Leena Fredriksson Leena Fredriksson is a Helsinki based artist, designer, trend specialist, and art educator who received her MA from the University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2005. Leena is finalizing her second Master's degree in art education at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Leena works as a designer and trend specialist at Kuudes, an insight-driven design consultancy. She is also the creator of Momolu, an original, design-led character brand. Leena’s career as an artist is at the core of her hybrid professionalism. Leena has recently exhibited her paintings in M.A.D.S. Milan contemporary art gallery, and in a few months, she will be exhibited at art fairs in Luxembourg and New York. Her paintings can be found in several private collections in Europe. Continuous longing for the Finnish archipelago emanates from Leena’s abstract paintings: harsh nature, and the movement and silence of the sea are the source of inspiration for her works/paintings. ”I grew up in the Finnish archipelago and, I am struck by the beauty of nature — the landscapes and animals — that surrounded me.” Artist statement: In my paintings, I reflect on my memories, experiences and feelings from my trips to the nature of the archipelago that I love. When I reminisce by my paintings, I calm down and focus on my own moment – counterbalancing the hectic city life. The dialogue between summer and winter makes the harsh landscape of the archipelago so fascinating: darkness and light, storm and tranquility, colours and black-and-white. Opposites can be seen and felt in my paintings and way of working: time and timelessness, permanence and continuous movement. Sensitivity and bravery. Delicate brush strokes and many layers. Lightness and darkness. Experimentation and familiarity. When I paint, I get absorbed in the movement of the brush and my hand, and the many layers of paint. I lose track of time and place, and that moment is always one-of-a-kind – like the continuous movement and ripples of the sea that carry you away.