Aarne Paldanius

Opening hours: Thu. – Fri. from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sat. – Sun. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Aarne Paldanius was born to a family of farmers in 1915, in Lapinlahti. Paldanius dreamed of studying art, but in a rural community of the 30´s artists were not valued. Following his parents´ will, Aarne Paldanius buried his dream and remained to take care of the household. Even though he had to give up his art studies, he kept his will to practise art, and worked every night after the children had gone to bed.

In 1965, fifty-year-old Aarne Paldanius became seriously ill. The doctors absolutely forbade all heavy field and forest work. As a convalescent, Aarne Paldanius had the time to practise art. He made his debut as a sculptor in 1967 when he participated in the Ars Libera annual exhibition of the Kuopio Artists' Association. Aarne Paldanius was a versatile artist who drew, painted with oil colours and sculpted from clay, plaster and wood, his favourite material. While sculpting, he held a dialogue with the material; a hole in a branch could serve as an inspiration for the work and turn into an element of the finished sculpture. Aarne Paldanius got the subjects of his works from his own life and environment.

Aarne Paldanius´ self-made art is also included in the Association for Rural Culture and Education's ITE project in Northern Savonia.