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Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Pittura

Christmas atmosphere seen through the eyes of 8 Finnish artists

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

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

Satu Kekäläinen a fairy tale born from ice

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

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

Mari Knuuttila when painting becomes poetry

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

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

Ella Petman after a long journey she found her paradise

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

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

 

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

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

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

MAJ SJÖ from Finland comes with a breeze of positivity 

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

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

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

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

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

Ulla Väisänen from Finland between dream and reality!

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

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

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

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

Liisa Viima – Coeur des Coeurs – 90cmx90cmx4cm

Click on the photos to enlarge them

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acrylics

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

Birds

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

Watercolour

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

Mixed media

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Mostre,Pittura

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

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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 – Castelluccio Flowering

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

 

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese,Pittura

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

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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, 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 , 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 – 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,Pittura

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

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Today, I’m delighted to introduce you to a Finnish artist, Minna Pärttö   who lives in Inkeroinen, southern Finland.
Since she was a child, Minna has always enjoyed painting, making music, and engaging in all kinds of creative activities.
Immersed in the world and atmosphere of art, Minna felt at ease, surrounded by a sense of peace and calm.
As the years passed, her creative pursuits faded into the background, but that spark ignited at an early age remains within her.
Minna holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences, with a focus on psychology and social psychology.
Beyond the theoretical aspect, Minna wanted a more holistic approach to human well-being, and she discovered Emotional reflexology , which considers the person as a combination of thoughts, emotions, and body.
This school was the fundamental reason why painting resurfaced in her life.
These studies allowed her to delve deeply into herself, examining her identity and emotional heritage.
She began painting regularly in 2019 and has since participated in exhibitions both in her home country and abroad.
Painting has become Minna’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.
Minna draws inspiration for her works from the details and patina of time found in nature.
Weather-worn concrete walls, rusted pillars, or rocks smoothed by flowing water have always struck her as beautiful, and she remains fascinated by how time leaves its mark on everything that exists.
The patina of time emerges spontaneously, unforced, but naturally, bringing with it depth, layers, and perspective.
Her  works take shape slowly, and after an initial impression of sobriety,s he allows details, colors, and textures to emerge from the painting.
Her  abstract painting is intuitive, where colors, techniques, and shapes are selected gradually as the pictorial process progresses.
For Minna, intuitive painting means above all trust in a creative process free from unnecessary rules, where each brushstroke moves towards a result that is due to the complete acceptance of any imperfections that increase the interest of the creative process until the work is completed.
Sometimes, however, frustrations and questions are part of this journey, but the important thing is being able to overcome them to reach the desired goal.
For Minna, painting is, above all, a moment to stop and be with herself.
Her thoughts calm down and her emotions emerge, leading her to a kind of introspective meditation.
As she paints, those emotions that are still subconscious emerge, and very often, the subconscious in each of us is like a bridge to our own history.
Thus, past generations, their stories and emotions, intertwine with the emotions that pervade Minna, almost creating a channel through which to recognize the emotional legacy passed down from generation to generation.
You can find more information about Minna on her social media pages:
Instagram
Facebook

