FI: Olen taiteilija ja kuvittaja, koulutukseltani kuvataiteen ja psykologian aineenopettaja, taiteen maisteri. Asun Suomessa ja Brasiliassa. Pohdin taiteessani omien kokemusten ja ympäröivien kulttuurien kautta elämässä ja luonnossa tapahtuvia muutoksia, niihin sopeutumista, toimijuutta muutosten keskellä ja sitä, miten ihmisten eriarvoisuus korostuu erityisesti luonnon katastrofeissa. Haastavasta aiheesta huolimatta, minulle on tärkeä tuoda teoksissani esiin toivoa ja empatiaa.
Toteutan taidetta pääasiassa piirustus- ja akvarellitekniikoilla sekä digitaalisesti maalaten. Olen kiinnostun luonnon monimuotoisuudesta, mielen toiminnasta sekä narratiivisen surrealismin tyylisuunnista ja nämä asiat ilmenevät taiteessani. Lyijykynätekniikassa minua kiinnostaa sen monipuolisuus sekä harmaasävyjen mahdollistama valojen ja varjojen käsittely. Akvarelleissa taas kerroksellisuus ja mahdollisuus erittäin realistiseen kuvaamiseen.
Esitän taidettani Suomessa ja ulkomailla. Tieteellisiä kuvitustani on Brasílian yliopiston kokoelmassa. Töitäni on yksityisissä kokoelmissa Suomessa, Espanjassa, Brasiliassa, Costa Ricassa ja Yhdysvalloissa.
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EN: I am a Finnish artist and illustrator Maria Leskinen educated as an art and psychology teacher, master of arts. I live in Brazil and in Finland. I work with the topics such as changes in life and nature that I see through my own experiences and the cultures around me. I also consider how we adapt to these changes and how we act in these situations. How inequality among people is particularly evident in natural disasters. Despite the challenging topics it is important for me to reveal hope and empathy.
I get inspired by the diversity of nature, psychology and contrasts of life. I am currently working with pencil drawings and aquarelles. I enjoy narrative Surrealism as a style which I combine with modern times phenomenons when I am making art.
My main mediums are pencils inks, aquarelles and digital painting. Realistic pencil technique is a nice contrast in a hectic life style that we nowadays live. I express challenging and pleasant feelings through my art.
I show my art interantionally, two or my works are in the collection of the University of Brasília and in private collections in Finland, Spain, Brazil, Costa Rica and United States.
CV
Koulutus / Education
- Master of arts / Taiteen maisteri
- 2022-2023: Scientific illustration studies at the University of Brasília, Brazil
- 2016-2017: Subject teacher of psychology, Open University of Tampere, Finland
- 2009-2016: Art educator, University of Lapland, Finland
- 2015: Erasmus exchange in Faculty of Fine Arts for 5 months, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
- 1997-2008: Art school Oiva / Taidekoulu Oiva, Seinäjoki, Finland
Teokset kokoelmissa / Works in collections
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Private collections
- in Finland, Spain, Brazil, Costa Rica and United States
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Public collection
- University of Brasília, Brazil (2)
- Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva, Finland (1)
- Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre UFCSP, Brazil (1)
Apurahat / Grants
2025
The Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists / Suomen tiedetoimittajain liitto, 1 months for working
The Finnish Illustration Association / Kuvittajat ry, 3 months for working
City of Seinäjoki, 1 month for working
The Finnish Illustration Association / Kuvittajat ry, for illustration tools
Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland / Grafia ry, for studying
2024
City of Kauhava, 1 month for working
The Finnish Illustration Association / Kuvittajat ry, for illustration tools
2023
The Finnish Illustration Association / Kuvittajat ry, for illustration tools
Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland / Grafia ry, 1 month for working
City of Kauhava, 1 month for working
City of Seinäjoki, 1 month for working
Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland / Grafia ry, for studying
2022
Art Promotion Centre Finland / Taike, 2 months for working
Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland / Grafia ry, for studying
Journalistic culture Promotion Foundation / Jokes, for studying
The Finnish Illustration Association / Kuvittajat ry, for illustration tools
2021
The Finnish Illustration Association / Kuvittajat ry, for illustration tools
- Tunnustuspalkinto / Recognition award
- 2025
- Tunnustuspalkinto aktiivisuudesta ja kuvitusalan esiintuomisesta, Kuvittajat ry /
- Recognition award for active working and bringing visibility for illustration field, The Finnish Illustration Association
- Visual Arts´ Coryright Society / Kuvasto ry
- Globe Art Point
- SOLU / Bioart society
- The Finnish Illustration Association
