Archivi tag: Quadri

Christmas atmosphere seen through the eyes of 8 Finnish artists

12 dicembre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

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

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

Satu Kekäläinen a fairy tale born from ice

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

Satu Kekäläinen – Christmas tree light – Valokuusi

Satu Kekäläinen – Fairy Cow – Keijulehmä

Mari Knuuttila when painting becomes poetry

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

Mari Knuuttila – Ornament Glow – Joulupallojen hehku

Mari Knuuttila – Shadows in Flame 81cm x 100cm

Ella Petman after a long journey she found her paradise

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

Ella Petman – Lights of the North

Ella Petman – The Tale of the Nebula

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

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

Meria Q – Peace on Earth, watercolour size A5water

Meria Q – Can you hear the water flowing? – 27cmx35cm, mixed media

MAJ SJÖ from Finland comes with a breeze of positivity

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

MaJ Sjö – Many reasons to smile – Acrylic on canvas, 70cm x70cm

MaJ Sjö – Room of Vision – Oil on canvas, 40cmx40 cm

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

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

Martina Uthardt – Joyful Christmas – 61cmx50cm

Martina Uthardt – “Breeze-kissed waves”- 120cmx100 cm

Ulla Väisänen from Finland between dream and reality!

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

Ulla Väisänen – A Christmas elf girl sends greetings in the form of stars

Ulla Väisänen – Angry birds – 90cmx70cm

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

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

Liisa Viima – Coeur des Coeurs – 90cmx90cmx4cm

Click on the photos to enlarge them

Satu Kekäläinen – Christmas tree light – Valokuusi

Mari Knuuttila – Ornament Glow – Joulupallojen hehku

Ella Petman – Lights of the North

Meria Q – Peace on Earth, watercolour size A5water

MaJ Sjö – Many reasons to smile – Acrylic on canvas, 70cm x70cm

Martina Uthardt – Joyful Christmas – 61cmx50cm

Ulla Väisänen – A Christmas elf girl sends greetings in the form of stars

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Mostre,Pittura

Anne Saarinen and her journey between Italy and Finland through everyday plants and Goddess Borealis

31 ottobre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

Today I am pleased to introduce you to Finnish artist Anne Saarinen, originally from central Finland where she still lives in Jyväskylä, a city of 150,000 located north of the beautiful Lake Päijänne.
Anne, a painter and art teacher, studied art education at the University of Jyväskylä and has worked as an art teacher for over twenty years.
Her art studio is located in Kuhankoski, at Laukaa Art Studios, in the main building of a former girls’ school built in 1927 in the Jugend style , on the shores of Lake Kuhajärvi.
The studio’s unique location, in a quiet rural setting, allows for intense creative work.
Anne also spends a lot of time at her vacation home in the Sabina region, in the mountains of central Italy, where she draws inspiration from the light, intense colors, and palpable layers of history, from ancient Rome to medieval monastic life.
In this context, where nature becomes a concrete model and metaphor for her paintings, where plants and landscapes embody memories, experiences, and cultural meanings, Anne manages to reinterpret everything around her through painting.
This results in works in which reality, history, and imagination intertwine in artworks with a vegetal and divine theme.
Anne is deeply fascinated by the aesthetics and value of everyday plants, which we often overlook.
The beauty of everydays plants is often overshadowed by that of flowers, and in her body of work, Anne explored the aesthetics, texture, color, and contrast of a useful garden.
Her goal was to capture the impression created by sunlight on a bright summer day, pursuing naturalism, but rather expression and maximal colorism, based on the creation of intuitive and physical signs and the interplay of contrasts and colors.
On canvas, she presents them with vibrant colors, often supported by structure and repetition, such as the rows of vegetables in a vegetable garden.
For Anne, in her work, plants represent resilience and a strength that brings joy to the viewer.
Exploring the relationship between women and gardening, a social theme emerges: the appreciation of femininity, where the cultivated plant becomes a symbol of tenacious women, often taken for granted throughout history, yet there is a universal and silent strength within women, present for centuries.
Another dear theme to Anne is that of the goddesses of the past.
Through her works, she seeks to create a mental landscape born from the encounter between Finland and the goddesses of the past.
Through this connection, a universal landscape is created, where divinity can be present anywhere, on the shore of a lake or in the forest, drawing inspiration from layers of myth, folklore, and archaic imagery, but also from ancient narratives that still resonate today.
Her beautiful Northern Goddesses are the three Roman goddesses Diana, Feronia, and Aurora, whom she depicts as fused with Finnish nature.
These goddesses symbolize important things in her works, aiming to describe the landscape of the soul, which is created in the mind when reality encounters a sense of universal connection, regardless of time and place.
Painting for Anne can be both a personal and a political act.
Through plants, she wishes to express the strength that often goes unnoticed in the frenzy of everyday life, while through figures of divinities, she seeks connections between cultures and their universal narratives.
Her works, upon closer inspection, combine direct observation of nature, historical narrative, and an experiential and personal perspective.
Anne follows a physical yet intuitive working process, painting with both acrylics and oils.
Her paintings take shape quickly with large, rough brushes that create a powerful line.
Painting in Italy, Anne noticed her palette becoming brighter, while in Finland the tones she uses are softer and more muted.
Her working process is based on a dialogue between truth and expression, colors, shapes, and subjects, which translates into an expressive result.
For Anne, Italy is not only a constant source of inspiration, but its light, colors, and cultural layers open up new perspectives for her artistic expression.
The nature and history of both Italy and Finland are intertwined in her paintings.
Anne feels that Italy has strongly influenced her visual thinking, and her art resonates particularly well in the Italian context.
She therefore hopes to present her work in Italy in the future.
For more information, to purchase her work, or to collaborate, please contact her at:
Website and online shop: annesaarinen.fi
Instagram: @annesaarinenart
WhatsApp: +358407417140

Anne Saarinen e il suo viaggio tra Italia e Finlandia attraverso piante utili e Dee Boreali

