Archivi tag: Rovaniemi

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

Kaisa Sirén and the art of making the invisible visible

27 marzo 2026 doubleg Lascia un commento

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

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

Kaisa Sirén – Colour contrast

Kaisa Sirén – Expressive precise

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

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

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

Polar Night

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

Kaisa Sirén – Polar Night

The Most Resilient

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

Kaisa Sirén – The Most Resilient

Pelican Brief

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

Kaisa Sirén – Pelican Brief

Wood Wide Web

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

Kaisa Sirén – Wood Wide Web

Iceberg Graveyard

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

Kaisa Sirén – Iceberg Graveyard

Lost in Venice

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

Kaisa Sirén – Lost in Venice

Dancing My Nature

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

Kaisa Sirén – Dancing My Nature

Dream

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

Kaisa Sirén – Dream

Indian Flashes

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

Kaisa Sirén – Indian Flashes

Rainforest People of Papua

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

Kaisa Sirén – Rainforest People of Papua

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

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

9 febbraio 2026 doubleg Lascia un commento

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

Dalla Finlandia le emozioni visive dell’obiettivo di Minna Scheinin

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

Photographs taken using ICM technique

Auringonlasku – Minna Scheinin

Morning – Minna Scheinin

Tikkumetsä – Minna Scheinin

Magic moment – Minna Scheinin

Myrskyn – Minna Scheinin

Aallot – Minna Scheinin

Venice – Minna Scheinin

Burano – Minna Scheinin

Colours – Minna Scheinin

Happamia – Minna Scheinin

San Antonio – Minna Scheinin

Olive tree – Minna Scheinin

Mysteeripuu – Minna Scheinin

Olive tree – Minna Scheinin

In the evening – Minna Scheinin

Lights – Minna Scheinin

Watercolors

Tivoli – Minna Scheinin

Vuorilla – Minna Scheinin

Iloinenaamu – Minna Scheinin

Kuutamo – Minna Scheinin

Tulppaanit – Minna Scheinin

Kuutamo 2 – Minna Scheinin

Riippuva_puutarha – Minna Scheinin

Vihreähetki – Minna Scheinin

Kaikki_kukat – Minna Scheinin

Vihreät_perus – Minna Scheinin

Kukkapelto – Minna Scheinin

Mosaics

Tivoli_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin

Rannalla_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin

Tivoli_tarjotin – Minna Scheinin

Planeetat_tarjotin – Minna Scheinin

Puutarhassa_tarjotin – Minna Scheinin

Puutarhassa 2_tarjotin- Minna Scheinin

Hedelmätarha_vati – Minna Scheinin

Greece – Minna Scheinin

Palmut – Minna Scheinin

Kalatarjotin – Minna Scheinin

Japan_suojaruukku – Minna Scheinin

Minna and the ice

Ice – Minna Scheinin

Minna Scheinin – Exhibitions

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

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

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

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Pittura

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

Europa,Idee per un viaggio,Viaggi

Viaggiamonline .. questa settimana vi presento la Finlandia

7 marzo 2019 doubleg Lascia un commento

In this week I tried to present Finland through a large photo gallery .. I hope I have aroused in you the desire of Finland or the right nostalgia to come back to it
If so, it will be .. have a good trip!
Look all the posts on my Instagram profile HERE

In questa settimana ho cercato di presentare attraverso una nutrita galleria fotografica la Finlandia .. spero di aver suscitato in voi la voglia di Finlandia o la nostalgia giusta per tornarci.
Se così sarà .. buon viaggio!
Guardate tutti i post sul mio profilo Instagram QUI

Finland, the country of a thousand lakes can be considered the largest national park in the world.
In the country at the top of the world, surrounded by a disruptive nature you will have the opportunity to live an unforgettable holiday, driving in the car side by side with the reindeers that move free on the territory or stopping to admire the incredible spectacle of nature that is the midnight sun
Then in the winter months, in an atmosphere of absolute peace there is a crystalline air.
But Finland is not just nature, it is also culture and tradition, just think of Lapland that will welcome you with its immense spaces and its Sami people, dressed in the characteristic colorful costumes.
And then do not forget that in the heart of Lapland right on the Arctic Circle Santa Claus lives, waiting for you in his highly efficient village of Rovaniemi.
It is a country to be seen and enjoyed especially in the summer, but the Finnish winter has a very special charm that manages to amaze you.

