OUR MEMBERS
Search alphabetically by surname or browse and get to know our talented community of members
LUCIANA MARIANO
CONTEMPORARY "NAÏVE" PAINTER
Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Luciana is third generation of naïve painters in her family. She draws and paints intensively since very early childhood but never thought it was a professioal possibility, in fact, it was a discouraged activity in her family. Until she was 38, shy for her childish trait, she painted and immediately destroyed everything she produced. After a very successful first exhibition in 2008 she decided to believe in her career as painter and since then she has shown her work in many countries and important events.
She became a Finnish citizen in 2023 and is now re-starting her career in Finland, looking forward to leave a legacy in this country she loves to call Home.
E. ROWAN MENA
POET, BOOK ARTIST, LETTERPRESS PRINTER
E. Rowan Mena is a Puerto Rican poet, translator, and book artist. They hold an MFA in poetry from Brown University, an MFA in literary translation from the University of Iowa, and an M.Phil in Criticism and Culture from the University of Cambridge. Their book Featherbone (Ricochet Editions, 2015) won a 2016 Hoffer First Horizons Award. Their translation of the Argentine graphic novel The Eternaut by H.G. Oesterheld and F. Solano Lopez (Fantagraphics, 2015) won a 2016 Eisner Award. Their artist books are collected widely. Most recently they created the artist books Puerto Rico en mi corazón, a collection of letterpress printed broadsides by Puerto Rican poets in response to Hurricane Maria, printed in Spanish and English; and Gringo Death Coloring Book by Raquel Salas Rivera with collaborator Mariana Ramos Ortiz. They have taught Book Arts, Translation, and Poetry at Brown University, Mills College, Harvard University, and elsewhere. They currently live in Fiskars, Finland.
*Photo credit: Sanni Rihimäki
ALYSIA MENTULA
FANTASY ILLUSTRATION, GRAPHIC DESIGN
HIAA ADVISORY BOARD
Alysia Mentula is a US-born Illustrator and graphic designer who loves to bring mysticism to game art and add whimsy the stark reputation of graphic design. Endlessly scribbling down concepts across disciplines, you can find her art anywhere that imagination is needed, in many gaming books for tabletop role-player gaming (Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder) as well as featured in card game illustration. She is passionate about fusing diversity and inclusion in her work in game and concept art development.
As a graphic designer, Alysia also frequently works with immigrant communities, entrepreneurs and startups in graphic and web design. She believes that people are never 'one thing' and that all facets of creativity should be freed, explored, and used for social change.
OLGA MEZHEVICH
Olga Illustrates
DIGITAL ILLUSTRATOR, ACRYLIC PAINTER
"My work is often inspired by Art Nouveau architecture of Helsinki, so unique and beautiful."
Olga Mezhevich (b. 1987) is a visual artist creating digital illustrations as well as acrylic paintings (working under the artistic name Olga Illustrates). Olga has a special interest in depicting Art Nouveau architecture of Helsinki in her art. She became interested in architecture while working as a guide in the city and thinks that Helsinki has the most unique interpretation of Art Nouveau style of all. Moreover, Helsinki has cozy neighbourhoods with colourful wooden houses surrounded by gardens, such as Puu-Käpylä, Puu-Vallila and Puu-Tapanila, which also inspire Olga. She strives to create a sense of warmth and coziness with her artworks by using cheerful colours and cute elements. Olga also experiments with other techniques such as Fluid Art and collage art.
Doing art for her has started during the pandemic in 2020, and now she works as an entrepreneur Olga Illustrates. She uses her digital illustrations to design and produce her own products such as art posters, postcards, pop-up cards, vinyl stickers, bookmarks, etc.. in her home art studio in Helsinki in Ruoholahti. Olga participates in various art markets as well as art exhibitions in Helsinki.
PHAM NGUYEN (Wynn)
ILLUSTRATION ARTIST, PAINTER, PHOTOGRAPHER
My name is Nguyen Pham - an artist, an illustrator - currently working and living in Finland. I'm also a brand identity design expert and a photographer with many years of professional experience.
I have always loved creative spaces and immersed myself in many different forms of art. My strengths are illustration, hand-drawing, sketching and photography. In the beginning, I mainly used traditional art (sketch, watercolor, oil painting). Later, I focused on developing myself as an illustrator, both hand-drawn and digital.
My works are used in book illustrations, home decorations, internal publications, storytelling, and gifts.