Oggi sono lieto di presentarvi l’artista finlandese Anne Saarinen, originaria della Finlandia centrale dove tuttora vive a Jyväskylä, una città di 150.000 abitanti situata a nord del meraviglioso lago Päijänne.
Anne, pittrice e insegnante d’arte ha studiato educazione artistica all’Università di Jyväskylä e ha lavorato come insegnante d’arte per oltre vent’anni.
Il suo studio d’arte si trova a Kuhankoski, nei Laukaa Art Studios, nell’edificio principale di un’ex scuola femminile costruita nel 1927 in stile Jugend, sulle rive del lago Kuhajärvi.
La particolare posizione dello studio, in un tranquillo ambiente rurale, consente un intenso lavoro creativo.
Anne trascorre molto tempo anche nella sua casa per le vacanze nella regione della Sabina, tra le montagne dell’Italia centrale e in questi luoghi trae ispirazione dalla luce, dai colori intensi e dagli strati palpabili della storia, dall’antica Roma alla vita monastica medievale.
In questo contesto dove la natura diventa modello concreto e metafora per i suoi dipinti, dove piante e paesaggi incarnano ricordi, esperienze e significati culturali, Anne riesce a reinterpretare tutto ciò che la circonda attraverso la pittura.
Nascono così opere in cui realtà, storia e immaginazione si intrecciano in opere d’arte a tema vegetale e divino.
Anne è molto affascinata dall’estetica e dal valore delle piante di uso quotidiano, che molto spesso trascuriamo.
La bellezza delle piante utili è spesso messa in ombra da quella dei fiori e Anne nel suo corpus di lavori, ha esplorato l’estetica, la struttura, il colore e il contrasto di un giardino utile.
Il suo obiettivo è stato quello di catturare l’impressione creata dalla luce del sole in una luminosa giornata estiva, con l’intenzione di perseguire il naturalismo, ma piuttosto l’espressione e il colorismo massimale, basati sulla creazione di segni intuitivi e fisici e sul gioco di contrasti e colori.
Su tela, le presenta con colori vivaci, spesso supportati da struttura e ripetizione, come ad esempio i filari di un orto.
Per Anne nel suo lavoro, le piante rappresentano la resilienza e una forza che porta gioia all’osservatore.
Esplorando poi il rapporto tra donne e giardinaggio, emerge un tema sociale: l’apprezzamento della femminilità, dove la pianta coltivata diventa simbolo della donna tenace, spesso data per scontata nel corso della storia, ma c’è una forza universale e silenziosa nelle donne, presente da secoli.
Altro tema molto caro per Anne è quello legato alle dee del passato dove attraverso le sue opere cerca di creare un paesaggio mentale che nasce dall’incontro tra la Finlandia e le dee del passato.
Attraverso questa connessione si viene a creare un paesaggio universale, dove la divinità può essere presente ovunque, sulla riva di un lago o nella foresta sulla base di una ispirazione che arriva da strati di mito, folklore e immaginario arcaico ma con un collegamento con antiche narrazioni che risuonano ancora oggi.
Le sue bellissime Dee Boreali sono le tre dee romane Diana,Feronia e Aurora che ha raffigurate come fuse in un tutt’uno con la natura finlandese.
Queste dee nelle sue opere simboleggiano cose importanti, con l’obiettivo di descrivere il paesaggio dell’anima, che si crea nella mente quando la realtà incontra un senso di connessione universale, indipendentemente dal tempo e dal luogo
Dipingere per Anne può essere sia un atto personale che politico.
Attraverso le piante, desidera parlare della forza che spesso passa inosservata nella frenesia della vita quotidiana, mentre attraverso figure di divinità, cerca legami tra le culture e le loro narrazioni universali.
Le sue opere a ben vedere combinano l’osservazione diretta della natura, la narrazione storica e una prospettiva esperienziale e personale.
Anne segue un processo di lavoro sia fisico che intuitivo e dipinge sia con acrilici che con oli.
I suoi dipinti prendono forma rapidamente con pennelli grandi e ruvidi che creano una linea potente.
Dipingendo in Italia, Anne ha notato che la sua tavolozza diventa più luminosa, mentre in Finlandia i toni che usa sono più morbidi e tenui.
Alla base del suo processo lavorativo si crea un dialogo tra verità ed espressione, colori, forme e soggetti, che si traduce in un risultato espressivo.
L’Italia per Anne non è solo una fonte costante di ispirazione, ma la sua luce, i suoi colori e le sue stratificazioni culturali aprono nuove prospettive per la sua espressione artistica.
La natura e la storia sia dell’Italia che della Finlandia sono intrecciate nei suoi dipinti.
Anne ha la sensazione che l’Italia abbia fortemente influenzato il suo pensiero visivo e la sua arte risuona in modo particolare nel contesto italiano, e quindi nutre la speranza di poter presentare in futuro le sue opere anche in Italia.
Per maggiori informazioni, acquisti delle sue opere o collaborazioni non esitate a contattarla attraverso:
Sito web e negozio online: annesaarinen.fi
Instagram: @annesaarinenart
WhatsApp: +358407417140

Exhibitions
La Fiaba, Eloa 2025, group exhibition
Peurunka, Mental Spa 2025, group exhibition
Konstrundan, Laukaa Art Studios 2024, group exhibition
Peurunka, John Smith Goes Art 2024, group exhibition
Arte Laguna, Venice – Deae Borealis 2024, virtual exhibition
Gallery Popper, Lannoitettu 2024, solo exhibition
Hoikkassali, Äänekoski 2017, solo exhibition

Anne Saarinen – Beets, 2023, acrylic on spruce plywood

Anne Saarinen – Onion Bench 2024, acrylic on canvas

Anne Saarinen – Feronia, 2024, acrylic, 150x100cm, canvas, deep edge 4.5 cm.

Anne Saarinen – Diana, 2024, acrylic, 100x150cm, canvas, deep edge 4.5 cm.

Anne Saarinen – Aurora, 2024, acrylic, 100x150cm, canvas, deep edge 4.5 cm.

