annika Aro, Lotta Sahrqvist, Sanna Nyberg & Marie-Elisabeth Tiitinen 4.-30.7.2025 Aatos Gallery, Porvoo Joint exhibition Annika Aro & Sanna Nyberg 8.-31.1.2025 Strömfors Ironworks, Loviisa On the growth curve. Group exhibition Annika Aro, Lotta Sahrqvist, Sanna Nyberg & Marie-Elisabeth Tiitinen 1.-31.8.2024 Petite & Cherie Gallery, Helsinki Group exhibition 29.6.-27.7.2024 Cable Factory, Helsinki Splendor themed exhibition, Association of Finnish Artists April 1-14, 2024 Fogga Gallery, Helsinki Call of the Jungle, group exhibition 2023 Fogga Gallery, Helsinki Together for a new beginning, joint exhibition 2022
Today, I’m delighted to introduce you to a Finnish artist, Minna Pärttö who lives in Inkeroinen, southern Finland.
Since she was a child, Minna has always enjoyed painting, making music, and engaging in all kinds of creative activities.
Immersed in the world and atmosphere of art, Minna felt at ease, surrounded by a sense of peace and calm.
As the years passed, her creative pursuits faded into the background, but that spark ignited at an early age remains within her. Minna holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences, with a focus on psychologyand social psychology.
Beyond the theoretical aspect, Minna wanted a more holistic approach to human well-being, and she discovered Emotional reflexology , which considers the person as a combination of thoughts, emotions, and body.
This school was the fundamental reason why painting resurfaced in her life.
These studies allowed her to delve deeply into herself, examining her identity and emotional heritage.
She began painting regularly in 2019 and has since participated in exhibitions both in her home country and abroad.
Painting has become Minna’snatural way of expressing herself, because sometimes it’s not easy to put into words what you feel inside, and for her, art has become a preferred channel for expressing those emotions that are difficult to put into words. Minnadraws inspiration for her works from the details and patina of time found in nature.
Weather-worn concrete walls, rusted pillars, or rocks smoothed by flowing water have always struck her as beautiful, and she remains fascinated by how time leaves its mark on everything that exists.
The patina of time emerges spontaneously, unforced, but naturally, bringing with it depth, layers, and perspective.
Her works take shape slowly, and after an initial impression of sobriety,s he allows details, colors, and textures to emerge from the painting.
Her abstract painting is intuitive, where colors, techniques, and shapes are selected gradually as the pictorial process progresses.
For Minna, intuitive painting means above all trust in a creative process free from unnecessary rules, where each brushstroke moves towards a result that is due to the complete acceptance of any imperfections that increase the interest of the creative process until the work is completed.
Sometimes, however, frustrations and questions are part of this journey, but the important thing is being able to overcome them to reach the desired goal.
For Minna, painting is, above all, a moment to stop and be with herself.
Her thoughts calm down and her emotions emerge, leading her to a kind of introspective meditation.
As she paints, those emotions that are still subconscious emerge, and very often, the subconscious in each of us is like a bridge to our own history.
Thus, past generations, their stories and emotions, intertwine with the emotions that pervade Minna, almost creating a channel through which to recognize the emotional legacy passed down from generation to generation.
You can find more information about Minna on her social media pages: Instagram Facebook
Minna Pärttö e l’arte di scoprire emozioni tra passato e presente
Con grande piacere oggi vi presento un’artista finlandese Minna Pärttö che vive a Inkeroinen, nella Finlandia meridionale.
A Minna fin da bambina è sempre piaciuto dipingere, fare musica e dedicarsi a ogni tipo di attività creativa.
Immersa com’era nel mondo e nell’atmosfera dell’arte Minnasi sentiva a suo agio, circondata da un senso di pace e calma.
Con il passare degli anni, le attività creative sono passate in secondo piano, ma quella scintilla accesa in tenera età continua a rimanere dentro di lei.
Minna ha conseguito una laurea magistrale in Scienze Sociali, con studi incentrati su psicologia e psicologia sociale.
Accanto all’aspetto teorico, Minnadesiderava avere un approccio più olistico al benessere umano, e ha scoperto la Riflessologia emozionale, che considera la persona come un insieme di pensieri, emozioni e corpo.
Questa scuola è stata la ragione fondamentale per cui la pittura è tornata ad affacciarsi nella sua vita.
Questi studi le hanno consentito un’immersione profonda in se stessa, un esame della propria identità e del proprio patrimonio emotivo.
Ha iniziato a dipingere regolarmente nel 2019 e da allora ha partecipato a mostre sia nel suo paese d’origine che all’estero.
La pittura per Minna è diventata il suo modo naturale di esprimersi, perché a volte non è facile esprimere a parole quello che si prova dentro e per lei l’arte è diventata un canale preferenziale per far conoscere quelle emozioni difficile da esprimere a parole. Minna trae ispirazione per le sue opere dai dettagli e dalla patina del tempo che si trova nella natura, muri di cemento consumati dalle intemperie, pilastri arrugginiti o rocce levigate dallo scorrere dell’acqua a lei sono sempre sembrati bellissimi e rimane affascinata da come il tempo lasci il suo segno su tutto ciò che esiste.
