SISKO MÄÄTTÄ (1951, Oulu) has had a versatile and multi-professional career elsewhere (as a special designer and instructor among other things), but as a carpenter’s daughter art has been a concrete part of her life in drawing and painting. She’s both self-educated and course-trained painter, one of her teachers has been Tauno Ohenoja, a visual artist from Oulu. After retiring Sisko Määttä made her dream true. She rented a studio in Hiukkavaara K2 artists’ community and started to work as an artist full time. In her own words: “I have been given a gift of inspiration for art at birth. Ever since I could hold a pen, I have been drawing and painting. The nature speaks to me powerfully as also do stories about spirits of the nature, earth sprites and gnomes. This all gives me energy and inspiration, which can be seen in my artwork. I love the diversity, uniqueness and beauty of all four seasons. Also the vulnerability of the nature concerns me. I’m an emotional person and I also sense the presence of the invisible world. Sometimes the invisible becomes visible in my paintings unintentionally. I like to try out different techniques. Recently in addition to painting in acrylics I have done recycled art with patches of felt, fabric and paper. I work through different emotional states and doing so I see the world through coloured filters. My artwork doesn’t represent any specific stylistic direction. They place themselves somewhere between realistic and abstract. Visiting famous galleries and museums worldwide has given me stimulus to my own work.”