Anne Saarinen – The windowsill begins to fill up

Anne Saarinen – Window parapets part 3

Anne Saarinen – Window parapets part 2

Anne Saarinen – Window parapets part 1

Anne Saarinen - Ripe 2022, acrylic on plywood

Anne Saarinen - Autumn Harvest, 2023, acrylic on canvas

Anne Saarinen - Cabbage Field, 2023, acrylic on plywood (Sold)

Anne Saarinen - Today's Mini, 15x15 cm, water accident

Anne Saarinen - Today's Mini, 15x15 cm, towards the light

Anne Saarinen - Diana, 2024, Mock-up image

Anne Saarinen - Feronia, 2024, Mock-up image

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Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Pittura

Ruska: Finnish foliage seen through the eyes of 8 Finnish artists

22 ottobre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

In Finland, there’s a special word to describe the magic of autumn: Ruska, a natural spectacle that is experienced as a true tradition in Northern Europe.
Ruska is considered the Nordic equivalent of Japanese hanami, a moment of celebration of nature to be seized when it is present for only a brief moment.
The northern region of Lapland is the starting point of Ruska, with its landscape of taiga and forest-covered hills, before continuing south.
The protagonists of Ruska are warm colors like red, orange, and yellow, but brown and the colors of the leaves aren’t the only wonders the forests offer: mushrooms and berries, such as blueberries and cranberries, are treasures that grow during this period.
For Finns, Ruska is more than just foliage, and “Ruskaretki” is a typical excursion beloved by many Finns and tourists, a collective ritual consisting of hikes in national parks, days spent in mökki (the wooden cabins by the lake), and mushroom and berry picking thanks to jokamiehenoikeus (the right of every man).
Ruska is a precious time of contemplation and recharging, marking the end of summer and preparing for the long Nordic winter.
I’ve been to Lapland many times during the Ruska season and have been fascinated not only by the gorgeously colored leaves on the trees but also, above all, by the veritable autumnal sea that accompanies you as you walk across the incredible shades of leaves.
Thinking about Ruska, I had the idea to ask eight incredibly talented Finnish artists to show us Ruska 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 Ruska and the second is one of her favorites, or the presentation of an upcoming solo exhibition.
I invite you to visit their social media pages and websites to better understand their talent.
To Minna Pärttö, Ella Petman, Satu Kekäläinen, Mari Knuttila, Taru Rouhiainen, MaJ Sjö, Martina Uthardt, and Liisa Viima, I extend my heartfelt thanks for making my idea of presenting Finnish Ruska in a slightly different way possible.

Minna Pärttö – Furu, 2021,81x100cm, acrylic on canvas

Ella Petman - Ruska, 54x65 cm, acrylics on canvas

Ella Petman – Ruska, 54×65 cm, acrylics on canvas

Satu Kekäläinen- Kupliva syksy, Bubbling autumn

Mari Knuttila – Autumn Glow (Syyshehku) – diameter 40 cm

Taru Rouhiainen -Violet, 2022, mixed medium on linen 33x41cm

Maj Sjö - Magic Happens , Acrylic on canvas, 2025 , 50x50 cm

Maj Sjö – Magic Happens , Acrylic on canvas, 2025 , 50×50 cm

Martina Uthardt – Midsummer in Sapmi, 100 x 81 cm – sold

Liisa Viima – Lighthouse, 55 x 46 x 2 cm. Oil on canvas

Minna Pärttö and the art of discovering emotions between past and present

Minna lives in Inkeroinen, southern Finland, and began painting regularly in 2019.
Since then, she has participated in exhibitions both in her home country and abroad.
Painting has become Minna’s natural 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.
You can find more information about Minna on her social media pages, Instagram and Facebook.
For Ruska, she presents: Furu, 2021, 81x100cm, acrylic on canvas.
As a second painting, she presents: I Can Still See You, 81x100cm, acrylic on canvas.
Both paintings are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Minna Pärttö – Furu, 2021,81x100cm, acrylic on canvas

Minna Pärttö – I Can Still see You, 81x100cm, acrylic on canvas

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 Ruska, she presents: Ruska, 54×65 cm, acrylics on canvas,
As a second painting, she presents: Fulfilled with love, 70x90x3 cm, acrylics on canvas
Both paintings are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Ella Petman – Ruska, 54×65 cm, acrylics on canvas

Ella Petman –

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 Ruska, she presents: Bubbling autumn
As a second photos, she presents: Autumn look
In January 2026 she will partecipate in an exhibition at the Mökkigalleria (cottage gallery) in Kaarina
Both photos are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Satu Kekäläinen- Kupliva syksy, Bubbling autumn

Satu Kekäläinen-Syksyn ilme, Autumn look

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 Ruska, she presents: Autumn Glow (Syyshehku) – diameter 40 cm
As a second painting, she presents: Golden Trace – 80×100 cm
Both paintings are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Mari Knuttila – Autumn Glow (Syyshehku) – diameter 40 cm

Mari Knuttila - Golden Trace – 80x100 cm

Mari Knuttila – Golden Trace – 80×100 cm

Taru Rouhiainen when art transforms into joy of living

Taru Rouhiainen born in Hyvinkää but currently lives in Vantaa.
Taru’s is one of those stories that shows us how not only painting, but art in general, can be the best medicine for overcoming difficult times.
In 2020, after the crisis, Taru found herself needing something that would allow her not only to stay busy but also to process and express her feelings.And so, making a life-changing choice, she enrolled in a painting course and fell in love with art!
Before discovering painting, she had always appreciated colors and, above all, their effect on our emotions, bringing joy into our homes.
You can find more information about Taru on her Instagram and Facebook pages and website
For Ruska, she presents: Violet, 2022, mixed medium on linen 33x41cm
As a second painting, she presents: Red, 2025, mixed medium on linen 33x40cm
Both paintings are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Taru Rouhiainen -Violet, 2022, mixed medium on linen 33x41cm

Taru Rouhiainen – Red, 2025, mixed medium on linen 33x40cm

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 Ruska, she presents: Magic Happens , Acrylic on canvas, 2025 , 50×50 cm
As a second chanche, she presents: the poster of her next solo exhibition which opens on November 1st in Helsinki
Painting is available for purchase on her social media pages.