La patina del tempo nasce spontanea, senza forzature, ma naturalmente e porta con se profondità , strati e prospettiva.
Le sue opere prendono forma lentamente e dopo un’iniziale impressione di sobrietà fa in modo che dettagli, colori e texture emergano dal dipinto.
La sua pittura astratta è intuitiva dove colori, tecniche e forme vengono selezionati man mano che il processo pittorico procede.
Per Minna la pittura intuitiva significa soprattutto fiducia nel processo di creazione libero da regole inutili, dove ogni pennellata si muove verso un risultato che è dovuto alla completa accettazione anche di eventuali imperfezioni che aumentano l’interesse del processo creativo fino ad arrivare al completamento dell’opera e talvolta però frustrazioni e interrogativi fanno parte di questo percorso, ma l’importante è riuscire a superarle per arrivare alla meta prefissata.
Per Minna, dipingere è , soprattutto fermarsi per stare con se stessa, i suoi pensieri si placano e le sue emozioni si appalesano portandola a vivere una sorta di meditazione introspettiva.
Durante la pittura in Minna si fanno spazio quelle emozioni che sono ancora a livello subconscio e molto spesso il subconscio in ognuno di noi è come un ponte verso la propria storia.
Ecco così che le generazioni passate, le loro storie e le loro emozioni, si intrecciano con le emozioni che pervadono Minnaquasi a creare un canale dove poter riconoscere l’eredità emotiva tramandata di generazione in generazione.
Potete trovare maggiori notizie su Minna sulle sue pagine social Instagram Facebook
Minna Pärttö – Sky BeneathMinna Pärttö – Far and Away
It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the Czech artistVeronika Sekotová, born in 1983 in West Bohemiaand currently residing in Netvořice, where she lives and works. Veronika graduated from the Higher School of Arts and Craftswith a specialization in graphics and after continuing her studies in the tourism sector, she began working in the marketing field, where she is still active today, although not full-time, having exploded internationally her fame as a paintress, a fact that keeps her very busy not only in painting but also and above all in following the numerous exhibitions in Europe and overseas in which she has been the protagonist, receiving numerous prestigious awards for her contribution to contemporary art (she has exhibited in her country in Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Great Britain, Miami and New York). Veronika has been interested in painting and art in general since childhood, discovering the beauty and power of art, and fine art in particular.
In artistic school she fell in love with art history and thought about combining it with a study of tourism, but as the years passed, Veronika found herself juggling work and family, and art, unfortunately, became almost an occasional hobby.
Until recently, when art returned to prominence in her life, allowing her to express her inner feelings through her works.
But there’s more, for Veronika, painting is a source of joy, of pleasure and above all the ability to capture that fleeting moment in her surroundings capable of creating within her a sort of inspiration capable of allowing her feelings to flow outwards and pour onto her canvases.
A phrase by the French painter Paul Gauguin that Veronika loves very much goes: “I close my eyes to see” and this is exactly what happens in the creative path undertaken by Veronikawho, having closed her eyes to create her work, sends through her canvases the same invitation to whoever looks at them: close your eyes and be free to see what you want! Gauguin’s suggestions put an end to the concept that art is the imitation of nature, but above all the cornerstones of Impressionist painting fell away: no easel and painting “en plein air”.
Artists admire what surrounds them, capable of capturing that fleeting moment which they make their own and memorize, and then transfer the emotions onto the canvas in their studio. And that’s exactly what Veronika did in her magnificent painting about autumn, made in her studio the day after her walk in the woods.
Imagination and dreams play a very important role in all of our lives because they help us cope with the burdensome moments of everyday life.
Artists, through their fantasies and dreams, know even more how to convey on canvas the emotions they have experienced inside. Veronika is a multifaceted artist and loves to try and experiment with new techniques, but she prefers to paint on canvas with acrylic paints.
Sometimes she writes mostly indecipherable Czech phrases on the canvases, almost as if they were diary entries, thoughts spoken aloud to encourage the viewer to understand the message the painting is trying to convey.
The life of an artist is not much different from that of an ordinary mortal, and so the famous fleeting moment is not captured simply by admiring nature with its flowers and marvelous landscapes, but sometimes by observing the ugliness and tragedies that surround us every day.
However, in her paintings, Veronikaaims to convey joy and serenity to those who view them, with the hope that one of these might brighten the home of an admirer.
In 2024, together with the paintress Ivana D’Emilio, she founded a company dedicated to supporting the arts and is currently looking for a location to open his own art gallery.
She also volunteers, which she considers the most natural way to give back to the community.
Her works can be viewed and purchased through her social media pages.
Veronika Sekotová quell’attimo fuggente che sa donare gioia e felicità!
