Interview with Paivi Eerola

Today I want to publish the interview made ​​to Paivi.

Her drawings and colours are special, unique and beautiful ..

With these few questions we know her better and discover her magical world..

Thank you Paivi!!

1. What is your name? 

My name is Paivi Eerola.

I have two shops at Etsy: Peony and Parakeet (peonyandparakeet.etsy.com) where I sell my designs and Woolgrey (woolgrey.etsy.com) where I sell wool and yarn that have been produced locally.


2. Please tell us a little about your background 

I live in the southern Finland but I was born near eastern border of Finland. That probably explains why my style is rich of patterns and colors, not plain and simple Scandinavian! I moved near Helsinki after graduating from college and studied a Master of Science degree in computer engineering. Later I studied a Bachelor of Arts degree in industrial design. My day job is to design services and in my spare time I run a small business where I design paper and fiber products.

3. When did you become interested in creating art?



I have been creating all my life. It is a way of life for me. 

I love to learn new skills and have always been like that.

4. How did you learn your techniques?



I have always liked to put things together from pieces whether it is paper, fabric or various techniques when working with yarn. 

I have constantly followed the art and craft world, participated some courses etc. but the biggest thing is that I have done what feels good at the time and believed that by doing it as many times as possible something unique will appear.

In this blog post you can compare my current art with old ones and see the similarities: peonyandparakeet.blogspot.com/2012/04/some-things-never-change.html

5. What inspires you? 

The first is art history. 

My favorite style is art nouveau but I also find many other periods in art history really inspiring. I create my art in the library room of our house and it is decorated in old style. I always get inspired when I enter the room! Another thing is materials. 

I often think of how a material is constructed and get inspired from that. 

The material I think about can be anything from metal to fiber and it does not have to have any relation with the material I use in my artwork.

In this blog post you can see how I was inspired from wood: peonyandparakeet.blogspot.com/2012/04/creating-wood.html

6. Please describe your creative process.

I work with phases and usually reuse stuff that I have already created with my previous works. I work both in computer and on paper and might scan and print the work several times during the process. In the beginning of the process I usually have a pretty clear idea what I want to express, often it is a very abstract thing or a feeling that cannot be put into words. If I try to formulate the idea too much it loses its strength. Using iterative phases I am able to control the end result.

The colors are extremely important for me. In this blog post you can read what I have learned when choosing colors:

peonyandparakeet.blogspot.com/2012/03/5-tips-to-choosing-colors.html

7. What do you find most rewarding in this work?


My dream would be to create everyday energy icons. To give people something uplifting and sacred in the middle of their ordinary life. Sometimes I think I have succeeded in it and it feels so great!

8. What is the best advice you have received?



During the studies in industrial design I realized that there's not ultimate "good" or ultimate "bad". It gave me peace and released me from being too critical when creating. If you are open with your work, you'll get the feedback from the customers find a way where both you and your customers are happy. It may never be the greatest art but it's the best design!

9. What is your best advice to emerging artists?

When you think "I love that" or "I hate that", stop and analyze what qualities or details do you actually love or hate and what are the other thoughts that come to your mind. You might find that there are several great things in something you hate and vice versa. When you do this, your mind will open and you get to know about yourself and your own style. 

10. What would you like buyers to know about you and your artwork?

You are welcome to follow my blog that is all about creativity and love for using colors. I try to include arts, crafts and design into every one of my projects. I have new projects going on every week and often provide instructions for them too. You can find me at www.peonyandparakeet.com See you there!