“I’ve done these pictures, because present and the future generation isn’t really counsious of their history nor about life of their forefathers and my paintbrush isn’t wiggling for much longer.”
“THE SÁMIS OF SOMPIO”
Oil, mixed media on paper, 57 x72,5 cm. The Alariesto Museum Collection
The Sámis are hiding in the forest during the Great Northern War and other times of persecution. My father was a descendent of these hideway inhabitants and told usmany things from that time, and many.
“THE FIRST RESIDENTS IN THE WILDERNESS”
Oil, mixed media on paper, 42 x 60 cm. Collection of the City of Rovaniemi Photo by Ulla Etto
The people migrated from the south farther and farther north along the river banks, through the wilderness, until they came to the Arctic Ocean.
“THE STONE CHURCH OF SODANKYLÄ”
Oil, mixed media on paper, 44,5 x 35 cm. The Alariesto Museum Collection
The stone church of Sodankylä was built in 1859. It is the second church in Sodankylä and it was bricked of hammered stones. The fact that it could be heated in cold weather brought smiles to many parishioners’ faces. In the foreground, one can see people coming to church. The sledges and sleighs seen in the picture and clothes worn by people were very common in Lapland at that time.
“THE VILLAGE VUOTSO”
Oil, mixed media on paper, 63 x 89 cm. Collection of the City of Rovaniemi
In 1907 and 1909 there were only kotas in the village Vuotso, no log dwellings at all. I visited that village with my father. There were no roads either, in those days. In 1919 in the village of Vuotso there was still one man living in a kota all through the year.