We recently connected with Kaija Savinainen-Mountain and have shared our conversation below.
Kaija, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
Creativity has always been with me for as long as I can remember. I believe my path was predetermined and I never thought to question it otherwise. As a child I was always looking at things, examining the natural world around, trying to understand what and how things work. How did the seasons change, marvelling at the incredible colours found in nature, why do leaves change colour, why do they fall of a branch? In grade one I brought a skeletonized leaf to my teacher, excitedly pointing out the delicate lace pattern as created by nature. I was struck by the beauty, the delicateness of the leaf. Funny though, other students did not give the leaf a glance. I was puzzled by the lack of interest from my peers.
I drove my parents’ crazy with my endless curiosity, my never-ending observations. Staring into mud puddles wondering if there was another world beyond, looking at the night sky questioning its existence. Always wanting to record my experiences in one format or another.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a painter, printmaker, teacher, mom, an active person who loves to spend time outdoors, running, skiing, cycling, canoeing, hiking, camping, gardening, and a caretaker of many creatures domestic and wild on our rural property. I have an endless curiosity of the living natural world. All of the above-mentioned activities feed my creative persona. My paintings are the culmination of my daily observations from at home and abroad. I received a formal education at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and later a Bachelor of Education from Ottawa University. For a number of years, I taught art education while always continuing to paint.
As a painter my style of work is best described as bold, using vivid colours, maintaining a looseness of brushwork, seeking the emotional, spiritual qualities/connections of place as I have experienced it.
As described by a colleague “Kaija Savinainen is undeniably one of the most passionate and captivating artists I have ever met. From the moment you engage Kaija, it becomes abundantly clear that not a minute of her day goes by without her immersing herself in the wonders of the natural world, constantly absorbing its beauty, dreaming of its limitless possibilities, and appreciating every intricate detail. Her dedication to embracing the raw power of nature is truly awe-inspiring… allows her to create such profound works of art, is her ability to tap into her visceral emotions. Visceral feelings, as defined, are those deep-rooted sensations that are difficult to control or ignore and arise purely from the depths of our being. It is this unique capability that enables Kaija to portray her experiences with nature on canvas with astonishing authenticity”. thetencollective.com/ttc-blog/2023/11/9/the-pathway-of-kaija-savinainen
My inspiration, comes from the natural world, from places I have experienced and spent time at. To paint something I am not familiar with makes no sense at all. A painting created in such a manner would lack a deeper understanding of place or as I like to point out, the essence or emotional connection would not be present.
I am drawn to northern imagery, to winter, her snowy landscape. I want the viewer to feel the cold I portray, for the viewer to become immersed in the wintery landscape. I write, explain in a blog my emotional connection to winter “I celebrate the full depths of winter and rejoice in her power, her quietness after the storm, her cleansing of the forests and land. The colour, the light of winter is magic, empowering. Pure, pure magic. Not a day passes that I do not notice the beauty presented. My soul is rejuvenated, revitalized. Winter teases me with her colours painted across the landscape. She leaves me spell-bound, almost breathless with anticipation. She leaves nothing untouched. Rhythm, movement, line, colour – oh – the glorious colour to behold. Don’t look away. See, observe, witness, inhale, drink in her offerings. Live it, feel it, breath it, embrace her. Do not hide from her. Feel her coolness. Revel in the light as presented when the sun dances across a snow-covered landscape. Witness the moonlight silently playing over a snowy land. See the deep, dark shadows cast their magic and mystery. Look to the northern sky as it shimmers and sparkles. Find the Foxfires dancing on the horizon. Hear the crunch of snow as you lightly tread upon her blanket. Feel the winter wind on your face when she howls in protest telling her story. Do not hide from Winter. Instead witness her beauty, respect her strength and draw from her power”. The Ten Collective
I follow my instincts; I have my own vision of the direction I am moving toward. Always searching and exploring new ideas and possibilities.
I have a website where many of my paintings can be viewed.
Also on the website, I also regularly post a blog where you can learn more about the life of an artist. www.kaijasavinainen.com
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Illustrating resilience: Working my way through cancer treatments was a challenge I met head on. They are tough to live through and I needed to have a goal to see me through to the other side. Every day I walked or ran to keep my mind sane. One day while out for a run I noticed/heard some sandhill cranes calling and flying over head. I had stopped at a river to cool down my dogs. Without looking up I saw the crane images reflecting on the water surface. My hands were in the water, we blended as one for a moment. It struck me that I should paint cranes. A series of 40 works grew from that experience.
I was an immigrant. I learned through experience that immigrants are often not wanted or valued. If you want to do something, to achieve anything you must give 110% effort to achieve a life goal. In the art world don’t let rejection letters stop you from working. Paint for yourself only. Believe in what you do. Continue to grow, to push your goals and move forward in your work.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
Every work I have created has a part of me embedded in it. Each work has meaning and value. The work comes from the soul, from an experience, from a life event big or small. I paint what I know and understand. I search for a deeper meaning of the subject beyond the sufaceness. I am not interested in copying or recreating a photographic like image of a subject. I want to understand the subject and hear her own voice. What is she telling me? I need to listen closely. For instance trees whisper, they can tell stories…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kaijasavinainen.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kaijasavinainen
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/studiowillowcreek www.facebook.com/kaija.savinainen