Kalevala paintings

These paintings and drawings were inspired by the old Finnish folk tales collected into the epic poem the Kalevala.  I have been to Finland many times and am learning to read the language.  I spoke Finnish as a child but had to switch to English before entering school. These old stories touch a deep chord inside of me.  When I read them I realized I had already been illustrating them without knowing it.

 


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oil on panel 39x25' Aino was a young woman who, in order to escape marrying an old man, run s away and jumps in a lake where she sees a beautiful rock. When she gets to the rock and climbs up on it, it sinks, and she drowns and turns into a fish. Part of the collection of Dante Iacavoni.
Aino's Rock
oil on panel 39x25'

Aino was a young woman who, in order to escape marrying an old man, run s away and jumps in a lake where she sees a beautiful rock. When she gets to the rock and climbs up on it, it sinks, and she drowns and turns into a fish.

Part of the collection of Dante Iacavoni.
oil on canvas 12x12'' Aino's drowning was witnessed by several animals but the rabbit was the only one willing to go and tell her mother the sad news. private collection
Aino's Rabbit
oil on canvas 12x12''

Aino's drowning was witnessed by several animals but the rabbit was the only one willing to go and tell her mother the sad news.

private collection
oil on linen 36x45'' ''Sung his wife into a seagull Thenceforth round the cliffs to clamor, Scream upon the rocks in water, Moan around the jutting headlands, Struggle with the winds against her.'' RUNO XXXVIII, 284 in the collection of Finlandia University
The Seagull
oil on linen 36x45''
''Sung his wife into a seagull
Thenceforth round the cliffs to clamor,
Scream upon the rocks in water,
Moan around the jutting headlands,
Struggle with the winds against her.''
RUNO XXXVIII, 284

in the collection of Finlandia University
Oil on linen about 40x50'' private collection
Three Birches
Oil on linen about 40x50''

private collection
oil on linen 18x24'' Osmo means Bear in Finnish. private collection
Osmo
oil on linen 18x24''
Osmo means Bear in Finnish.

private collection
oil on linen There was an old shaman who could play such beautiful music, all the animals would come out of the woods to listen to him. private collection
Listening Lynx
oil on linen
There was an old shaman who could play such beautiful music, all the animals would come out of the woods to listen to him.

private collection
oil on linen 31x25'' ''Welcome, Otso, be thy coming, Honey-pawed, who now approachest To our dwelling, freshly scoured, To our household, now so charming'''' RUNO XLVI, 190 private collection
Listening Bear
oil on linen 31x25''

''Welcome, Otso, be thy coming,
Honey-pawed, who now approachest
To our dwelling, freshly scoured,
To our household, now so charming''''
RUNO XLVI, 190

private collection
oil on panel 39''x25'' The pike swims along near magic symbols. I found these images on Vancouver Island near an old Finnish settlement...they were made by native people long before the Finns arrived. private collection
The Pike
oil on panel 39''x25''

The pike swims along near magic symbols. I found these images on Vancouver Island near an old Finnish settlement...they were made by native people long before the Finns arrived.

private collection
oil on linen 36x48'' This is actually a painting of the Silver River Falls behind Herman, Michigan. In the collection of Kathy Carlson.
Tuonela Waterfall
oil on linen 36x48''

This is actually a painting of the Silver River Falls behind Herman, Michigan.

In the collection of Kathy Carlson.
oil on panel 24x36'' The swan floats around on the river of death, Tuonela, guarding the passage. Lemminkainen is sent to shoot her but is killed instead. private collection
Swan of Tuonela
oil on panel 24x36''

The swan floats around on the river of death, Tuonela, guarding the passage. Lemminkainen is sent to shoot her but is killed instead.

private collection