Eila Minkkinen is a sculptor, designer and silversmith with a long-standing career – she has worked with art for over 60 years, of which the past 40 have been primarily dedicated to sculpture. She has even worked as a teacher at the University of Art and Design. Minkkinen comes from an old farmhouse in Central Finland, near Konginkangas, and becoming an artist was a natural choice for her already at a young age. She has always enjoyed drawing – after all, she received top marks in the subject at school! Childhood stories about Akseli Gallen-Kallela staying nearby and painting his famous Keitele works in the area served as a strong source of inspiration. Before the war, the family’s courtyard house was home to the respected Swedish painter Tora-Vega Holmström, and after the war, the graphic artists Kalle Carlstedt and Erkki Tanttu. These visiting artists also left a lasting impression on Minkkinen, who, at the age of 16, applied to study the metal arts. She later graduated from studying design at the Institute of Industrial Arts. During her studies, she spent three years as an apprentice in a silversmith’s workshop, where she gained broad hands-on experience in working with
Although she is now best known for her sculptures, Minkkinen’s artistic journey began with creating jewellery. She has worked in a highly versatile way, using different sizes, techniques and materials. In her artistic expression, she does not adhere to a single style; instead, the method, material, and purpose of the work guide the outcome. Minkkinen therefore does not favor any particular style or material – as she puts it: “The favorite is always what you’re doing at the time!” Still, outsiders have recognized a clear and distinctive personal touch in her work.
Minkkinen now lives in a wooden house in Old Rauma, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The house includes both living and working spaces, with a studio and storage. The closeness to nature – apple and cherry trees, berry bushes, and the changing light – has a strong influence on her creativity. The incredible light of spring inspires new work and often brings old sketches back to life, as the environment greatly affects her process. In Helsinki, she experienced the lack of studio space as limiting, but in Rauma, the conditions are ideal even for larger works.
Minkkinen’s work often involves searching for forms in nature and conveying the mood of nature through art. She always tries to give her pieces titles that offer the viewer clues to the content, even if the work is abstract.
In recent years, she has been particularly moved by the theme of environmental loss and its consequences – this is evident in her use of copper, where the patina reflects the tones of a parched landscape. Nature has always been a recurring theme in her work, in ever-changing forms – including positive ones.
The challenges of being an artist often stem from the material itself: metal is a demanding and tough medium to work with. Larger pieces also come with practical difficulties such as transport and storage. Finding inspiration, on the other hand, is not an issue – often a pencil and paper are enough to awaken it. Combining artistry with small-scale entrepreneurship brings its own challenges: taxes, bureaucracy, and the constant workload make it difficult to maintain relationships and a social life. Minkkinen feels that if one is not naturally outgoing, it’s easy to remain in the shadows, and maintaining a balance between work and life is hard. For this reason, events like Konstrundan are important to her – they provide an opportunity to meet the public and share ideas. Minkkinen hopes that even visitors from farther away will find their way to her studio. In 2025, she will once again participate in Konstrundan with enthusiasm, inspired by the light of spring.