Maj Sjö – Magic Happens , Acrylic on canvas, 2025 , 50×50 cm

Maj Sjö – HOUSE OF ALCHEMY – personal exhibition Take Me Home Galleria, Helsinki

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 Ruska, she presents: Midsummer in Sapmi, 100 x 81 cm
As a second painting, she presents: Blue Dreams, 100 x 81 cm
Sapmi it’s the real name for Lapland
The second painting is available for purchase on her website

Martina Uthardt – Midsummer in Sapmi, 100 x 81 cm – sold

Martina Uthardt – Blue Dreams, 100 x 81 cm

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 Ruska, she presents: Lighthouse, 55 x 46 x 2 cm, Oil on canvas
As a second painting, she presents: Soul, 60 x 40 cm, mixed media on paper
Both paintings are available for purchase on her social media pages.

Liisa Viima – Lighthouse, 55 x 46 x 2 cm. Oil on canvas

Liisa Viima – Soul,60 x 40 cm. Mixed media on paper

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

Annika Aro life sometimes takes strange turns and brings you back to the starting point, art!

16 ottobre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

Today I’m pleased to introduce you to Finnish artist Annika 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 Annika when, 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.
Annika paints 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 Ry and the Helsingin Taideyhdistys.
Her works have been exhibited in several group shows and galleries in the Helsinki metropolitan 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, Annika loves 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.art and 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 finlandese Annika 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 Annika quando 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 Annika è 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.
Annika è membro del Suomen Taiteilijat Ry e 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 Helsinki con 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 – Bliss

Annika Aro – Rebirth

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

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

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

14 settembre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

Today I’m delighted to introduce you to Finnish artist 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.
In 2022–2023, she completed the Milan Art Institute’s online Mastery Program (USA), which helped her refine her technique and reconnect with her artistic vision.
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.
Her expressive use of color ranges from bold, intense hues to harmonious limited palettes.
She primarily works with oil on canvas and has developed a unique mixed-media technique using gypsum, stencils, stone fragments, tiles, and broken glass, finished with shimmering mica pigments and resin.
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.
Her influences include classical art, particularly Don Diego Velázquez’s Crucified Christ (1632), and ancient legends that inspire her creative process.
Since 2023, Liisa has been a member of the Finnish Artists’ Association and has held several solo and group exhibitions, including curated shows.
She was honored with Letters of Honor from the Pinacotheque, a private museum in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in both 2022 and 2024 as part of the Luxembourg Art Prize competition.
In 2024, she was also invited to exhibit her work with Artrewards (Norway), Artsy (USA), and Artmajeur (France).
Her commissioned works are typically large-scale and conceived for specific spaces or themes.
She is currently working on a new collection titled Modern Icons, of which she has completed seven paintings so far.
One of them, Ego Eimi, was been selected for the annual exhibition curated by the Finnish Artists’ Association at the Cable Factory Art Center in Helsinki in August 2025.
On her website, you will find all her works divided into sections:
Ad Astra – her first collection, dedicated to universal themes
Lines of Light – a collection of mixed media on paper and her new, innovative epoxy resin works
Lines of Life – a series of oil paintings on canvas, begun in the fall of 2021
Jewels – a vibrant abstract collection focused on colour, also featuring two mini-series: Quartet and Breath of Spring
Liisa paints in her peaceful lakeside home, where the sunrise often fuels her creativity.
She believes that while life can be harsh, change is always possible and if even one heart is moved by her art, her mission is fulfilled.
For Liisa, the true measure of art lies in the emotions it evokes.
Understanding a piece isn’t about logic, but feeling and that’s the essence of an artist’s life: to help others feel and connect.
You can explore Liisa Viima’s work and inquire about purchasing pieces through her email, website, Instagram, and Facebook:
email:viima@gmail.com
Instagram: @annaliisaviima
Facebook: Liisa Viima
Website: www.liisaviima.com
TikTok: @liisaviima

Liisa Viima – Non è mai troppo tardi per portare gioia e bellezza nel mondo

Oggi sono lieto di presentarvi l’artista finlandese Liisa Viima, nata a Oulu e attualmente residente a Espoo.
Sebbene abbia iniziato a dipingere da adolescente e sognasse di diventare un’artista professionista, ha scelto un percorso più convenzionale, conseguendo un master in economia e dedicandosi alla sua famiglia, tra cui la crescita di due figlie e la cura dei cavalli, la sua passione di sempre.
Dopo aver affrontato importanti sfide nella vita, Liisa ha vissuto una trasformazione personale che l’ha riportata alla sua vocazione originale: la pittura.
Nel 2022-2023, ha completato il Mastery Program online del Milan Art Institute (USA), che l’ha aiutata ad affinare la sua tecnica e a riconnettersi con la sua visione artistica.
La sua missione è diventata chiara: portare gioia e bellezza nel mondo attraverso la sua arte.
Lo stile di Liisa è contemporaneo e astratto, spesso permeato di elementi di realismo, surrealismo e persino di stravaganza, il suo uso espressivo del colore spazia da tonalità audaci e intense a tavolozze armoniose e limitate.
Lavora principalmente con olio su tela e ha sviluppato una tecnica mista unica che utilizza gesso, stencil, frammenti di pietra, piastrelle e vetri rotti, rifiniti con pigmenti di mica scintillanti e resina.
I temi ricorrenti nelle sue opere includono l’umanità, l’amore e il perdono, espressi attraverso immagini simboliche come volti, cuori, stelle, mani, la luna, piccioni e anche cavalli.
Per Liisa, i cavalli rappresentano coraggio e nobiltà, valori che hanno guidato la sua vita e il suo percorso artistico.
Le sue influenze includono l’arte classica, in particolare il Cristo Crocifisso di Don Diego Velázquez (1632), e antiche leggende che ispirano il suo processo creativo.
Dal 2023, Liisa è membro dell’Associazione degli Artisti Finlandesi e ha tenuto diverse mostre personali e collettive, tra cui mostre curate.
È stata insignita delle Lettere d’Onore della Pinacoteca, un museo privato del Granducato del Lussemburgo, sia nel 2022 che nel 2024 nell’ambito del concorso Luxembourg Art Prize.
Nel 2024, è stata anche invitata a esporre le sue opere con Artrewards (Norvegia), Artsy (USA) e Artmajeur (Francia).
Le sue opere su commissione sono in genere di grandi dimensioni e concepite per spazi o temi specifici.
Attualmente sta lavorando a una nuova collezione intitolata Modern Icons, di cui ha completato finora sette dipinti.
Uno di questi, Ego Eimi, è stato selezionato per la mostra annuale curata dalla Finnish Artists’ Association presso il Cable Factory Art Center di Helsinki nell’agosto 2025.
Sul suo sito web troverete tutte le sue opere suddivise in sezioni:
Ad Astra – la sua prima collezione, dedicata a temi universali
Lines of Light – una collezione di tecniche miste su carta e le sue nuove e innovative opere in resina epossidica
Lines of Life – una serie di dipinti a olio su tela, iniziata nell’autunno del 2021
Jewels – una vivace collezione astratta incentrata sul colore, che comprende anche due miniserie: Quartet e Breath of Spring
Liisa dipinge nella sua tranquilla casa in riva al lago, dove l’alba spesso alimenta la sua creatività.
Crede che, sebbene la vita possa essere dura, il cambiamento sia sempre possibile e che se anche un solo cuore è toccato dalla sua arte, la sua missione è compiuta.
Per Liisa, la vera misura dell’arte risiede nelle emozioni che evoca, comprendere un’opera non è una questione di logica, ma di sentimento: questa è l’essenza della vita di un artista: aiutare gli altri a sentire e a connettersi.
È possibile esplorare le opere di Liisa Viima e chiedere informazioni sull’acquisto tramite la sua email, il suo sito web, Instagram e Facebook:
email:viima@gmail.com
Instagram: @annaliisaviima
Facebook: Liisa Viima
Website: www.liisaviima.com
TikTok: @liisaviima