Con grande piacere vi presento l’artista cecaVeronika Sekotová nata nel 1983 nella Boemia occidentale e attualmente residente a Netvořice dove vive e lavora. Veronika si è diplomata presso la Scuola Superiore di Arti e Mestieri con specializzazione in grafica e dopo aver proseguito gli studi nel settore del turismo, ha iniziato a lavorare nel campo del marketing, dove ancora oggi è attiva sia pure non a tempo pieno essendo esplosa a livello internazionale la sua fama di pittrice, fatto questo che la tiene molto impegnata non solo nel dipingere ma anche e soprattutto nel seguire le numerose esposizioni in Europae oltre oceano che l’hanno vista protagonista, ricevendo numerosi premi prestigiosi per il suo contributo all’arte contemporanea ( ha esposto oltre che nel suo paese in Spagna, Germania, Italia, Austria, Francia, Gran Bretagna,Miami e New York ) Veronika si è avvicinata alla pittura e all’arte in generale fin dall’infanzia scoprendo la bellezza e il potere dell’arte e in particolare delle belle arti.
Al Liceo artistico si è innamorata della storia dell’arte e ha pensato di abbinarla allo studio del turismo, ma gli anni passano e Veronikasi ritrova a dover fare i conti con il lavoro e la famiglia e l’arte ahimè è diventata quasi un hobby occasionale fino a quando recentemente l’arte è tornata a primeggiare nella sua vita permettendole di esprimere attraverso le sue opere quello che sente dentro.
Ma c’è di più, la pittura per Veronika è motivo di gioia, di piacere e soprattutto la capacità di saper cogliere in quello che la circonda quell’attimo fuggente capace di creare dentro di lei una sorta di ispirazione capace di far defluire all’esterno i suoi sentimenti che si riversano sulle sue tele.
Una frase del pittore francese Paul Gauguinche Veronika ama molto recitava “ chiudo gli occhi per vedere “ ed è proprio quello che avviene nel percorso creativo messo in atto da Veronika che avendo chiuso gli occhi per creare la sua opera manda attraverso le sue tele lo stesso invito a chi le guarderà, chiudete gli occhi e siate liberi di vedere ciò che volete!
Le suggestioni di Gauguin hanno messo fine al concetto che l’arte è imitazione della natura, ma soprattutto sono caduti i capisaldi della pittura impressionista, niente cavalletto e pittura “en plain air”.
Gli artisti ammirano ciò che li circonda capaci di saper cogliere quell’attimo fuggente che fanno proprio e memorizzano per poi nel proprio studio trasferire le emozioni sulla tela. Ed è proprio quello che ha fatto Veronika nel suo magnifico dipinto sull’autunno, realizzato nel suo studio il giorno dopo la sua passeggiata nel bosco.
La fantasia e i sogni giocano un ruolo molto importante nella vita di tutti noi perché ci aiutano a sopportare momenti ingombranti della quotidianità e a maggior ragione gli artisti attraverso le loro fantasie e sogni sanno come trasmettere su tela le emozioni che hanno vissuto dentro. Veronika è un’artista poliedrica e ama provare e sperimentare nuove tecniche ma predilige dipingere su tela con colori acrilici e talvolta sulle tele scrive delle frasi in ceco per lo più indecifrabili quasi come se fossero delle annotazione scritte su di un diario, dei pensieri a voce alta per spronare chi guarda a comprendere il messaggio che vuole trasmettere il dipinto.
La vita di un artista non è molto diversa da quella di un comune mortale e quindi il famoso attimo fuggente non lo si coglie solo ammirando la natura con i suoi fiori e paesaggi meravigliosi ma talvolta capita di coglierlo guardando le bruttezze e le tragedie che ci circondano ogni giorno, ma Veronika nei suoi dipinti si prefigge di trasmettere a chi li guarda gioia e serenità con la speranza che uno di questi possa andare ad allietare la casa di un suo ammiratore.
Nel 2024 ha fondato insieme alla pittrice Ivana D’Emilio una società dedicata al sostegno delle arti e di questi tempi sta cercando una location per poter aprire una propria Galleria artistica.
Si dedica anche al volontariato che lei considera il modo più naturale per restituire qualcosa alla comunità.
Le sue opere sono visionabili e acquistabili tramite le sue pagine social
Today I’m delighted to introduce you to Finnish artist Virpi Lehtinen, who lives in Vantaa, although her father’s roots are in Northern Lapland, in the village of Nellim, and therefore Inari Sami blood flows through her veins.
Virpi Lehtinen ci accoglie nel suo mondo di fiaba tra un mix di fantasia e sogni
Kaisa Sirén
Kaisa Sirén e l’arte di rendere visibile l’invisibile
Paula Mikkilä 
Milla Piirainen
Taru Rouhiainen 
Saila Seppo
Today I have the pleasure of introducing 
Saila Seppo quando l’arte naif diventa tecnologica attraverso un’esplosione di colori che trasmettono gioia
Today I’m pleased to introduce you to 
Art exhibitions
Today, I’m delighted to introduce you to a 
It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the 
giuseppe genta blog 