Minna Pärttö  e l’arte di scoprire emozioni tra passato e presente

Con grande piacere oggi vi presento un’artista finlandese  Minna Pärttö   che vive a Inkeroinen, nella Finlandia meridionale.
A Minna fin da bambina  è  sempre piaciuto dipingere, fare musica e dedicarsi a ogni tipo di attività  creativa.
Immersa com’era nel mondo e nell’atmosfera dell’arte Minna si sentiva a suo agio, circondata da un senso di pace e calma.
Con il passare degli anni, le attività  creative sono passate in secondo piano, ma quella scintilla accesa in tenera età  continua a rimanere dentro di lei.
Minna ha conseguito una laurea magistrale in Scienze Sociali, con studi incentrati su psicologia e psicologia sociale.
Accanto all’aspetto  teorico, Minna desiderava avere un approccio più  olistico al benessere umano, e ha scoperto  la Riflessologia emozionale, che considera la persona come un insieme di pensieri, emozioni e corpo.
Questa scuola  è  stata la ragione fondamentale per cui la pittura  è  tornata ad affacciarsi nella sua vita.
Questi studi le hanno consentito un’immersione profonda in se stessa, un esame della propria identità  e del proprio patrimonio emotivo.
Ha iniziato a dipingere regolarmente nel 2019 e da allora ha partecipato a mostre sia nel suo  paese d’origine che all’estero.
La pittura per Minna  è  diventata il suo modo naturale di esprimersi, perché  a volte non è  facile esprimere a  parole quello che si prova dentro e per lei l’arte  è  diventata un canale preferenziale per far conoscere quelle emozioni difficile da esprimere a parole.
Minna trae ispirazione per le sue opere dai dettagli e dalla patina del tempo che si trova nella natura, muri di cemento consumati dalle intemperie, pilastri arrugginiti o rocce levigate dallo scorrere dell’acqua a lei  sono sempre sembrati bellissimi e rimane affascinata da come il tempo  lasci il suo segno su tutto ciò  che esiste.
La patina del tempo nasce spontanea, senza forzature, ma naturalmente e porta con se profondità , strati e prospettiva.
Le sue opere prendono forma lentamente e dopo un’iniziale impressione di sobrietà  fa in modo che dettagli, colori e texture emergano dal dipinto.
La sua  pittura astratta è intuitiva dove colori, tecniche e forme vengono selezionati man mano che il processo pittorico procede.
Per Minna la pittura intuitiva significa soprattutto fiducia nel processo di creazione libero da regole inutili, dove ogni pennellata si muove verso un risultato che  è  dovuto alla completa accettazione anche di eventuali imperfezioni che aumentano l’interesse del processo creativo fino ad arrivare al completamento dell’opera e talvolta però  frustrazioni e interrogativi fanno parte di questo percorso, ma l’importante  è  riuscire a superarle per arrivare alla meta prefissata.
Per Minna, dipingere  è , soprattutto fermarsi per stare con se stessa, i suoi pensieri si placano e le sue emozioni  si appalesano portandola a vivere una sorta di meditazione introspettiva.
Durante la pittura in Minna si fanno spazio quelle emozioni che sono ancora a livello subconscio e molto spesso il subconscio in ognuno di noi  è  come un ponte verso la propria storia.
Ecco così  che le generazioni passate, le loro storie e le loro emozioni, si intrecciano con le emozioni che pervadono Minna quasi a creare un canale dove poter riconoscere l’eredità  emotiva tramandata di generazione in generazione.
Potete trovare maggiori notizie su Minna sulle sue pagine social
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Minna Pärttö – Sky Beneath
Minna Pärttö – Far and Away
Minna Pärttö – Light In You
Minna Pärttö – I Can Still see You
Minna Pärttö – Laterna
Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

Ella Petman after a long journey she found her paradise

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It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to the Finnish artist 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.
As a girl, she was fascinated by art and her paternal grandmother wanted her to attend Art school to become an artist, but as often happens, life sometimes takes us on strange twists and turns that, like in Ella’s case, end up right where they should have begun.
She worked as a police officer, having the opportunity to see the dark side of life for 12 years, until indoor air problems made her ill, effectively forcing her to change jobs.
And here, a first bell rang in Ella’s mind and she became passionate about tattooing and, since there were no schools in Finland to learn this art, she went to study privately in Hua Hin, Thailand, to learn from a tattoo artist.
Having learned the art of tattooing, she returned to Finland and started working on her own, and after a year she dared to open her own tattoo studio, Kanthima, in Jyväskyä in 2006.
Her strengths were her  attention to detail, precision, and ability to listen to the client with such a sensitive ear that the tattooed image became what the client had in her  thoughts but was unable to fully describe what she actually wanted.
She designed and created almost all the images herself, so her artistic streak was no longer just a bell and whistle, but something that was guiding Ella on the path to rediscovering her true self.
After 18 years as a tattoo artist, her shoulders were too sore to continue, and so after a long journey, Ella found her paradise by dedicating herself to something she’d been waiting for her whole life: painting!
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.
She attended artist Emmi Mustonen’s oil painting course and Säde Numminen’s intensive Artistic Growth Program, laying the foundation for the best period of her life.
She describes herself as a creator of stories on canvas through color and draws much inspiration from nature, particularly flowers, which represent the fragility of life and its entire cycle, femininity, sensitivity, and the ability and tenacity to rise again and bloom again.
She paints for herself, but she also works on commission to create custom paintings.
She leverages her twenty years of experience as an art entrepreneur to listen to her clients’ desires and provide advice on the right color scheme and size to perfectly match the space in which the painting will be displayed.
She also paints the edges of all her works, so a frame is not necessary and the painting can be hung on the wall as is.
As a fledgling artist, she hasn’t yet participated in many exhibitions, and those few have all been in her hometown.
However, recently, one of her paintings was exhibited at the annual Habitare interior design fair, held in Helsinki from September 10 to 14, 2025.
This participation was very significant for her and a good omen for others that are sure to come.
You can find more information about Ella on her Instagram page and website, where you can admire her paintings and request quotes and information via email.

