Country: Finland
About me
When I was a child, the illustrations of Rudolf Koivu and Kylli Koski (known in Finland as Aunt Kylli) taught me that wondrous things and faraway lands could be made to manifest on the paper. This was the start of it all for me.
The gist of my work is in the process: I paint for myself, to challenge myself and to surprise myself. Water and colour find their own paths on the canvas, and though technique seeks to control them, it also allows for a certain freedom of chance. That is why watercolours are the right technique for me - they give the opportunity to control and also to let go.
My inspiration springs from living in the moment and the power of nature. The rocks of the archipelago, the magma lines and the everchanging surface of the water are part of the imagery that appears in my works time and time again. Likewise, sailing is akin to a metaphor to me: stopping in the moment, trusting in yourself (and those you took with you) and the experience of a community. When the traditional working boat (“talonpoikaisvene”) catches wind and sets to sea, your heart leaps out of wild joy and deep trust in the boat and its crew. We are in the same boat, sailing in the same direction. It is like this when I paint also.
My art has taken many paths during the years. Often I only understand afterwards, why I made something like I did: it carries a connection that I didn’t know I was seeking.
I hope that those that view my art can feel that freedom of learning and realization. Art is a reminder of the fact that everyone can take the leap - and that everyone is free.