Ani Hu (“minä olen” hebreaksi. Modern Icons -collection)

Coeur des Coeurs (Modern Icons -collection)

Annabell and Thornibird – Inspired by a great gala of my dear friend I attended with my daughter at Kulosaaren Casino. I at once noticed the beautiful old black piano – wanted to paint something of it!

Ego Eimi (Modern Icons -collection)

Coeur de Courage (Modern Icons -collection)

Io Sono (Modern Icons -collection)

Enheduanna (from my first collection “Ad Astra”). the first female poet documented. En-He = honoured, male/female

Godgifu (a gift of god, female). Lady Godiva riding through her village naked in the night to prevent her husband to press the village people

Hamama. “hamama” means pigeon. In honour of all pigeons, that have been scrified for the human race. She was a clairvoyant (with blue eyes), and tried to tell her village of an enemy. They did not believe, and all were killed. Something like 1000 ec in pre-muslim era

Two Hearts, my commission piece. Private collection

Damma (“damma” is an Arabic accent mark. It means “join”. “Tamma” is a mere in Finnish. I think they match together:)). She has a mate, Sulaiman

Sulaiman, Arab stallion, mate to Damma. Sulaiman means Peace Maker. Known as Solomon, Suleiman, Sliman eg. In Iraq there is a county “Sulaymaniya”

Stigmata ad Astra (from my first collection “Ad Astra”)

“Omorfo”, private collection

Mother´s Sorrow (Modern Icons -collection)

Coeur Courage. My challenge all my life, from here to eternity

Babagha (parrot in Arabic)

Al Digjla (the river Tigris, and the bridge in old Mosul. “Mosul” means bridge in Arabic)

Haqqi (from my first collection “Ad Astra”). It means “truth”

Light of BeLoved (my private collection)

Ummi (my private collection)

Connected by Poems

Thornibird

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

Marjo Riitta Tuovila and her journey between dream and reality

11 settembre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

With great pleasure today I present to you the Finnish artist Marjo Riitta Tuovila born Haapavesi where she still lives.
Marjo started drawing at the age of four when a coloring book opened the doors to a new world for her, a world where she let herself be transported between dream and reality!
From her paintings it is not difficult to understand that Marjo is gifted with a remarkable imagination, a fact that as a child caused her some problems at school where instead of following the lesson she was sometimes immersed in her fantasy worlds.
Although her art once helped her get an extra point for the beautiful drawings she’d made after a math test where she couldn’t do the math.
She talked to her father about her passion for art and painting, telling him she wanted to be an artist.
While he didn’t dissuade her, he advised her to study for a real profession.
Today, more than ever, Marjo knows how difficult it is to make a living from art.
Remembering that advice, Marjo is a kindergarten assistant/instructor and works at Hytti-kallio School in Haapavesi.
She started painting when she was 17 and set herself the goal of becoming good at it ( and I believe there’s no doubt that Marjo has fully achieved her goal ).
In 2005, her artistic journey took a turning point when she discovered portraiture.
It was love at first sight, although perfecting her technique wasn’t easy, and today she expresses herself through highly expressive works that capture attention from the very first glance.
Speaking of technique, Marjo has primarily painted with acrylic paints, which dry quickly and are ideal for those who work quickly, but she recently discovered water-soluble oil paints, which she finds much easier to use and offer more pleasing color combinations.
Another important milestone in her artistic journey was her encounter with animals, which occurred at a time in Marjo’s life when she was questioning our existence in this world, and the freedom, instincts, and sensitivity of animals greatly helped her overcome some of her fears.
She often describes herself as a returning migrant, like migratory birds that fly south every autumn, orienting themselves by instinct and always finding their way back.
The visual arts have been Marjo’s greatest support throughout her life.
Not only have they allowed her to express her true personality, but they have also helped her through those dark moments that occasionally strike us throughout our lives.
In a recent interview for the presentation of her new solo exhibition, Marjo said she feels very fortunate to be able to create new worlds through her journey between dream and reality.
Despite the success achieved through her work, Marjo continues to study art to improve herself, knowing that her desire to learn will never abandon her.
This not only comforts her morally, but fills her life with happiness.
She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, and 29 of her works are currently on display until September 24th in the exhibition ” When the World Dreams of Us ” held at the Tillari Gallery in Nivala.
Her works are visible and available for purchase through her social media pages.

