Interview

Written By Editorial Team

Maria Leinonen

For Maria, art is very personal. It helped her find herself when she was lost, and led her on a journey of finding her unique path, not just following what was expected of her.

Although she works with a minimalist palette, ‘The Apart Part’ series painted in pink displays a much more intimate side of her. It has an impact on people, giving them space to open up to deep conversations. It has the same effect on her: she cried while working through the first paintings in the series.

 

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“Creativity has always been a part of me. But for many years when I lived in Stockholm, it was expressed through interior design. It was only when I bought a house with an associated studio in Österlen— Sweden's art mecca— that I finally had enough time and space to really develop my artistry. Since then, it has only taken up more and more space in my life. Now it is impossible to live without it.

I have reached out to many in Sweden that have an interest in house decorating with my monochrome and minimalist paintings, and I have made a name for myself. One of my dreams is that art will get me around the world. This is my calling. It’s what I'm supposed to do, and I'm thinking big, especially with this side project ‘The Apart Part’, which is anything but minimalist. Maybe it’s a little too much for the delicate Swedish homes many have. But who knows?”

“To me, the feeling ‘here and now’ is more important than pursuing the original thought. When I finish a painting, I usually have a new idea of how to start the next one. Creativity begets more creativity for me.”

What inspires you?

“Inspiration can come at any time, usually sparked by some other creation. The spark can be triggered by anything from a feeling in a film, color combinations in a picture, music or other artwork. But in the end, the piece rarely turns out as I originally imagined. Once I get the brush in my hand, I go off of pure instinct, and eventually I find myself far from what initially started the process.

Photos, illustrations… I love everything that is beautiful! And people who dare to find their own way are inspiring. That's probably why my pink project feels extra special to me. I’m led purely by intuition, which is out of the norm for me. This time, I go in unplanned and without goals or thoughts.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“A couple of years ago, I went through a challenging time in my life. To help me cope, I felt the need to create solely for myself without thinking about external achievement. I fled into the studio — the one place I feel completely myself. It is and has always been pure therapy for me.

The work produced during this time turned out to be a lot of pink pralines standing along the wall in the studio, just waiting to be shown off. The series ‘The Apart Part’ is a pink side project from my otherwise monochrome art I create. It's a lot more color than I would otherwise paint with because it was just for me; something I needed at that point in time. It took a couple years of putting distance to it before I could share these paintings. They are so personal, not to mention the thoughts I had during creation, and this is reflected in the titles of each peace. What looks happy and cheerful has a lot of tears behind it.

It turned out, however, that these paintings are incredibly fun and playful to paint, so I have continued. Now it's no longer depressing behind the process, but a lot of happiness and love! I'm in a good place now and it's so nice to be able to vary myself between my projects depending on my mood.”

How would you describe your work?

“My work is playful, lovely and pink. It comes straight from the feeling that is right there at the moment. No matter how bleak life is, there is always pink. It's one of my true loves.”

What artists influence you most?

“I am very inspired by other artists, although I’m extremely careful to stick to my expression. I like Lola Donoghue, who also paints with lovely pastels. And I’m also inspired by a lot of talented Swedish creators. Anette Hallbäck, who works with structure in her paintings, and Alexandra Nilasdotter, who creates art from glass and ceramics. I admire painters such as Jesper Waldersten, Emma Bernhard, and Paulina Nordström, who design fantastic works. It’s a great mix, but I guess that also reflects how I am.”

“It is so important that the viewer can create their own perception of what they see. I made a piece where I saw a skull in it, while everyone else saw a puppy. They were probably in a happier place than me at the time.”

What is your creative process like?

"It starts with a thought or color I want to be in focus. But from the moment I start, it usually goes its own way. Colors that mix, a splash of water, and then it starts becoming a form that I want to continue with. I then paint over the parts I do not like, pause, amplify the parts I do like, then paint again over others. There will be many layers of acrylic, and I usually work with several paintings at the same time. Sometimes I take on commissioned work, but I definitely prefer creating freely.”

What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?

“My ‘thing’ is acrylic on linen canvas. It’s so immediate. It dries quickly, so I’m able to go by instinct when I work with it. I don’t have time to think. If it's not good, I just redo it. Working with acrylic is so different from everything else in my life, where I have to think carefully through my options before making a decision. Being in the studio is my free zone. It’s the only place I can let myself go. All I need is acrylics, pastels, brushes and water spray. A fan too, for the moments that I'm really impatient and cannot wait.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“Art is so wonderful, but it can also be difficult to access. Going into an art gallery is not always inviting in Sweden. I do not like that it is so complicated. Maybe it's a charm for some, but I wish the whole thing would be more casual. You can be a trained artist but what you create can still look like crap. Or vice versa: uneducated but incredibly talented. I do not want to say what qualifies as nice or ugly because everyone thinks differently, but in the end, it is the viewer who gets a feeling for a work of art. Either you like it or you don't.

I want to create art that touches people. I hope to find the people who feel something when they see my work, rather than those who care more about where I went to art school. It does not have to be that complicated, and my goal is definitely not to be loved by everyone. But I want to be involved in contexts that make art easily accessible to the people. If you like something, buy it! I do all the sales myself right now because I have a hard time seeing gallery owners putting in the same effort to sell my works to the bigger crowd, as I do.

Instagram and other social platforms are more important than ever, and they are my main channels for sales. The classic gallery owners have a lot to work on there, at least if they want to expand their customer base towards younger generations. Therefore, I am very happy to see more and more online galleries popping up.”

 
Editorial Team
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