Aria is a Finnish-born, Australian-based impressionist artist whose work explores the movement, rhythm, and colour of the natural world. Practising since the mid-1990s, she holds both a Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, and has exhibited extensively across Australia and Finland, including twenty-two solo exhibitions.
Her distinctive underwater series captures abstracted seascapes where schools of fish swirl and drift in fluid harmony. Using a signature technique of single-colour brushstrokes—each representing an individual fish—Aria creates richly layered compositions with a striking sense of depth and subtle three-dimensionality. Vibrant blues and greens, punctuated by flashes of red, yellow, and magenta, bring her paintings to life with energy, texture, and luminosity.
Deeply inspired by her connection to the ocean, Aria’s work invites viewers into immersive environments that celebrate both movement and stillness. Her recent recognition of parallels between her palette and traditional Finnish textile art has further enriched her exploration of colour, linking her contemporary practice with her cultural heritage.
Aria has been a finalist in several prestigious awards, including the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sculpture by the Sea, the Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, and the Sydney Living Museums Meroogal Women’s Art Prize. She has received numerous grants and honours, including being named Finland’s Young Kalevala Artist of the Year in 2004.
Her work is held in public and private collections internationally, including Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and Finland.