How to do this and how to do that

I never went to art school. Before developing my technique in 2014
I was just good at drawing. One of the things I like about my technique is that it isn't something you would teach. Art education may provide a promising path, but some things cannot be taught, such as surprising yourself.

There is no perfect recipe for inspiring creative work and I don't care what I look like when I'm creating something. I use my own face but
I don't want to look good or nice.

I create drawings I would like to see, and I've seen a lot. One of the most important things is the puzzling strength of a single image that speaks for itself. We absolutely need more of that these days.

Lentävä - Flying

Wax crayon. Rinta-Perälä, 2018.

Being an observer and the power of association

One of my principles is the importance of observing the world with fresh eyes. A child's drawing doesn't have a rich history. I remember being intrigued by strong, emotional images. My personal history has influenced my work, but the process of forming and discovering ideas is more important. This unpredictable process allows me to feel the potency of wonder and fearlessness working together.

As an observer I'm not just identifying information or banalities. The colourful stream of activity and chemistry flows through me. This wouldn't be possible if I became a passive layabout who blindly stumbles upon something decent and immediately starts showing off.

Observation operates along with the evocative power of association: memories, different points of view, unconscious visions, poetic culminations, private echoes. My inner world is speaking and usually
I have to get out of the way. I wouldn't be where I am if I only had literal-minded references that reinforce what I already know.

Being an observer means that I don't want to limit myself too much.
I may be a loner but I'm not trying to shut myself off completely.
I believe in continuing productive experimentation.

Haava - Wound

Wax crayon. Rinta-Perälä, 2018.

Pullo - Bottle

Wax crayon. Rinta-Perälä, 2018.

I don't want to disappear inside my own head

The purpose of my writings is to defend art and creative energy. I try to do this as openly and genuinely as I can. I'm not a writer.

Creative work is associated with a therapeutic quality. In my experience it is therapeutic only if I don't think of it as something external. This therapeutic quality is an ingredient like playfulness, feeling, fantasy, madness and intellect. These ingredients are useless without curiosity and effort. I don't sit around worrying and wishing.

If you start with anxiety you will end up with anxiety. It can replace your reality. Obsessive behaviour won't make it go away no matter how much you try. You need to get out of your head. I associate creative work strongly with physical effort and intuitive energy.

I am here right now doing things I love. This belongs to me. Yes, this is imaginative, challenging and surprising, but what I do is as real as my right hand.

Real reactions to my works are always interesting. My works are my children but they ultimately exist in this world. My existence and world view are largely about saving the best things I know. My drawings and compositions are the best things I have ever done, but I have never claimed that I create masterpieces. Anyone can say that about their own work. Ask other people.

I don't draw self-portraits

Sometimes I draw my own face but I don't draw self-portraits. I'm interested in the power of the single image and individual ideas.

I don't have an expressive face. Relying on its limited familiarity simply isn't enough. I have to experiment in different ways if I'm truly going to find out what I can do with my face.

Strange shapes that form a face go deep under your skin. You enter into a vivid world of possibilities instead of lifting something from a list of known facial expressions. These faces are not just frightening. They explore different aspects of my own personality and the behaviour I see around me.

Vangittu - Imprisoned

Wax crayon. Rinta-Perälä, 2018.

The speed of worthlessness

Finding the soul and humanity in other people is what makes the experience of sharing powerful. There's a reason why we associate eyes with the soul. There's so much in the simplicity of the eyes. It's one of the most difficult things to do when I'm drawing.

Detecting complexities, especially in simplicity, has always been essential to my soul. This doesn't mean that I'm always successful.
I miss things all the time, but it's no reason to feel like a failure. To me communication and exchange of ideas is not about fear. When people are afraid or in pain they are more likely to believe in mindless positivity or negativity. Things that lack complexity provide artificial gratification while concealing a real sickness.

The sense of worthlessness and nullity spreads in the blink of an eye. Depression, anxiety and self-pity distort and erase humanity. Things don't register and you feel completely alone. Small, miserable demons become the end of the world. You're trying too hard and you can't access the depth of experience. The power you lost becomes visible when you can empathically remember who you are.

The Ten Virgins by Tove Jansson

This is the only altarpiece by Tove Jansson (creator of The Moomins) in Teuva, Finland. It is one of my childhood memories and one of the first artworks I saw. Together with the bleeding crucified Christ next to the altar, it suggested something enigmatic beyond religion.

Tove's only altarpiece

You can't just wait for a perfect dream

Drawing and music run in my family, yet I'm the only artist.

I grew up in the presence of a mysterious object. It was an engaging oil painting of a sunset at sea. Somehow I used to be fine with the fact that my father only made one painting. There may have been others but this was the one hanging on the wall saying "I can paint."

He was a welder who lost interest in painting. He didn't persist.
I remember my grandfather suddenly playing a melody on a keyboard. Someone else in the past had apparently played a mandolin. I always heard stories about skills but never about serious artists. They never talked about ideas. They never had the patience to develop a taste. You will develop a taste if you care and let it develop.

I want to experience the world in the form of exhilarating ideas.
I'm going to be the guy who actually does these things. That is my greatest dream. Just do. Just be.

I never wanted to give up and gutlessly announce "I can't do this all the time." I'm naturally going from one idea to the next. I feel like I'm adding something because I'm awake and embracing real challenges. This is why I feel less lonely and anxious in an indifferent world of trivial or mindlessly entertaining challenges.

I hardly ever get ideas from dreams, but I do all kinds of things unconsciously. It's not about waiting, it's about feeding my subconscious and connecting things. Most of the time ideas come in a flash. If I start something I will finish it without tedious planning. I've learned not to dismiss vague fragments. When you're more familiar with your subconscious you start losing the attachment to one goal. Instead of waiting for a perfect dream you start discovering and introducing timeless and dreamlike elements.

Kuu - Moon

Wax crayon. Rinta-Perälä, 2018.

My Ennio Morricone Top 20 from 15 soundtracks

La diva (from Come imparai ad amare le donne, 1966)

C'era una volta il West (from C'era una volta il West, 1968)

L'uomo dell'armonica (from C'era una volta il West, 1968)

Lontano (from Gott mit uns, 1969)

Come un madrigale (from Quattro mosche di velluto grigio, 1971)

Speranze di liberta (from Sacco e Vanzetti, 1970)

Giu la testa (from Giu la testa, 1971)

La bambola (from Veruschka, 1971)

La tarantola dal ventre nero (from La tarantola dal ventre nero, 1972)

Un uomo si e dimesso (from La tarantola dal ventre nero, 1972)

El primo baso (from Chi l'ha vista morire, 1972)

La citta si risveglia (from L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo, 1970)

Magia nera (from Una lucertola con la pelle di donna, 1971)

Che strano (from Una lucertola con la pelle di donna, 1971)

La vittima (from Macchie solari, 1974)

Preannuncio (from Macchie solari, 1974)

Tra sospiri e lamenti (from Drammi gotici, 1976)

Notte e misteri (from Gli occhi freddi della paura, 1971)

Evaporazioni (from Gli occhi freddi della paura, 1971)

Luna Canadese (from H2S, 1968)

Kauan - Long Time

Wax crayon. Rinta-Perälä, 2018.