Instagram
Website

Ella Petman dopo un lungo viaggio ha trovato il suo paradiso

Con grande piacere oggi vi presento l’artista finlandese Ella Petman nata a Jyväskylä, nella Finlandia centrale,  dove ha vissuto gran parte della sua vita meno il periodo in cui si è trasferita a Tampere quando studiava per entrare in Polizia.
Da ragazza era affascinata dall’arte e la nonna paterna avrebbe voluto che lei frequentasse la scuola d’Arte per diventare un’artista, ma come molto spesso succede la vita a volte ci porta a fare dei giri strani che talvolta come nel caso di Ella finiscono proprio dove avrebbero dovuto cominciare.
Ella ha lavorato come agente di polizia avendo l’opportunità di vedere il lato oscuro della vita per ben 12 anni, fino a quando dei problemi di aria interna l’hanno fatta ammalare costringendola di fatto a cambiare lavoro.
E qui, un primo campanellino è suonato nella mente di Ella che si è appassionata al tatuaggio e non essendoci in Finlandia scuole per imparare quest’arte è andata a studiare privatamente a Hua Hin in Thailandia per imparare da una tatuatrice.
Imparata l’arte del tatuaggio, una volta ritornata in Finlandia ha iniziato a lavorare in proprio e dopo un anno ha osato aprire il suo studio di tatuaggi, Kanthima, a Jyväskylä nel 2006.
I suoi punti di forza erano l’attenzione, la precisione e la capacità di ascoltare il cliente con un orecchio talmente sensibile da far diventare l’immagine tatuata quello che il cliente aveva nei suoi pensieri  ma non riusciva a descrivere al meglio quello che in realtà voleva.
Ha progettato e creato quasi tutte le immagini da sola, e quindi la vena artistica non era solo più un campanellino ma era qualcosa che stava indirizzando Ella verso la strada per ritrovare la vera se stessa.
Dopo 18 anni di professione come tatuatore le sue spalle erano troppo doloranti per continuare e così dopo un lungo viaggio Ella ha trovato il suo Paradiso dedicandosi a qualcosa che aspettava da tutta la vita, dipingere!
Da maggio 2023 Ella ha iniziato a dedicarsi in toto alla pittura e ha iniziato a produrre le sue opere che sono per lo più semi-astratte, lasciando all’osservatore una totale libertà di interpretazione del dipinto a seconda della propria visione.
Ha seguito il corso di pittura a olio dell’artista Emmi Mustonen e il corso intensivo di Säde Numminen – Programma di Crescita Artistica creandosi le basi per poter iniziare il periodo migliore della sua vita.
Ella di lei dice che è una creatrice di storie su tela attraverso il colore e trae molta ispirazione dalla natura e in modo particolare dai fiori che rappresentano la fragilità della vita e il suo intero ciclo, la femminilità, la sensibilità e la capacità e caparbietà di risorgere e sbocciare ogni volta.
Ella dipinge per se stessa, ma lavora anche su commissione per eseguire dipinti personalizzati per i quali è in grado di mettere a disposizione la sua esperienza ventennale come imprenditore nel settore dell’arte nel saper ascoltare il cliente nei suoi desiderata e nel fornirgli consigli sulla giusta combinazione di colori da scegliere e le dimensioni giuste per adattarsi perfettamente all’ambiente in cui verrà collocato il dipinto.
Dipinge anche i bordi di tutte le sue opere, quindi non è necessaria la cornice e il dipinto può essere appeso al muro così com’è.
Essendo un’artista alle prime armi non ha ancora partecipato a molte mostre, e quelle poche sono state tutte nella sua città, ma proprio recentemente un suo dipinto è stato esposto alla fiera annuale di interior design Habitare che si è tenuta a Helsinki dal 10 al 14 settembre 2025, e questa partecipazione è stata per lei molto significativa e di buon auspicio per le altre che di sicuro arriveranno.
Troverete maggiori notizie su Ella sulla  pagina Instagram e sul sito web dove potrete ammirare i suoi dipinti e richiedere quotazioni e informazioni tramite la sua email.

