Maijastiina

 

Finish painter Maijastiina, uses spray paint on canvas to create these joyful simple soft paintings. 

Aino-Maija Metsola II

Wondrous watercolour illustrations by Aino-Maija Metsola for Anja Portin's stroy 'Ava ja oikukas trumpetti' published in 2017 by WSOY. Aino-Maija Metsola is a talented visual artist know primarily for her surface and graphic design. 

This book has fantastic use of wet and dry watercolour, a beautiful flow of sound and detail across the spreads and a poetry of delicate observation and imagery, with stars, birds and wind as the visual metaphors that move music through the book. 

Erika Kallasmaa II

Playwrite; Laura Ruohonen's poetry book, 'Tippukivitapaus' published by Ottawa, 2017 and illustrated by Erika Kallasmaa. I always find it fascinating how a cultural identity is represented/ contained in illustration. For me Erika's work has a strongly Finish pictorial language like indeed her fellow countryman Matti Pikkujämsä there is a strong visual flavour, something to do with the visual composition, colour and perspective that makes it geographically recognisable and utterly wonderful.

Erika Kallasmaa I

Beautiful house martins, collage by Finish illustrator Erika Kallasmaa.

Karoliina Pertamo I

'Hämärinkäinen' is a Finish book written by Mila Teräs and illustrated by  Karoliina Pertamo published in 2015. A florist breaks the loom that creates dusk so that the flower makers have more time to create flowers, but then realises his mistake as everyone becomes to exhausted, and hurries to rescue the dusk weaver.

A parable about capitalism and modern life. We need dark for resting and slowing down and we need sleep, particularly when we are young, the perfect bedtime story with delicious delicate poetic illustrations.

Aleksander Lindeberg

Aleksander Lindeberg (1917-2015), 'ILOISET AAPISKUVAT' published 1965, is a beautiful journey through the alphabet with soft, textured illustrations very similar to some of Alice and Martin Provensen's works. Aleksander Lindeberg was the son of Magnus Lindeberg, a doctor. The family fled the Russian revolution and sought to settle in Finland but Aleksander's father's qualifications were not accepted in Finland, so the family relocated again this time to Germany and then Estonia before finally being allowed to settle in Finland when his fathers qualifications were accepted and he could practice medicine. Aleksander studied art in Helsinki and Tallin and worked as a graphic designer in magazines. After the war, when standards of living rose, he worked as a commercial artist creating advertisements for cosmetics and clothing. In the 1960's he published his first children's book and was awarded the Rudolf Koivu Award in 1964.

Nina Haiko

Wishing you a happy weekend with this collaged image by Finish illustrator Nina Haiko of birds in song.

Veera Krouglov I

Veera Krouglov has just graduated in Fine Art from Duncan of Jordanstone Art College but her work traverses many media. I thought of the creatures of Tove Janson's imagination when I saw Veera's work, the characters are enigmatic, complicated and sometimes not that friendly looking, the work of nightmares, fairy tales and cautionary tales.

"My work is an unravelling of themes, characters and personalities that I continuously pick up from various sources. I am fascinated with the endless details of life; how little birds move in that strange twitchy way, how people or animals carry themselves and interact with each other and how plants can grow in the most unexpected places. All this information gets jumbled up in my brain and turns into some sort of fantastical caricature of life. My practice consists of drawing, making ceramics and other sculptural work, making small publications and more recently animation." Veera Krouglov 

Marika Maijala IV

I was reminded of Marika Maijala's work this week with these wonderful drawings. I especially like the sleeping bag ones they look so cozy and comfortable.

Matti Pikkujämsä V

Shooting into space this week and I am starting with an illustration from the cover of a book illustrated by Finish illustrator Matti Pikkujämsä and written by poet Jukka Itkonen, which asks all about peoples favorite foods, from grandmothers to yeti's and astronauts.

Eeva Jokinen

Stunning translucent rice grain ceramics from Finish ceramicist Eeva Jokinen.

Karrina Kiakkonen

Above: Father 1997

Above Shadow Helsinki 2005

I love drying washing as an image and so found the work of the Finish artist Karrina Kiakkonen wonderfully appealing, she makes large site specific works from discarded clothing and shoes.
Her work is haunting, stunningly visual and very inspiring.

Textual Paper Jewelry by Janna Syvanoja

Finish Interior Designer evolved into jeweler, Janna Syvanoja utilises the printed text on the papers she sculpts into jewelry. The stain of cut words is very beautiful and beguiling, with its meanings lost and restructured into tone. http://www.charonkransenarts.com/ janasyvanoja@msn.com

Aino Kajaniemi

Here is the delicate linear work of Aino Kajaieni a Finish Tapestry artist who's monochrome works appeal to me' as they remind me of Black work embroidery. http://personal.inet.fi/taide/aino.kajaniemi/index.html