Lea

FIN-Kemi born artist

Lea Viita is my maiden name. Viita means an old forest.  My favourite subject at school was drawing but I graduated at School of Economics and University of Helsinki 1976 as my father hoped.

 

In the 1990’s art stimulated my interest and I began to draw with ink on paper and paint with acrylic on Kemijärvi factory cellulose in kitchen and bedroom.

 

When I began to paint bigger and bigger works my husband built studio 1994, called Gallery Lea Viita. Since then I have been able to paint on the floor and nowadays mainly on canvas. My working method is  ”action painting”  and favourite artists are Jackson Pollock (1912 – 1956) and Reidar Särestöniemi (1925 – 1981) from Finnish Lapland and all old impressionists.

Sometimes I like to draw with ink accurately for example on old skate- or snowboards or on Japanese paper. I used to paint or draw a set of 10 – 20 works one after another – if I have spare time and good feeling. I worked as a teacher in Lapland (1976 – 2008).

The Nature of Lapland is the source of my inspiration, particularly the winter, forest, northern lights and snow. When I begin to paint, I hope that  wind or  rain helps me to spread colours and all the other materials on canvas.

I began in 90’ to arrange personal exhibitions and take part in group exhibitions. At the moment I am free from daily works at school and I can paint every day as I want.