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My Blue Lilies – Ella Petman
Golden memory – Ella Petman
Mrs. Fortune – Ella Petman
Know you – Ella Petman
Il Ponte dei Sospiri – Ella Petman
Il Ponte dei Sospiri – Ella Petman

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

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

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Liisa Viima

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)
Agassio. Private 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

 

Paris, Mon Amour
Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

Taru Rouhiainen when art transforms into joy of living

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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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Lummelampi – Water lillie pond
Jälleensyntymä – Rebirth
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

Paula Mikkilä from Finland, between past and present, a journey into art with a capital A

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With great pleasure today I introduce you to the Finnish artist Paula Mikkilä born in Karvia, a hidden pearl of Finland surrounded by the wonderful rural landscapes of the Karvianjoki river, but resident in Tampere for over twenty years.
She graduated from the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Jyväskylä as a teacher specializing in fine arts and has dedicated a good part of her life to teaching as an elementary school teacher sharing much of her creative moments with children and teenagers.
During the summer holidays she attended art camps in Finland and abroad.
In the 80s she created a considerable quantity of oil paintings, then after her move to Tampere she devoted herself to bronze sculpture and for almost twenty years in the evenings after her school work she went to the foundry.
Bronze casting involves several stages, allowing for the production of a limited number of sculptures per year.
Working with bronze is not easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding, like the material itself, which, once transformed into a work of art, can convey incredible emotions.
Paula draws inspiration for her works from her surroundings: home, nature, animals, and people, who, once part of her creative process, tell stories and fairy tales that take on an imaginative life of their own.
For everyone, but even more so for an artist, time flies and perhaps unconsciously this is why Paula has given wings to many of her bronze figures.
After the foundry closed, the bronze works were replaced by ceramics and acrylic painting.
She has served as secretary and president in association activities related to the art world and is a member of Tampere Artist’s Association and  Jyväskylä Artists’ Association which are associations of professional artists.
Paula has been dedicating herself full time to her artistic activity for over ten years now, even though she began participating in exhibitions in Finland in the 1990s and continues to do so today, having recorded significant participations in group exhibitions in Finland and abroad (including Brazil) over the years, where she has obtained important awards, including the  Velázquez & Goya International Prize in Barcelona in the autumn of 2024 and the Leonardo da Vinci Prize in Milan in the spring of 2025.
She has traveled extensively to promote her art and she recalls her exhibition trips to Japan, Osaka, Rome and Venice as memorable, as well as her two summer artistic residencies in Matera, the city of stones in Italy.
Recently he has combined old photographs with his sculptures, a sort of connection between past and present where glass and bronze blend perfectly, giving greater lightness even to the heaviest sculptures thanks to a perforated surface.

Her  works are on sale through her social media pages or her  website

Paula Mikkilä  website
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Paula Mikkilä dalla Finlandia, tra passato e presente, un viaggio nell’arte con la A maiuscola

