Horses by Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen - movement and light

Horses have been an inspiration for many artists. Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen is one of them.

Aamu-usva, Morning Mist

"I want to tell what our current Finnish horses are like. All represent one of the four different breeding directions.

For me, photography is the first stage of sketching, I throw myself into the trot of horses. As a rider I experience the pace and feel the movement. I read their facial expressions; intentions and spirits. It's pure joy!

Ear postures, fire in their eyes and vibrating nostrils. Movement and light bring rhythm to my work. I tell about the Finnish horse as an individual, lively and wise."

Finnhorse "Huiske" (Whisk, Swinging)

"I have been with horses all my life. We have had horses for over thirty years and I have had a possibility to observe them on a daily basis, as a rider, owner and artist. The anatomy and movements are familiar and watching them free in orchards and pastures has deepend my vision."

Finnhorse "Jytke" (rhythmic thumping)

Finnhorse foal "Lentäjän Poika" (Aviator´s Son)

"Classical drawing is my thing. Visually I´m interested in movement and light."

Finnhorse foal "Raikuli" (endearment word for a "Wild Boy")

"At first I had just Finnhorses, later, as the riding hobby continued, the half bloods as well.

This is my Coco."

Bracelet Naomi by nannasalmi made of Coco´s tail hair and silver.

Thank you, Nanna! The bracelet is even more lovely than I could ever imagine!

I expected a bit more variation in the tones, but you have found such beautiful striping, it´s like a dream.

And so Coco! Sensibility, intelligence and hardness - it´s all in the pattern. Adorable, loveable challenge as a horse.

Metal parts shimmer like square mirrors. The bracelet lives, shines and flashes and hair shimmers so beautifully in light. The refinement of hair you can´t see in a picture, you have to experience it.

Silver was a right choice. My zodiac is Gemini and air and light are the most important elements for me. Silver is space and freedom. So perfectly well designed, composed and woven. 

Thanks and huggs, Katriina

Nanna´s late jackrussellterriers Pauhu (left) and Hauke by Katriina

Katriina Viljamaa-Rissanen

Graduated from the School of Art and Design in 1968.

Specializes in illustrations.

In recent years, a free artist specializing in horses.

Received several illustration prizes, the most significant being the Finnish State Prize and the Rudolf Koivu Prizes.

Works and lives in Lappeenranta, Finland

The source of the text and photos and more about Katriina on her gallery page: galleryhorses.fi

Foals of Birch Bark by Jenni Tieaho - what else?

Birch bark is very versatile material, and without it the life of the northern 

people would have been much more difficult in the old days. 

When soaked, resilient but easy to bend.

When dry, very hard, durable and beautiful.

Snow Foals   by Jenni Tieaho, 2009

Photo by Jenni Tieaho

These foals were seen in Mänttä Art Weeks as well.

Detail of a tail

See more of Jenni Tieaho´s work

HERE

Birch bark has been  used for example as a building material for roofs and isolating. 

All kinds of everyday necessities were made of it, too: 

back packs, food storage and cooking dishes, rings, musical instruments,
even shoes.

Birch trees are most common of Finland's deciduous trees, and in Finland's cold 

climate even partly competitive with Finnish forests dominating the spruce. 

Birch trees grow in the coniferous forest zone mixed with conifers, which makes 

them a significant species of hardwood.To get birch bark we don´t cut the 

trees, bark is taken off the trees that are cut anyway.

Birch bark is a fascinating material. No wonder, that Jenni Tieaho has

chosen to work with it side by side with other nature´s materials like willow.

Back pack

photo imgrum @aholan_talomuseo

Shoes

allthingsfinnish.tumblr.com photo by Marja Pirilä

Photo Tuohimuori, Marjatta Flander-Airola

Rattle and pot cleaner by Tuohimuori

Jewellery box

Photo kouttu.blogspot.fi

"poor man´s engagement ring"

by Tuohimuori

Making a birch bark roof

Photo yle.fi

Birch photo puusto.com

Just imagine yourself and your horse in a birch forest...

There´s no better forest for a forest ride!

Horse of Birch Bark by Jenni Tieaho

We visited Mäntän Kuvataideviikot, "Mänttä Art Weeks" a few weeks ago.
Now we would like to share something very special with you!

 The first thing we saw in the entrance hall as we arrived,
was this natural size horse sculpture .

The posture of the horse and the illusion of movement was so strong

 that you just waited for the horse to stand up, shake himself 

and chortle happily after wallowing on the ground.

The details were amazingly beautifully done.

Poultry netting and birch bark. 

                                                Absolutely fantastic.

The artist Jenni Tieaho, born in 1969. Works and lives in Lohja, Finland.

Artist of the year 2015

You can read more about Jenni and her work here:
Jenni Tieaho, Enviromental Art

Kalevala Day, 28.2.

Like every nation we also have our national song, animal, plant etc. We also have a national epic called "Kalevala", 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology.

There is everything in Kalevala: the world is created, there is the land of death. Caracters experience jealousy, love and hatered. There are battles, magical powers, dangerous unreasonable tasks, weddings, fratricide, you name it...

It is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature and it had a big role in the development of the Finnish national identity, the intensification of Finland's language strife and the growing sense of nationality that ultimately led to Finland's independence from Russia in 1917.

Kalevala has inspired Tolkien and many, many artists, also Akseli Gallen-Kallela. This is one of my favourite paintings from him: Kullervon Sotaanlähtö / Kullervo going to war.

The story behind the picture in short, source Wikipedia

"Untamo kills his brother Kalervo’s people, but spares his wife who later begets Kullervo. Untamo sees the boy as a threat, and after trying to have him killed several times without success, sells Kullervo as a slave to Ilmarinen. Ilmarinen's wife torments and bullies Kullervo, so he tricks her into being torn apart by a pack of wolves and bears. Kullervo escapes from Ilmarinen's homestead and learns from an old lady in the forest that his family is still alive, and is soon reunited with them.

While returning home from paying taxes, he meets and seduces a young maiden, only to find out that she is his sister. She kills herself and Kullervo returns home distressed. He decides to wreak revenge upon Untamo and sets out to find him. Kullervo wages war on Untamo and his people, laying all to waste, and then returns home, where he finds his farm deserted. Filled with remorse and regret, he kills himself in the place where he seduced his sister."

Dark stories...Nothing has changed since the stories of ancient Greek... I think every nation has got the stories pretty similar: how the world was created, what is fair and what is not. What comes after death, which are the moral rules. Sometimes it´s good to get back to the "old stuff" - back to basics...

Read more about
Kalevala in Wikipedia

On this Kalevala day we wish to greet all the Finns living abroad. 

We know that this country means a lot to you and we are glad that so 

many of you are in contact with us in one way or another. 

World is a big place, but people are the same -

everywhere.

(And horses!!!)