- Seinäjoki Art Association
- Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland / Grafia ry
- Rajataide Association
- Taideteosten lainaus / Artwork renting
- Taidelainaamo Parsi, Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki Art Association (Link for renting info)
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Valikoidut yksityisnäyttelyt / Selected solo exhibitions
2027
July- Utopia – distopia, Malmitalo gallery, Helsinki, Finland
2026
June- Illustration shares information, Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus Museum Café, Helsinki, Finland
July- Utopia – distopia, Gallery Moletti, Forssa Museum, Finland
Adaptação, Espaço de Artes da UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
2025
Adaptation, Gallery Hoppa, Jyväskylä, Finland
Adaptation, Taidegalleria Lakeus, Kauhava, Finland
Katinkulman keksijä, Gallery Childrenbook, Tampere, Finland
2024
Artist of the month, Kunsthalle Seinäjoki, Gallery Parsi, Finland
2022
Glory of Diversity / Monimuotoisuuden ylistys, Gallery 2, Pirkkala, Finland
Gallery Ronga´s Small gallery with Katja Saksanen, Tampere, Finland
2021
In the nature / Luonnon helmassa with Hanna-Maria Mainelakeus, Kehys-Art Window gallery 24/7, Seinäjoki, Finland
2020
Earth- Water – Sky / Maa – Vesi -Ilma, Organization space for residence artist, Cultural centre Vanha Paukku, Lapua, Finland
2014
Praktikum II, Kajo Gallery, University of Laponia, Rovaniemi, Finland
2013
For the beauty / Kauneuden tähden, Design room, Show window gallery, Rovaniemi, Finland
Valikoidut ryhmänäyttelyt / Selected group exhibitions
2026
O Brasil das Florestas, 20 anos do servico florestal brasileiro”, Museu Nacional da República, Brasília, Brazil
September- ”Saving Human Nature, with Samantha Canovas, Patrícia Pagniewski, André Santangelo, Johan Slätis , Art space Subsolo, Brasília, Brazil
Imagens para adiar o fim de mundo”, curated by João Kulcsár organized by Association FotoAtiva and Festival de Fotografia de Paranapiacaba, FotoAtiva and Museu da UFPA during COP30, Belém, Brazil
Videoart Mountain El porvenir del Paisaje,UCEN, Palacio Ariztía, Santiago de Chile
Videoart Mountain in Aalto Aesthetics, Aalto Centre, Seinäjoki, Finland
Urban biodiversity, Carlos Ritter Natural Science Museum, Pelotas, Brazil
Lahti International Poster Triennial, Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva, Lahti, Finland
Entre o instante e o Gesto, Ateliê Casarão, São Paulo, Brazil
- Projecto Mapa Audible, El porvenir del Paisaje, online publication, Central University of Chile (UCEN), audio Map
Keltainen / Yellow, Rajataide Association, Gallery Rajatila, Tampere, Finland
Small traces and marks, Seinäjoki Art Association, Gallery Justus, Kannus, Finland
2024
Oposta Espaço Inventivo, Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil
Scientific illustration exhibition for the final works at the University of Brasília, Brazil
Woman, Me Jam Festival, Lapinlahden Lähde, Helsinki, Finland
Interaction with Seinäjoki art association, Art museum Pirkanpohja Art centre, Ähtäri, Finland
Forest, Gallery Finnish Spirit, Salo, Finland
Power of mind, Kuusisto Art manor, Kaarina, Finland
Taidegalleria Lakeus / Art gallery Lakeus, ”Invisible – visible” exhibition, Kauhava, Finland
Galleria Toinen silmä, art sale exhibition vol. 2, Helsinki, Finland
2023
Seinäjoki art association, Art centre Harri, Alavus, Finland
Helsinki comic festival, Finland
Scientific illustration exhibition for the final works at the University of Brasília, Brazil
2022
Rajataide Association´s sales exhibition in Gallery Rajatila, Tampere, Finland
Beginning, Taidegalleria Lakeus / Art gallery Lakeus, Kauhava, Finland
3am Project international online exhibition, INYBB and Surrey History Center, Great-Britain
2021
Rajataide Association´s sales exhibition, Gallery Rajatila, Tampere, Finland
Endless Summer, international exhibition in gallery Group Global 3000, Berlin, Germany
International wildlife exhibition for listed artists in Conservation Collection in Virtual gallery of Explorers against Extinction, Great-Britain
First International Festival of Manuports, Kohta kunsthalle, Helsinki, Finland
2020
Rajataide Association´s sales exhibition, Gallery Rajatila, Tampere, Finland
Zineton 2020 international zine exhibition, Subculture centre Loukko, Helsinki, Finland
Kosminen salonki, Gallery Kosminen, Helsinki, Finland
Faces in quarantine / Kasvoja karanteenista, online exhibition, Culture editorial´s Tampere, Finland
2015
Collectivo Tapa, Metropie project, Zarado Deluxe II, University of Castilla-La Mancha, street art for Arte en el Espacio Urbano-festival, Cuenca, Spain
2014
Art education´s art production, language, power and freedom, Gallery Valo in Arcticum Science Center and Museum, Rovaniemi, Finland
2013
Liikkeitä with Art collective Karmiini, Gallery Varjo, Rovaniemi, Finland