Archivi tag: Mari Knuuttila

Christmas atmosphere seen through the eyes of 8 Finnish artists

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

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

Satu Kekäläinen a fairy tale born from ice

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

Mari Knuuttila when painting becomes poetry

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

Ella Petman after a long journey she found her paradise

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

 

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

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

MAJ SJÖ from Finland comes with a breeze of positivity 

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

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

Martina Uthardt, born in Malax, where she currently lives in this big village and welcoming of about 5000 inhabitants in Southern Ostrobothnia, where Swedish is spoken rather than Finnish (about 6% of Finns speak Swedish)
After a 10-year stint running a photography agency specializing in portraits, Martina has dedicated herself fully to painting professionally since 2021.
She has experimented with various techniques but currently prefers acrylic painting with its possibilities for layering and variations that make each painting alive and unique in different lights.
When I first saw Martina’s paintings, I was struck by how this artist was able to perfectly represent the Finland I love so much.
You can find more information about Martina  on her Instagram and Facebook  pages and website
For Christmas atmosphere, she presents:  Joyful Christmas61cmx50cm
As a second painting , she presents: held by Light Collection, ” Breeze-kissed waves “, 120cmx100cm
Both paintings are available for purchase on her website.

Ulla Väisänen from Finland between dream and reality!

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

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

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

Click on the photos to enlarge them

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mari Knuuttila when painting becomes poetry

Mari Knuuttila near ” Abstract Woman “

With great pleasure I introduce you to the Finnish artist Mari Knuuttila born in Lapua, a town located in Southern Ostrobothnia and where she currently lives and creates her works in her studio.
Mari has been painting for about seven years, although her main profession is that of Chief Inspector at the State Administrative Agency, a role that requires strict compliance with laws and regulations.
Through painting, Mari has found a way to give free rein to her visual art, free from rules or pre-established patterns.
Her art is based on great professionalism and knowledge of various techniques, but guided by the intuition that drives her to create her acrylic and mixed-media paintings.
Intuition always guides her choice of colors which is revealed with soft colors to convey a sense of calm and serenity, while on the contrary strong emotions push her to choose vibrant and intense colors.
Mari is a multifaceted artist who paints abstract, figurative, and mixed media works on canvas.
She doesn’t use a specific color palette, but rather loves to explore a wide range of colors and textures, all of which are always inspired by the emotions and thoughts that pervade her at the time of creating the work.
Although Mari works full-time outside the art world, she holds a degree in Visual Arts and is President of the Lapua Art Association, a role that allows her to support the local art scene while also fueling her own inspiration through interaction with other artists.
Her dream is to bring collectors and art lovers together, both in Finland and internationally, to create a link between the world and her art.
For her, art is made up of four things: emotions, colors, imagination, and love. How could we disagree with her, given that these elements are so present in her works.
I especially love poetry, and when I first saw Mari’s works, I felt the same emotions I get when I read a poem.
A poet writes a poem and then delivers it to his readers, and this poem won’t have just one meaning, but can have many, one for each reader.
As if by magic, Mari’s paintings become like poetry in the eyes of those who observe them, and thus those who look at them can grasp elements that she herself had not foreseen, thus giving her creations a great evocative power.
In my case, looking at a painting by Mari I glimpsed something similar to a gondola in the fog which immediately brought my mind back to Venice and from here it was very easy to remember the film “Anonimo Veneziano” shot right in Venice (with Florinda Bolkan and Tony Musante) and to hear the soundtrack of the film again inside me which could only become the music of the first of my video stories dedicated to this extraordinary Finnish artist.
Mari has an enviable artistic career, having achieved significant international recognition. Her works have been exhibited at numerous international art events throughout Europe and the rest of the world, including Italy (Venice, Milan, Florence, Rome, Forlì, Palermo), Austria, Estonia, Spain, Turkey, and the United States (Times Square, New York).
Just this month of July the work “Red Sunset” participated in the International Exhibition of Visual Arts in Montecosaro (MC) in Italy, while among the next exhibitions in which it will participate in 2025 there will be the X International Art Biennial at Villa Farsetti in Santa Maria di Sala – Venice in October and the prestigious QIAF Art Festival in Doha, Qatar in December.

Her works are available for purchase through the numerous exhibitions she participates in or through her social media channels; many of her works have found their way into private homes, both through exhibitions and through commissions received on social media.
Therefore, you can request commissioned works remotely by contacting her through her social media pages.

