Tuulikki Pietilä
Encyclopedia
Tuulikki Pietilä was a Finnish
graphic artist and professor
, born in Seattle, Washington. Pietilä was one of the most influential people in Finnish graphic arts, and her work has been shown in numerous art exhibitions. She worked as a teacher in the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, for many years, and later trained graphic artists and wrote instructional books about graphic arts.
Pietilä began her studies at the Turku
drawing school, which she attended from 1933 to 1936, and went on to study at the drawing school of the Finnish art association (1936–1940), the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm
(1945–1949) and the Fernand Léger
art academy in Paris
(1949–1953). During her studies, she met her future life partner
Tove Jansson
; they collaborated on many works and projects, including the Moomin
works, in collaboration with Pentti Eistola. These are now exhibited at the Moomin museum
in Tampere
.
Jansson's and Pietilä's travels and summers spent together on the Klovharu island in Pellinki have been captured on several hours of film
, shot by Pietilä. Several documentaries have been made of this footage, the latest being Haru, yksinäinen saari (Haru, the lonely island) (1998) and Tove ja Tooti Euroopassa (Tove and Tooti in Europe) (2004).
The first exhibition of Pietilä's work was in Turku
in 1935. Her first private exhibition was in 1951. She has participated in the Purnu group's summer exhibitions since 1967, with a retroactive exhibition in 1986. She has also participated in several exhibitions abroad. Pietilä has gained well-deserved praise for her work; she was awarded the Pro Finlandia medal
in 1963 and the title of professor in 1982.
Pietilä inspired the energetic figure Tooticky in Jansson's Moomin books. The architect Reima Pietilä
was Tuulikki Pietilä's brother.
Pietilä died at her home on February 23, 2009.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
graphic artist and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, born in Seattle, Washington. Pietilä was one of the most influential people in Finnish graphic arts, and her work has been shown in numerous art exhibitions. She worked as a teacher in the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki, for many years, and later trained graphic artists and wrote instructional books about graphic arts.
Pietilä began her studies at the Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
drawing school, which she attended from 1933 to 1936, and went on to study at the drawing school of the Finnish art association (1936–1940), the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(1945–1949) and the Fernand Léger
Fernand Léger
Joseph Fernand Henri Léger was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of Cubism which he gradually modified into a more figurative, populist style...
art academy in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(1949–1953). During her studies, she met her future life partner
Life partner
A life partner is a romantic or otherwise very close friend for life. The partners can be of the same or opposite sexes, married or unmarried, and monogamous or polyamorous....
Tove Jansson
Tove Jansson
Tove Marika Jansson was a Swedish-Finnish novelist, painter, illustrator and comic strip author. She is best known as the author of the Moomin books.- Biography :...
; they collaborated on many works and projects, including the Moomin
Moomin
The Moomins are the central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Swedish-Finn illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by Schildts in Finland. They are a family of trolls who are white and roundish, with large snouts that make them resemble hippopotamuses...
works, in collaboration with Pentti Eistola. These are now exhibited at the Moomin museum
Moomin Museum
Moomin Valley is situated in the city of Tampere, Finland. In the Moomin Valley Museum you can see original illustrations made by Tove Jansson , 40 miniatures, tableaux about Moomin events and a small Moomin House...
in Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
.
Jansson's and Pietilä's travels and summers spent together on the Klovharu island in Pellinki have been captured on several hours of film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, shot by Pietilä. Several documentaries have been made of this footage, the latest being Haru, yksinäinen saari (Haru, the lonely island) (1998) and Tove ja Tooti Euroopassa (Tove and Tooti in Europe) (2004).
The first exhibition of Pietilä's work was in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
in 1935. Her first private exhibition was in 1951. She has participated in the Purnu group's summer exhibitions since 1967, with a retroactive exhibition in 1986. She has also participated in several exhibitions abroad. Pietilä has gained well-deserved praise for her work; she was awarded the Pro Finlandia medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
in 1963 and the title of professor in 1982.
Pietilä inspired the energetic figure Tooticky in Jansson's Moomin books. The architect Reima Pietilä
Reima and Raili Pietilä
Reima Pietilä was a Finnish architect. He did most of his work together with his wife Raili Pietilä .Reima Pietilä was professor of architecture at the University of Oulu from 1973 to 1979....
was Tuulikki Pietilä's brother.
Pietilä died at her home on February 23, 2009.