Instagram

Marjo Riitta Tuovila e il suo viaggio tra sogno e realtà

Con grande piacere oggi vi presento l’artista finlandese Marjo Riita Tuovila nata a Haapavesi dove tutt’ora vive.
Marjo ha iniziato ha disegnare all’età di quattro anni quando un libro da colorare le ha aperto le porte di un mondo nuovo per lei, un mondo in cui lei si è lasciata trasportare tra sogno e realtà!
Dai suoi dipinti non è difficile capire che Marjo è dotata di una notevole immaginazione fatto questo che da bambina le creava qualche problema a scuola dove lei anziché seguire la lezione talvolta era immersa nei suoi mondi fantastici.
Anche se una volta la sua arte la aiutò a ricevere un punteggio extra per i bei disegni che aveva fatto dietro il test di matematica in cui non riusciva a fare i calcoli.
Della sua passione per l’arte e la pittura ne parlò con il papà dicendogli che voleva fare l’artista e lui pur non dissuadendola le consigliò di studiare per ottenere una vera professione e oggi più di allora Marjo sa di quanto sia difficile guadagnarsi da vivere con l’arte.
Memore di quel consiglio, Marjo è un’assistente istruttore di scuola materna e lavora alla Hytti-kallio School di Haapavesi.
Ha iniziato a dipingere quando aveva 17 anni e si è data come obbiettivo quello di diventare brava ( e credo non ci siano dubbi sul fatto che Marjo ha centrato in pieno il suo goal )
Nel 2005 c’è stata una svolta nel suo percorso artistico quando ha scoperto la ritrattistica, è stato amore a prima vista, anche se non è stato facile l’iter per perfezionare la sua tecnica che oggi si esprime attraverso opere molto espressive e capaci di suscitare l’attenzione già dal primo sguardo.
A proposito di tecnica Marjo ha dipinto principalmente con colori acrilici che asciugandosi in fretta sono molto adatti a chi come lei lavora velocemente, ma recentemente ha scoperto i colori a olio solubili in acqua che le risultano molto più facili da usare e capaci di offrire combinazioni di colori più piacevoli.
Un’altra tappa importante del suo percorso artistico è stata l’incontro con gli animali che è avvenuto in un periodo della vita di Marjo in cui lei si poneva delle domande sulla nostra esistenza in questo mondo e la libertà, gli istinti e la sensibilità degli animali l’hanno aiutata molto a superare certe sue paure.
Lei spesso si definisce un migrante di ritorno, come gli uccelli migratori che ogni autunno volano verso sud orientandosi per istinto e trovando sempre la strada del ritorno.
Le arti visive sono state per Marjo il suo più grande sostegno nella sua vita, non solo le hanno permesso di far uscire all’esterno quella che è la sua vera personalità ma l’hanno anche aiutata in quei momenti bui che ogni tanto ci attraversano nel corso delle nostre vite.
In una recente intervista rilasciata per la presentazione della sua nuova mostra personale Marjo si è detta molto fortunata di poter creare nuovi mondi attraverso il suo viaggio tra sogno e realtà.
Marjo nonostante il successo ottenuto attraverso le sue opere non smette di studiare arte e di perfezionarsi consapevole che la sua voglia di apprendere mai la abbandonerà e questo non solo le è di conforto moralmente ma le riempie la vita di felicità.
Ha partecipato a numerose mostre personali e collettive e attualmente 29 sue opere fino al 24 settembre sono esposte nella mostra “ Quando il mondo sogna di noi “ che si tiene presso la Galleria Tillari a Nivala.
Le sue opere sono visibili e acquistabili attraverso le sue pagine social

Instagram

Blue’s song

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Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

Taru Rouhiainen when art transforms into joy of living

6 settembre 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

With great pleasure today I present to you the Finnish artist Taru Rouhiainen born in Hyvinkää but currently lives in Vantaa.
Taru’s is one of those stories that shows us how not only painting, but art in general, can be the best medicine for overcoming difficult times.
Taru was working as a healthcare worker when a period of associated with a professional crisis led her to quit her job.
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.
Taru relies on an intuitive process, beginning with bold colors that then, through her emotions, lead her to complete her work.
She loves magenta and turquoise colors and metallic paints, but also bright colors that make her happy.
Experimenting, she began to incorporate contrasting details and multiple layers into her works, adding unique textures to her work.
To create textures, she uses various materials, including sand, beads, lace, craft materials, and non-slip mats, all bound together with texture-enhancing clay.
She favors intense textures, capable of making the work more interesting by giving it another dimension that makes the viewer want to touch it.
Taru paints with the desire to bring joy, energy, and inspiration to the homes where her works will live.
She likes abstract art for its freedom and the room for interpretation that allows each viewer to give their own interpretation of the work.
It’s well known that every artist has one or more subjects they consider important, and for Taru, water lilies are the primary subject of her art.
This is due to their symbolism, which conveys the struggle to emerge from the mud and grow toward the light.
Water lilies bring hope and convey purity and rebirth in an element like water, which in itself is relaxing, and Taru, just like a water lily, aspires to a better and brighter future after the exhaustion she has suffered.
Taru began painting five years ago and has been developing her skills by studying art in various courses and completing a two-year art training program at the Hyvinkää Art School.
She is a member of the Hyvinkää Artists Association and the Helsinki Art Association.
She has exhibited in numerous galleries, including TheHolyArt in London, the Capital Culture House in Madrid, and the M.A.D.S art gallery in Milan.
She also edited the cultural publication Art Anthology IV 2021, curated by Guto Ajayu in Madrid.
She has received two art awards: the Michelangelo Art Prize and the Donatello Art Prize, from the Effetto Arte Foundation in Palermo. Curated by Salvatore and Francesco Russo.
Taru is definitely an artist to follow because in a world like the current one crossed by a sea of ugliness, her works have the power to convey a great sense of joy and positivity that helps us live life in a more serene way.