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Mari Knuuttila – Mountain Glove

Mari Knuuttila quando la pittura diventa poesia

Con grande piacere vi presento l’artista finlandese Mari Knuuttila nata a Lapua, cittadina situata nell’Ostrobotnia Meridionale e dove attualmente vive e crea le sue opere nel suo studio.
Mari dipinge da circa sette anni anche se la sua professione principale è quella di Ispettore Capo presso l’Agenzia Amministrativa dello Stato, un ruolo che prevede il rigoroso rispetto di leggi e regolamenti e Mari attraverso la pittura ha trovato il modo per dare libero spazio senza regole o schemi prefissati alla sua arte visiva che è fatta di una grande professionalità e conoscenza delle varie tecniche ma guidata dall’intuizione che la spinge a creare i suoi dipinti acrilici e a tecnica mista.
Sempre l’intuizione guida la sua scelta dei colori che si palesa con colori tenui per trasmettere un senso di calma e serenità, mentre al contrario emozioni forti la spingono a scegliere colori vibranti e intensi.
Mari è comunque un’artista poliedrica che dipinge su tela opere astratte, figurative o miste in cui non utilizza una tavolozza di colori specifica ma ama spaziare tra un’ampia gamma di colori e texture il tutto sempre generato dalle emozioni e pensieri che la pervadono al momento della realizzazione dell’opera.
Nonostante Mari lavori a tempo pieno al di fuori del mondo dell’arte ha conseguito una Laurea in Arti visive ed è Presidente dell’Associazione artistica di Lapua, un ruolo che le consente di sostenere la scena artistica locale e al tempo stesso di alimentare la propria ispirazione attraverso un confronto con gli altri artisti; Il suo sogno sarebbe quello di avvicinare collezionisti e appassionati d’arte sia in Finlandia che a livello internazionale in modo da creare un trait d’union tra il mondo e la sua arte.
Per lei l’arte è fatta di quattro cose: emozioni, colori, immaginazione e amore, come non essere d’accordo con lei visto che nelle sue opere questi elementi sono ben presenti nelle sue opere.
Amo in particolar modo la poesia e quando ho visto per la prima volta le opere di Mari ho provato le stesse emozioni di quando leggo una poesia, un poeta scrive una poesia e poi la consegna ai suoi lettori e questa poesia non avrà un solo significato, ma potrà averne molti, uno per ciascun lettore.
Come per magia i dipinti di Mari diventano agli occhi di chi li guarda come una poesia e quindi chi li sta guardando può cogliere elementi che lei stessa non aveva previsto dando quindi alle sue creazioni un grande potere evocativo.
Nel mio caso guardando un dipinto di Mari ho intravisto tra le nebbie un qualcosa simile a una gondola che mi ha riportato immediatamente con la mente a Venezia e da qui è stato molto facile ricordare il film ” Anonimo Veneziano ” girato proprio a Venezia ( con Florinda Bolkan e Tony Musante ) e risentire dentro di me la colonna sonora del film che non poteva che diventare la musica della prima delle mie storie video dedicate a questa straordinaria artista finlandese.
Mari ha un percorso artistico invidiabile avendo  ottenuto significativi riconoscimenti a livello internazionale, le sue opere sono state esposte in numerosi eventi artistici internazionali in tutta Europa e nel resto del mondo, tra cui Italia (Venezia, Milano, Firenze, Roma, Forlì, Palermo), Austria,Estonia, Spagna, Turchia e Stati Uniti (Times Square, New York).
Proprio in questo mese di luglio l’opera “ Red Sunset “ ha partecipato alla Rassegna internazionale di Arte Visiva  di Montecosaro (MC) in Italia, mentre tra le prossime mostre a cui parteciperà sempre nel 2025 saranno in ottobre la X Biennale Internazionale d’Arte a Villa Farsetti a Santa Maria di Sala – Venezia  e nel mese di dicembre il prestigioso QIAF Art Festival di Doha, in Qatar.

Le sue opere sono acquistabili attraverso le numerose mostre a cui partecipa o attraverso i suoi canali social;  molte opere hanno trovato posto in case private, sia attraverso mostre ma anche tramite commissioni ricevute sui social media, per cui volendo è possibile richiederle dei lavori su commissione a distanza contattandola tramite le sue pagine social

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Mari Knuuttila – Kun maalaus muuttuu runoudeksi

