Hanna Konola's dreamy illustrations give us the warm 'n' fuzzies

Hanna Päivikki Konola is a Finnish designer and illustrator who has stolen our hearts with her dreamy, joyous compositions. Living and working in Helsinki, she has spent some solid time cutting her teeth in university programs in Finland and abroad, having spent study stints in Helsinki, Norway and even Tokyo! Dividing her time between commercial projects and her personal art practice, she lends her positive and joyous work to textiles, products, packaging and editorial clients all over the world.

Her inspiration comes from everything that surrounds her, drawing on experiences, thoughts and feelings of everyday life combined with the randomness and experimental process of making work. It also comes as no surprise to us to read that Hanna grew up in a small northern town in Finland. Imagining her surroundings and considering her inspirations, her work has us dreaming of forests and Scandinavian archipelagos in the summertime. A combination of bright colours and subdued pastels and strong, sharp lines against light and airy shapes, her work feels like a celebration of summer. The harmony of colours and shapes in soft textures make us feel calm and relaxed.

Her recent show at CASE in Tokyo, a gallery dedicated to Scandinavian textiles and design, was no exception to these warm and fuzzy feels. Her show, ‘Land of Summer Nights’, was inspired by the white nights of Northern Europe, and included giclee prints of large, abstract, overlapping shapes and colours and textural wooden cut-outs. An accompanying soundtrack of ambient, meandering piano accompanied by surging synths, light beats and bird song transformed the space into a little slice of Scandinavia. 

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