About

 

 

The name of my brand is a wordplay on my hyphenated first name, Ilta-Maria. I-M, or simply I’m. It’s a reminder of why I am here: I’m here to express. Also, the words 'I am' hold immense power because they shape our identity and reality. What we choose to say after 'I am' influences our mindset, so it's important to be mindful, as it can either uplift us or hold us back.

I was born in Finland to artist parents, so creativity has been bubbling around me since birth. I’m a visual artist, but I also dance, sing, and sometimes capture the world through photography and video. As a child, my “studio” was anywhere I could make a mess — the living room for dance performances, the dining table for painting, and recording me singing over Mom's c-cassettes.

My teenage years were difficult, and in my twenties I sank into a long depression that silenced my creativity for almost a decade. The joy of creating — the very thing that allowed me to be fully present — was gone.

When I finally began to heal, I studied music, focusing on singing. But after developing vocal cord nodules, I had to give up those studies. That loss eventually led me back to visual art. I enrolled in Alfa-Art School in Finland, with one simple goal: to rekindle my passion for drawing and painting. I succeeded. In 2014, I graduated as a visual artist and discovered my own unique painting style.

My process is intuitive, playful, and a bit like an adventure. I build my paintings layer by layer — doodles, abstractions, bursts of color — letting forms and emotions reveal themselves. The concept for a collection usually comes later. I don’t like to over-explain my work; I prefer viewers to find their own story in it. But one thing is certain: every piece is infused with strong emotion, honesty, and a little spark of joy.