What themes do you work with and what interests you as an artist? I am drawn to portraits and picturing people I hardly know. It leaves me with enough space for my own interpretation. I find people and their quiet, unintentional signals an endless source of inspiration. The energy of a person can leave a long lingering trace in my mind, and it’s both a blessing and a curse. My themes often explore softness and incoherence of some sort. Color and how colors act together fascinates me. Visually I aim for realness and incorrectness. I mostly work with mixed media - acrylic’s paint, aquarelle, ink, spray paint, oil pastel and color pencil on canvas or paper. How would you describe your artistry? What does your working process like? I am dedicated to the flow
What do you like about the home exhibition concept? I like the oddness and idea of taking a step closer to viewer in home environment. What have been important steps and happenings in artistic path so far?
One thing Watching young Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom) playing guitar and singing in the early 90’s at Dico, Espoo Youth Centre. Watching him screaming (singing) his lungs out as if nothing else in the world mattered, I realised something about being an artist : To be an artist is to be true to yourself 100%. There’s no middle way, no compromises. At the time we were both around 14 years old. To call oneself an artist There’s no specific situation or event when I “became” artist myself. I have been drawing and painting my whole life. I have drifted to different directions for many years, working and doing projects in many fields. This was a fun and educational time in my life. To call myself an artist, in the end, was a conscious decision that had to be made in my late 30’s. It felt more like I can’t hold it back anymore.
Do you have any specific people or artists who have influenced your way of doing and seeing things in life and in your artistry? I hear from others that my mom’s influence is seen in my work. I am ok with it. I grew up surrounded by her bold and goofy art that reflect a certain kind of 60’s style and vibe. I guess her sense of humour passed to my genes. Her collection of old Polish posters, silk screen printed with vibrant colors and thick graphic gestures, use to decorate the walls of my room throughout teenage years. I dreamed to become a poster designer (which I did, later on in life), and the communal aspect of it still interests me as an artist. I still adore robust, sincere, hilarious and humane touch of the Polish poster design. On the other hand, I am accustomed to the classic Finnish art due to family roots. I have learned to appreciate conventional old landscape paintings from 19th & 20th century by staring at them long enough. However, the artwork by the past artist in my family I find somewhat distant and masculine to relate to. Nevertheless, for example Wilho Sjöström’s interest in portrait as well as soft shapes in landscape paintings must have had at least some impact in my work. My idols are Helene Shjerfbeck and Marlene Dumas. Their work is both straight forward and delicate, full of soul.