Her works are on sale through her social media pages or her website, for contact rouhiainentaru@gmail.com
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Taru Rouhiainen quando l’arte si trasforma in gioia di vivere

Con grande piacere oggi vi presento l’artista finlandese Taru Rouhiainen nata a Hyvinkää ma attualmente residente a Vantaa.
Quella di Taru è una di quelle storie che ci fanno capire come non solo la pittura, ma l’arte in generale possono essere la migliore medicina per superare i momenti brutti.
Taru lavorava come operatore sanitario quando un periodo di esaurimento associato a una crisi professionale l’ha portata a lasciare il lavoro.
Nel 2020 dopo la crisi Taru si è trovata nella necessità di fare qualcosa che le permettesse non solo di essere impegnata ma anche di elaborare e dar sfogo ai suoi sentimenti.
E così facendo una scelta che le ha cambiato la vita si è iscritta a un corso di pittura e si è innamorata dell’arte!
Prima di scoprire la pittura aveva sempre apprezzato i colori e soprattutto il loro effetto sulle nostre emozioni portando gioia nelle case.
Taru si affida a un processo intuitivo, iniziando ad usare colori audaci che poi attraverso le sue emozioni la portano a completare la sua opera.
Ama i colori magenta e turchese e le vernici metallizzate, ma anche i colori brillanti che la rendono felice.
Sperimentando ha iniziato ad inserire nelle sue opere dettagli contrastanti e strati multipli aggiungendo di fatto texture uniche alla sue opere.
Per creare texture usa vari materiali tra cui sabbia, perline, pizzo, materiale per bricolage,tappetini antiscivolo il tutto legato insieme con pasta modellabile adatta a creare texture
Predilige le texture intense, capaci di rendere l’opera più interessante conferendole un’altra dimensione che trasmette a chi la osserva la voglia di toccarla.
Taru dipinge animata dalla voglia di portare gioia, energia e ispirazione nelle case in cui andranno a vivere le sue opere e predilige l’arte astratta per la sua libertà e lo spazio di interpretazione che permette ad ogni spettatore di dare una propria lettura dell’opera.
Si sa che ogni artista ha uno o più soggetti che reputa importanti e per Taru le ninfee sono il soggetto principe della sua arte e questo è dovuto al loro simbolismo che trasmette la lotta per uscire dal fango e crescere verso la luce.
Le ninfee portano speranza e trasmettono purezza e rinascita in un elemento come l’acqua che di per sé è rilassante, e Taru proprio come una ninfea aspira a un futuro migliore e più luminoso dopo l’esaurimento che ha patito.
Sono ormai cinque anni che Taru ha iniziato a dipingere e si è formata studiando arte in vari corsi e completando un biennio di formazione artistica presso la scuola d’arte di Hyvinkää.
È membro dell’Associazione Artisti di Hyvinkää e dell’Associazione d’arte di Helsinki.
Ha esposto in numerose gallerie come TheHolyArt di Londra, la Capital Culture House di Madrid e la galleria d’arte M.A.D.S di Milano.
Ha anche curato la pubblicazione culturale Art Anthology IV 2021, curata da Guto Ajayu a Madrid.
Ha ricevuto due premi d’arte: Premio d’Arte Michelangelo e il Premio Arte Donatello, della Fondazione Effetto Arte di Palermo, a cura di Salvatore e Francesco Russo.
Taru é sicuramente un’artista da seguire perché in un mondo come quello attuale attraversato da una marea di bruttezze le sue opere hanno la forza di trasmettere un grande senso di gioia e positività che aiuta a vivere la vita in un modo più sereno.

I suoi lavori sono in vendita attraverso le sue pagine social o il suo sito web, per contatti rouhiainentaru@gmail.com
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Huurteisia kukkia – Frosty flowers

Liekki sisälläni – Flame within me

Helsinki Art Association Annual Exhibition Rhythms Cable Factory Puristamo August 12-31, 2025

Private Exhibitions

Buoni Venti Association Leinikkitie 22C, exhibition In the Colors of Water and Water Lilies November 1-30, 2024
Sello Library Showcase, exhibition Colorful Abstract Art with Heart July 28-30, 2024
Entresse Espoo Library, exhibition Joy and Vitality from Colors May 27-16, 2024
Hyvinkää Library, exhibition Harmony and Movement September 7-24, 2021

Group Exhibitions

Hyvinkää Artists’ Association Promenade Gallery, group exhibition A Day on the Promenade July 10-27, 2025
Hyvinkää Artists’ Association Promenadi Gallery, group exhibition Is This a Dream, June 7-26, 2025
Exhibition at Zarin Art Gallery Helsinki – A Global Dialogue, March 14-31, 2025, Viikintie 1b, Helsinki, Museum of Technology
Jorvi Hospital, Karvasmäentie 8, HTY group exhibition Joy and Inspiration, January 26-22, 2025
ArtFrida, Korkeavuorenkatu 25, group exhibition HTY 25×25, January 11-30, 2025
4-kuus Gallery, Helsinki Art Association exhibition On the Wings of the Sun, April 27-May 24, 2024
Santana Art Gallery, Madrid, Sun Kingdom exhibition, July 1-10, 2023
Willa Gallery, Hyvinkää Art School exhibition, May 20-31, 2023
MADS Art Gallery, Brain exhibition Cake in Barcelona, Casa Mila Pedrera, December 28, 2022
Rossocinabro Gallery, Rome, Reinventing the Ordinary exhibition, September 12-30, 2022, Residents, January 10-21, 2022, Be Rossocinabro, November 10-30, 2022, Rome Art Week, October 24-29, 2022
Willa Gallery, Hyvinkää Art School exhibition, May 20-29, 2022
Willa Gallery, Hyvinkää Art Association annual exhibition, August 2-31, 2022
MADS Art Gallery, Milan, Fuerteventura, Visceral exhibition, June 28-July 4, 2022
MADS Art Gallery, Milan, Fuerteventura, Aldila exhibition, October 22-31, 2021

Virtual Exhibitions

HMVC Gallery, New York, Abstract is abstract May 1-31, 2023
TheHolyArt London, Aura February 13-March 13, 2023
Capital Culture House, Felicity November 25-December 3, 2022
HMVC Gallery New York, Awake September 1-30, 2022 and finalists’ solo exhibition October 17-31, 2022
galleryone962, Stopping the War March 15-30, 2022
Capital Culture House, Ethereal February 16-February 24, 2022 and Mellifluous March 6-March 15, 2022
TheHolyArt London, Transitions February 8-February 15, 2025
TheHolyArt London, The Art of Self-Regulation October 29-November 4, 2021

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

Ulla Väisänen dalla Finlandia tra sogno e realtà!