Con grande piacere oggi vi presento l’artista finlandese Paula Mikkilä nata a Karvia una perla nascosta della Finlandia circondata dai meravigliosi paesaggi rurali del fiume Karvianjoki, ma da oltre venti anni residente a Tampere.
Si è laureata presso il Dipartimento di Formazione Magistrale dell’Università di Jyväskylä come insegnante specializzato in belle arti e ha dedicato buona parte della sua vita all’insegnamento come insegnante di scuola elementare condividendo gran parte dei suoi momenti creativi con bambini e adolescenti.
Durante le vacanze estive ha frequentato campi d’arte in Finlandia e all’estero.
Negli anni ’80 ha realizzato una notevole quantità di dipinti a olio, poi da dopo il suo trasferimento a Tampere si è dedicata alla scultura in bronzo e per quasi un ventennio la sera dopo il lavoro a scuola è andata in fonderia.
La fusione del bronzo prevede diverse fasi, per cui è possibile produrre un numero limitato di sculture per anno; lavorare il bronzo non è semplice ma molto gratificante come il materiale stesso che una volta diventato opera sa trasmettere emozioni incredibili.
Paula per le sue opere trae ispirazione da ciò che la circonda: casa, natura, animali e persone che una volta entrate a far parte del suo processo creativo raccontano di storie e fiabe che assumono una vita propria e fantasiosa.
Per tutti, ma ancor di più per un artista il tempo vola e forse inconsciamente è per questo che Paula ha dotato di ali molte delle sue figure in bronzo.
Dopo la chiusura della fonderia, le opere in bronzo sono state sostituite dalla ceramica e dalla pittura acrilica.
Ha ricoperto il ruolo di segretario e presidente in attività associative legate al mondo dell’arte e fa parte dell’Associazione degli Artisti di Tampere e dell’Associazione degli Artisti di Jyväskylä che sono  entrambe associazioni di artisti professionisti.
Ormai sono oltre dieci anni che Paula si dedica a tempo pieno alla sua attività artistica anche se ha iniziato a partecipare alle mostre espositive in Finlandia negli anni’90 e continua ancora oggi facendo registrare nel corso di tutti questi anni significative partecipazioni a mostre collettive in Finlandia e all’estero ( tra cui il Brasile ) dove ha ottenuto importanti riconoscimenti tra cui vanno segnalati il Premio Internazionale Velázquez & Goya a Barcellona nell’autunno del 2024 e nella primavera del 2025 il Premio Leonardo da Vinci a Milano.
Ha viaggiato molto per far conoscere la sua arte e lei ricorda come memorabili i suoi viaggi espositivi in Giappone, Osaka, Roma e Venezia, così come le sue due residenze artistiche estive a Matera, la città dei sassi in Italia.
Recentemente ha unito vecchie fotografie alle sue sculture, una sorta di collegamento tra passato e presente dove vetro e bronzo si sposano perfettamente dando grazie a una superficie traforata più leggerezza anche alle sculture più pesanti.

Le sue opere sono in vendita tramite le sue pagine social o il suo sito web

Paula Mikkilä  website
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Paula Mikkilä Suomesta, menneisyyden ja nykyisyyden rajalla, matka taiteeseen isolla alkukirjaimella

Suurella ilolla esittelen teille suomalaisen taiteilijan Paula Mikkilä, joka on syntynyt Karvialla, Suomen piilotetussa helmessä Karvianjoen upeiden maaseutumaisemien ympäröimänä, mutta joka on asunut Tampereella yli kaksikymmentä vuotta.
Hän valmistui Jyväskylän yliopiston opettajankoulutuslaitokselta kuvataideopettajaksi ja on omistanut suuren osan elämästään opettamiseen alakoulun opettajana, jakaen suuren osan luovista hetkistään lasten ja nuorten kanssa.
Kesälomien aikana hän osallistui taideleireille Suomessa ja ulkomailla.
1980-luvulla hän maalasi huomattavan määrän öljymaalauksia, sitten muutettuaan Tampereelle hän omistautui pronssiveistoksille ja lähes kahdenkymmenen vuoden ajan hän kävi iltaisin koulun jälkeen valimossa.
Pronssin valamisprosessissa on useita vaiheita, minkä ansiosta vuodessa voidaan valmistaa rajoitettu määrä veistoksia.
Pronssin kanssa työskentely ei ole helppoa, mutta se on uskomattoman palkitsevaa, aivan kuten itse materiaalikin, joka taideteokseksi muuttuessaan voi välittää uskomattomia tunteita.
Paula ammentaa inspiraatiota teoksiinsa ympäristöstään: kodista, luonnosta, eläimistä ja ihmisistä, jotka tultuaan osaksi hänen luovaa prosessiaan kertovat tarinoita ja satuja, jotka alkavat elää omaa elämäänsä.
Kaikille, mutta vielä enemmän taiteilijalle, aika lentää, ja kenties tiedostamattaan juuri siksi Paula on antanut monille pronssiveistoksilleen siivet.
Valimon sulkemisen jälkeen pronssityöt korvattiin keramiikalla ja akryylimaalauksella.
Hän on toiminut sihteerinä ja puheenjohtajana taidemaailmaan liittyvässä yhdistystoiminnassa ja on jäsenenä Tampereen Taiteilijaseurassa ja Jyväskylän Taiteilijaseurassa, jotka molemmat ovat ammattitaiteilijoiden yhdistyksiä.
Paula on omistautunut kokopäiväisesti taiteelliselle toiminnalleen jo yli kymmenen vuoden ajan, vaikka hän aloitti näyttelyihin osallistumisen Suomessa 1990-luvulla ja jatkaa sitä edelleen.
Hän on osallistunut merkittävästi ryhmänäyttelyihin Suomessa ja ulkomailla (mukaan lukien Brasilia), joissa hän on saanut merkittäviä palkintoja, kuten Velázquez & Goya International Prize -palkinnon Barcelonassa syksyllä 2024 ja Leonardo da Vinci -palkinnon Milanossa keväällä 2025.
Hän on matkustanut paljon taidettaan mainostaakseen, ja hän muistelee mieleenpainuvia näyttelymatkoja Japaniin, Osakaan, Roomaan ja Venetsiaan sekä kahta kesäresidenssiä Materassa, Italian kivien kaupungissa.
Viime aikoina hän on yhdistänyt vanhoja valokuvia veistoksiinsa, mikä luo yhteyden menneisyyden ja nykyisyyden välille, jossa lasi ja pronssi sulautuvat täydellisesti yhteen ja antavat rei’itetyn pinnan ansiosta kevyemmän ilmeen jopa painavimmille veistoksille.

