Riina Kuikka’s acrylic-on-wood paintings depict the pristine wilderness of Finnish nature. Kuikka finds the subjects of her works while going out for walks or traveling to Lapland, a vast subarctic region in Finland, which she frequently visits for inspiration. There the sun does not rise for a few months of the year and the area plunges into almost complete obscurity. Kuikka lifts the dark mantle of cold winter nights revealing a wonderland of nuanced light shades, ranging from purples to blues and pinks. She paints the soft morning skies, as the sun makes its timid appearance through the conifer tree trunks or glistens on the snowy ground. Ponds, shrubs, and forests recede into the mist, as the forms coalesce into a slumberous trance. Nature teems with unseen yet palpable presences shrouded in magic and mystery. As we hold our breath in her time-suspended fairylands, Kuikka reminds us that nature is a precious gift and it is our responsibility to protect and treasure it.

Kuikka has a Bachelor Degree in 3D Visualization from EVTEK University of Applied Sciences in Finland. She participated in exhibitions in Finland and won an award for her print designs from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Her prints, also created in collaboration with well-known Finnish artists, were featured in movies and TV series. Kuikka lives and works in Helsinki, Finland.