Born in 1983, Aino-Maija Metsola graduated with a degree in graphic design at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. Shortly afterwards, she began to do freelance work, caught the eye of Marimekko during a design contest and eventually became an in-house designer for the textile giant. The versatile designer uses a variety of mediums to achieve her unique looks that are both strong and delicate, but has a special spot in her heart for watercolors; in fact, she uses the same watercolor case she has since she was 14 years old.
Though she lives in the bustling city of Helsinki, Metsola finds her muse in the many forests of Finland’s countryside. Her nature-inspired designs have showcased fruits and vegetables, animals, flowers and most recently, weather, as part of Marimekko’s new Sääpäiväkirja (Weather Diary) series. The line features her artwork on the clean-lined shapes of Sami Ruotsalainen’s Oiva dinnerware, where Metsola’s abstract lines and watercolor gradients reach their full potential.
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