Hänen teoksiaan voi ostaa hänen sosiaalisen median sivuillaan tai verkkosivuillaan.

Paula Mikkilä – sculpture Fly my horse
Paula Mikkilä – Six installation
Paula Mikkilä – Village on the mountain

Sculptures

Ceramics

Paintings

Installations

Memories of Art exhibitions

 

Arte & cultura,Arte finlandese

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

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With great pleasure today I introduce you to the Finnish artist 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).
As a child, she followed her parents, who were development workers, to an agricultural school in Papua New Guinea, before returning to her beloved Finland.
After a 10-year stint running a photography agency specializing in portraits, Martina has dedicated herself fully to painting professionally since 2021.
Her experience as a photographer has undoubtedly given her a foundation in color and composition that has greatly benefited her as a painter.
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.
Her passion for painting began at a young age, and her grandmother, appreciating her innate artistic talent, gave her her first watercolors. From then on, an incredible world opened up for Martina, where day after day she drew inspiration from her surroundings to share experiences and feelings of joy, peace, and comfort with others through her paintings.
It must be said that Martina was helped on this journey by being fortunate enough to live in a region of Finland that can be described in three words: nature, freedom, space.
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.
Closing my eyes after admiring many of her abstract landscapes, which are not so abstract after all, I saw again, as if in a dream, those places I love so much, characterized by those vibrant changes in nature that are fully reflected in her works and which are the cornerstones of Nordic beauty.
Her works transcend mere artistic expression to become a form of meditation in which creativity is aimed at transmitting positive emotions, comfort and the invitation to fully appreciate the small joys that life gives us every day.
Her  landscapes, where broad and sinuous brush strokes tell us about gusts of wind on a field or the speed of water in a river, alternate with dream gardens featuring flowers portrayed with soft shades of pink, blue and lavender, but in both themes each painting seems to be an invitation to contemplation and therefore time seems to slow down.
Martina also has the gift of a flowing creativity, which allows her to paint daily, a fact that allows her to offer lovers of her works  a truly enviable portfolio, in terms of works available for purchase.
She has achieved truly significant sales figures in the United States where she is represented by the “Insel Island Gallery” but above all in Finland and the Nordic countries where her art is highly appreciated.
She has held numerous solo exhibitions in Finland and participated in several exhibitions organized by the gallery that represents her in Venice Beach, Los Angeles, and at the Google Campus in California.
Also noteworthy are the thematic exhibitions such as : “FLOW”, “HOPE”, “BLUE”, ”BLOSSOM”, “LIFE” e “INSPIRE”.
Martina has certainly made herself so appreciated on the contemporary art scene that her works have been included in three notable art books: Nordic Art Guide 2021, European Art Guide 2022, World Art Guide 2022, and in the splendid art book ART IDEAL volume 4, published by La Circle Foundation where 86 internationally renowned artists from all over the world showcase their unique way of painting.
Martina embraces the joy that shines through her work as she supports various charitable causes through her work, including Nordic Wildlife Care (in 2021) and Street Children in Nepal (in 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024).

Her works are available for sale through her social media pages or her website.