11 luglio 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

Con grande piacere vi presento l’artista finlandese Ulla Väisänen, nata a Nerkoo, Lapinlahti, un piccolo villaggio nel centro della Finlandia.
Attualmente Ulla vive a Jyväskylä, una bellissima città che offre la possibilità di vivere quella che io chiamo “ una vita alla finlandese “ dove la qualità della vita è sicuramente al primo posto nella scala dei valori per vivere una buona vita.
Ha studiato presso la Kuopio Academy of Design (Textile arte, designer) e pedagogia presso la Open University di Tampere
Non ci crederete ma Ulla da giovane dopo aver guardato il film “ La strada “ di Fellini si è innamorata dell’Italia e ha iniziato anche a studiare l’italiano.
Non so se la visione di questo capolavoro di Fellini, dove fantasia e realtà spesso si alternano, abbia influenzato in qualche modo anche la vena artistica di Ulla che ha iniziato a disegnare e dipingere da adolescente, certo è che la sua arte è un mix ben calibrato tra simbolismo, surrealismo e un po’ di realismo.
Guardando le sue opere mi sono venute in mente le parole pronunciate da Gustave Moreau ( precursore del simbolismo e surrealismo ) che Marcel Proust definì come “l’uomo che dipingeva i suoi sogni”, che della sua arte disse : “ credo solo a ciò che non vedo e unicamente a ciò che sento ”.
L’arte è sempre stata ben presente nella vita di Ulla che ha lavorato come insegnante d’arte e oggi che è in pensione ha molto più tempo da dedicare a questa sua passione e lo fa dipingendo con colori acrilici ma non disdegna di dedicarsi a ritratti e disegni intuitivi con delle matite colorate e pennarelli.
Nel 2011 ha realizzato le illustrazioni del libro per bambini “Reppuselässä” ( “ Su uno zaino “, ovvero come il piccolo Kalle ha imparato a dipingere un quadro ) di Minna Kettunen – Ulla Väisänen, questo libro è basato su una storia vera che racconta la storia del famoso artista finlandese Pekka Halonen (nato a Lapinlahti nel 1865 e morto a Tuusula nel 1933) e del piccolo Kalle, suo fratello.
Dal 1997 ha iniziato a partecipare a numerose mostre collettive e dal 2003 ha cominciato a tenere le sue prime mostre personali, e la sua prossima mostra collettiva si terrà ad agosto 2025 a Jyväskylä, presso la galleria La Fiaba.
Tra le mostre collettive che le hanno dato maggiori soddisfazioni vanno citate : ECHO a Budapest e Peséli del 2011 in Ungheria; Galleria Fogga di Helsinki del 2017 e 2020; le mostre collettive virtuali del 2020 e 2021 organizzate da Colombia ed Ecuador durante il Covid.
I suoi lavori possono essere visionati e richiesti tramite i suoi canali social, Instagram ( ullamirjam ) e Facebook (Ulla Väisänen )

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Ulla Väisänen from Finland between dream and reality!

With great pleasure I present to you the Finnish artist 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.
Looking at her works, the words of Gustave Moreau (precursor of symbolism and surrealism) came to mind, whom Marcel Proust defined as “the man who painted his dreams“, who said of his art: “I only believe in what I do not see and only in what I feel“.
Art has always been present in Ulla’s life, she worked as an art teacher and now that she is retired she has much more time to dedicate to her passion and she does it by painting with acrylic colors but she does not disdain dedicating herself to portraits and intuitive drawings with colored pencils and markers.
In 2011 she illustrated the children’s book “Reppuselässä” (“On a backpack”, or how little Kalle learned to paint a picture) by Minna Kettunen – Ulla Väisänen, this book is based on a true story telling about the famous Finnish artist Pekka Halonen (born in Lapinlahti 1865– died in Tuusula 1933) and little Kalle was his brother.
Since 1997 she has started to participate in numerous group exhibitions and since 2003 she has started to hold her first solo exhibitions, and her next group exhibition will be held in August 2025 in Jyväskylä, at La Fiaba gallery.
Among the group exhibitions that have given her the most satisfaction are: ECHO in Budapest and Peséli in 2011 in Hungary; Fogga Gallery in Helsinki in 2017 and 2020; the virtual group exhibitions of 2020 and 2021 organized by Colombia and Ecuador during Covid.
Her works can be viewed and requested through her social channels, Instagram ( ullamirjam ) and Facebook ( Ulla Väisänen )

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Libro per bambini “Reppuselässä” ( “ Su uno zaino “, ovvero come il piccolo Kalle ha imparato a dipingere un quadro )

Arte & cultura

MercArtino .. l’economia circolare del riuso

15 Maggio 2025 doubleg Lascia un commento

A Torino ha appena aperto MercArtino un meraviglioso show-room con oltre 2000 mq di esposizione in cui si possono trovare: vintage design, quadri antichi, oggettistica di pregio, mirabilia e abbigliamento griffato.
MercArtino per favorire una sana economia circolare del riuso ♻ offre anche la possibilità a chi fosse interessato di esporre nello show-room i propri oggetti al fine di poterli vendere.
Ad accogliervi nello show-room in via Brusnengo 5 A/B troverete Martina Genta che saprà illustrarvi le caratteristiche degli oggetti esposti e valutare con la dovuta attenzione e professionalità i vostri oggetti da mettere in vendita
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Via Brusnengo 5 A/B
( traversa di c.so Grosseto)
TORINO
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mercartino@gmail.com
Per info e vendita
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