On suuri ilo esitellä teille suomalainen taiteilija Mari Knuuttila, joka on syntynyt Lapualla, Etelä-Pohjanmaalla, ja jossa hän nykyisin asuu ja luo teoksiaan omassa ateljeessaan.
Mari on maalannut noin seitsemän vuoden ajan, vaikka hänen pääammattinsa on ylitarkastajana Aluehallintovirastossa, työssä, joka edellyttää tarkkaa lakien ja säädösten noudattamista. Maalaamisen kautta Mari on löytänyt tavan päästää irti säännöistä ja ennalta määrätyistä kaavoista – vapautuneen ilmaisun visuaalisessa taiteessa. Hänen taiteensa pohjautuu vahvaan ammattitaitoon ja erilaisten tekniikoiden hallintaan, mutta se syntyy ennen kaikkea intuitiosta, joka ohjaa häntä akryyli- ja sekatekniikkamaalausten luomisessa.
Intuitio ohjaa aina hänen värivalintojaan: pehmeät sävyt välittävät rauhaa ja seesteisyyttä, kun taas voimakkaat tunteet saavat hänet tarttumaan kirkkaisiin ja intensiivisiin väreihin.
Mari on monipuolinen taiteilija, joka maalaa abstrakteja, esittäviä ja sekatekniikkateoksia kankaalle. Hän ei käytä tiettyä väripalettia, vaan rakastaa tutkia laajaa värien ja tekstuurien kirjoa, jotka syntyvät aina hänen senhetkisten tunteidensa ja ajatustensa innoittamana.
Vaikka Mari työskentelee täysipäiväisesti taidealan ulkopuolella, hänellä on kuvataiteen opintoja ja hän toimii Lapuan Taiteilijaseuran puheenjohtajana, mikä mahdollistaa paikallisen taide-elämän tukemisen ja inspiroi häntä vuorovaikutuksen kautta muiden taiteilijoiden kanssa. Hänen unelmansa on tuoda taiteen keräilijöitä ja taiteen ystäviä yhteen niin Suomessa kuin kansainvälisestikin, luoden sillan maailman ja hänen taiteensa välille.
Hänen mukaansa taide koostuu neljästä elementistä: tunteista, väreistä, mielikuvituksesta ja rakkaudesta. Ja kuinka voisimme olla eri mieltä, kun nämä kaikki ovat niin vahvasti läsnä hänen teoksissaan.
Rakastan itse runoutta, ja kun näin ensimmäistä kertaa Marin teokset, koin saman tunteen kuin runoa lukiessani. Runoilija kirjoittaa runon ja antaa sen lukijoilleen – ja tämä runo ei saa vain yhtä merkitystä, vaan jokaiselle lukijalle omansa.
Samalla tavoin Marin maalaukset muuttuvat kuin runoudeksi katsojan silmissä: jokainen löytää niistä elementtejä, joita taiteilija itse ei ehkä ole tietoisesti suunnitellut, mikä antaa teoksille valtavan tulkinnallisen voiman.
Itse löysin eräästä hänen maalauksestaan jotain, joka muistutti gondolia sumussa – se vei mieleni heti Venetsiaan, ja siitä oli helppo muistaa elokuva “Anonimo Veneziano” (Florinda Bolkan ja Tony Musante), ja kuulla mielessäni elokuvan ikoninen ääniraita. Tämä sävelmä sopi täydellisesti ensimmäiseen videotarinaani, jonka omistin tälle ainutlaatuiselle suomalaiselle taiteilijalle.
Marin taiteellinen ura on kadehdittava, sillä hän on saavuttanut merkittävää kansainvälistä tunnustusta. Hänen teoksiaan on esitetty lukuisissa kansainvälisissä taidetapahtumissa ympäri Eurooppaa ja maailmaa, kuten Italiassa (Venetsia, Milano, Firenze, Rooma, Forlì, Palermo), Itävallassa, Virossa, Espanjassa, Turkissa sekä Yhdysvalloissa (Times Square, New York).
Juuri tämän heinäkuun aikana hänen teoksensa “Red Sunset” oli mukana kansainvälisessä taidenäyttelyssä Montecosarossa (MC), Italiassa, ja tulevia näyttelyitä vuonna 2025 ovat muun muassa X International Art Biennial Villa Farsettissa, Santa Maria di Salassa – Venetsiassa lokakuussa, sekä arvostettu QIAF Art Festival Dohassa, Qatarissa joulukuussa.
Hänen teoksiaan voi hankkia monien näyttelyiden kautta, joihin hän osallistuu, tai hänen sosiaalisen median kanaviensa kautta. Monet hänen teoksistaan ovat löytäneet tiensä yksityiskoteihin näyttelyiden tai somen kautta tulleiden tilausten ansiosta. Voit siis tilata myös yksilöllisiä tilaustöitä ottamalla yhteyttä hänen some-kanaviensa kautta.

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Mari Knuuttila – Ultramarine
Mari Knuuttila – Feels like summer
Mari Knuuttila – Golden silence
Mari Knuuttila – ” Lily ” was featured on the Times Square screen in New York
Mari Knuuttila – ” Lily ” featured on the screen of Times Square in New York