Martina Uthardt  website
Instagram – Instagram
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Martina Uthardt dalla Finlandia manda un inno alla gioia di vivere

Con grande piacere oggi vi presento l’artista finlandese Martina Uthardt, nata a Malax, dove attualmente vive in questo grande e accogliente villaggio di circa 5000 abitanti nella Ostrobotnia meridionale, dove si parla lo svedese anziché il finlandese ( sono circa il 6% i finlandesi di lingua svedese )
Da piccola ha seguito i suoi genitori che erano operatori dello sviluppo in una scuola agricola in Papua Nuova Guinea, per poi ritornare nella sua amata Finlandia
Dopo una parentesi durata circa 10 anni in cui ha gestito un’agenzia fotografica specializzata in ritratti, Martina dal 2021 si è dedicata totalmente alla pittura in modo professionale.
Sicuramente la sua esperienza come fotografa le ha lasciato un background sui colori e sulla composizione che l’ha aiutata non poco come pittrice.
Ha sperimentato varie tecniche ma attualmente predilige la pittura acrilica con le sue possibilità di strati e variazioni che rendono ogni dipinto vivo e unico sotto diverse luci.
La sua passione per la pittura è nata da piccola e la nonna apprezzando questa sua innata predisposizione all’arte le ha regalato i primi acquerelli e da lì in avanti per Martina si è aperto un mondo incredibile in cui giorno dopo giorno ha tratto ispirazione da ciò che la circondava per consegnare agli altri attraverso i suoi dipinti esperienze e sentimenti come gioia, pace e conforto.
Bisogna dire che Martina in questo viaggio è stata aiutata dall’avere la fortuna di vivere in una regione della Finlandia che per descriverla nella sua interezza bastano tre parole: natura, libertà, spazi.
Quando ho visto per la prima volta i dipinti di Martina sono rimasto colpito da come questa artista abbia saputo rappresentare al meglio quella Finlandia che io amo alla follia e chiudendo gli occhi dopo aver ammirato molti dei suo paesaggi astratti che non sono poi così tanto astratti ho rivisto come in un sogno quei luoghi che tanto amo caratterizzati da quei vibranti cambiamenti della natura che si ritrovano appieno nelle sue opere e che sono i capisaldi della bellezza nordica.
Le sue opere trascendono la mera espressione artistica per diventare una forma di meditazione in cui la creatività è volta a trasmettere emozioni positive, conforto e l’invito ad apprezzare appieno le piccole gioie che la vita quotidianamente ci regala.
I suoi paesaggi dove pennellate ampie e sinuose ci raccontano delle folate di vento su di un campo o della velocità dell’acqua in un fiume, si alternano a dei giardini dei sogni in cui trovano posto fiori ritratti con tonalità tenui di rosa, blu e lavanda, ma in entrambe le tematiche ogni dipinto sembra essere un invito alla contemplazione e quindi il tempo sembra rallentare
Martina ha inoltre il dono di avere una fluente creatività, che le consente di dipingere giornalmente, fatto questo che le permette di offrire agli amanti delle sue opere un portfolio davvero invidiabile, in termini di opere disponibili per essere acquistate.
Ha raggiunto numeri davvero significati in fatto di vendite negli Stati Uniti dove è rappresentata dalla “Insel Island Gallery “ ma soprattutto in Finlandia e nei paesi nordici dove la sua arte è molto apprezzata.
Ha tenuto numerose mostre personali in Finlandia e ha partecipato a diverse mostre organizzate dalla Galleria che la rappresenta a Venice Beach,Los Angeles e al Google Campus in California.
Da segnalare poi le mostre tematiche come: “FLOW”, “HOPE”, “BLUE”, ”BLOSSOM”, “LIFE” e “INSPIRE”.
Certamente Martina si è fatta apprezzare sulla scena artistica contemporanea a tal punto da essere inserita con le sue opere  in tre libri d’arte di notevole importanza: Nordic Art Guide 2021, European Art Guide 2022, World Art Guide 2022, e nello splendido libro d’arte ART IDEAL volume 4, pubblicato da La Circle Foundation dove  86 artisti di fama internazionale provenienti da tutto il mondo mostrano il loro modo unico di dipingere.
La gioia che traspare dalle sue opere, Martina la fa sua nel momento in cui grazie alle sue opere si impegna a sostenere diverse cause benefiche quali  Nordic Wildlife Care  ( nel 2021) e Street Children in Nepal ( nel 2020,2022,2023,2024 )
Le sue opere sono in vendita tramite le sue pagine social o il suo sito web

Martina Uthardt  website
Instagram – Instagram
Facebook

 

Martina Uthardt – Love life
Martina Uthardt – onde baciate dalla brezza

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