Saturday 23 January 2010

The Flying Finns






For the next few weeks I’ll introduce you to some of my favourites in Etsy, and in this week I’ve decided to offer you an elegant artist from Finland. Following introduction and extra pictures are from my fellow country men, all using Etsy as a platform for their art, but let me start with giving you more details about Maari and her art:

Maari, is a lady from Finnish Lapland who is using a raku technique on her ceramic designs. As she mentions on her Etsy shop: ”Unique raku art inspired by Lapland’s nature: birch vases, decorative raku eggs, Arctic animals, birch branch & bark tiles all handmade in my Arctic studio!“. Every one of her designs are unique, as are the nature’s creations, and all of the designs have their roots on the elements of Lapland’s nature – the unexpected and beautiful wilderness. Maari mentions on her web page that her biggest inspirations come from the colours, shapes and the materials of the nature around her. She also works with leather, stone and other materials.

One of my favourites in her shop is the birch eggs- and this is how she introduces visitors to her price winners:
“Which came first, the birch or the egg?
This witty raku egg set is part of my Koivu Collection. The source of inspiration for the Koivu Collection is the Birch tree, which we have a lot of in Finland. Almost every family has their own "Home Birch" in the yard, which "protects" the family, standing still while the wind blows and snowstorms rage. I created these birch eggs in honour of all the little birds that nest in the birch trees in my yard and wake me up each morning with their joyful songs.

Eggs symbolize fertility and life and make elegant favours for a wedding or a baby shower. “


I also picked these vases from her home page http://www.maari.fi/, they are just absolutely fantastic, bringing your home a breath of fresh, cool and mystical northern air.






I also wanted to add some other treats from the fellow Finns. When I think of my home land, I remember the forests filled with berries and other nature’s gifts– hence the berry style necklace from HappyDaysDesing http://www.happydaydesigns.etsy.com/




Designs which are useful but beautiful and even playful –hence the elf like design from Vaisto http://www.vaisto.etsy.com/.


We also are and have been the pioneer of recycling, having the gift of seeing beauty in used items. Tuuni http://www.tuuni.etsy.com/ has this gift of finding treasures from past, the gift of recycling and upcycling and releasing the past a new from of life- have a look at the wonderful pillow covers made by Tuuni.

3 comments:

MYSAVIOR said...

What amazing and talented artists. The ceramics of Maari, the delicate jeweley of Happy Day Designs and the absolutely gorgeous garments of Vaisto.What wonderful items from Tuuni. Each item a work of art. Thank you so much for bringing them to the forefront, Riikka. You can add yourself to that list of artists also.

karuski said...

Beautiful fellow Finnish Etsians! I hope you're having a lovely weekend Riikka!

ps. Tossusi ovat olleet kovassa käytössä :)

Jonna said...

Beautiful Finnish talent!