Eventi

Il Nord? E’ dietro l’angolo! – The North? It’s around the corner!

16 marzo 2018 doubleg Lascia un commento

Dal 23 al 25 marzo torna a Milano – presso la Microsoft House – Be Nordic, l’evento per gli amanti dei paesi e del lifestyle nordico!
Quello che vi aspetta sarà un Nord senza segreti, tutto da scoprire attraverso tre giorni di eventi, workshop ed esperienze nordiche che vi permetteranno di partire per un viaggio alla scoperta di Danimarca, Finlandia e Norvegia.
Questo evento, giunto alla sua quinta edizione, organizzato dalle tre organizzazioni ufficiali turistiche dei Paesi Nordici (VisitDenmark, Visit Finland, Visit Norway), sarà l’occasione per vivere in prima persona l’esperienza dello stile di vita nordico in tutte le sue declinazioni.
Qualsiasi sia la vostra passione, a Be Nordic la potrete soddisfare e se avete dei bimbi non lasciateli a casa, perché per loro è pronto un ricco calendario di eventi a loro dedicati.
La Microsoft House è una location fortemente voluta dal team che ne condivide i valori di apertura, collaborazione, flessibilità e innovazione, da sempre elementi fondanti della cultura nordica.
L’esplorazione del Nord passa per la scoperta della sua architettura, della gastronomia e del design. Non mancheranno i racconti di viaggio, le lezioni di fotografia, i mini corsi di lingua per imparare i primi rudimenti, o i laboratori creativi fai da te, una pratica molto diffusa nei paesi del Nord.
Alla manifestazione saranno presenti diversi professionisti del turismo a disposizione per spunti e consigli di viaggio.
Be Nordic aprirà ufficialmente al pubblico venerdì 23 marzo alle 10:00 (venerdì e sabato chiusura alle 21.30), con un ampio calendario di eventi che proseguiranno fino alle 20:00 di domenica 25 marzo.
Il programma in corso di definizione sarà disponibile sulla pagina Facebook https://www.facebook.com/benordic/

From 23rd to 25th March, the event for lovers of Nordic countries and lifestyle returns to Milan – at the Microsoft House – Be Nordic!
What awaits you will be a North without secrets, all to be discovered through three days of Nordic events, workshops and experiences that will allow you to set off on a journey to discover Denmark, Finland and Norway.
This event, now in its fifth edition, organized by the three official tourist organizations of the Nordic countries (VisitDenmark, Visit Finland, Visit Norway), will be an opportunity to experience first hand the experience of the Nordic lifestyle in all its forms.
Whatever your passion, in Be Nordic you can satisfy it and if you have children do not leave them at home, because they are ready for a rich calendar of events dedicated to them.
The Microsoft House is a location strongly desired by the team that shares the values of openness, collaboration, flexibility and innovation, which have always been fundamental elements of Nordic culture.
The exploration of the North passes through the discovery of its architecture, gastronomy and design.
Do not miss the travel stories, photography classes, mini language courses to learn the basics, or creative workshops do it yourself, a practice very common in the countries of the North.
At the event will be present several tourism professionals available for ideas and travel tips.
Be Nordic will officially open to the public on Friday 23 March at 10:00 (Friday and Saturday closing at 9:30 pm), with an extensive calendar of events that will continue until 8:00 pm on Sunday 25 March.
The program currently being defined will be available on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/benordic/