Ilona Rinne

I am Ilona, a Belgium-based artist originally coming from Finland. I am currently focusing on oil painting and printmaking, especially aquatint and monotypes, as my primary art mediums but also exploring with other printmaking methods, drawing and textile.
 

I am a storyteller through my art. My illustrative work leaves room for interpretation and imagination. Therefore, the story behind each piece might be different for everyone. I get inspired by everyday things like plants, animals, people and the camera roll of my phone.

My work usually starts with a seemingly insignificant object or a view and the story evolves throughout the process. I like to explore different techniques and draw further inspiration from experimentation. I am currently focusing on printmaking, especially aquatint. My works have a moody feel and they create a glimpse into a moment that could be just mundane or more pivotal depending on the story of the viewer creates for it.

I was always interested in creating and at a young age started working with textiles - knitting, crocheting and sewing. I went to an art school when growing up but eventually felt more limited and discouraged than inspired by the predefined themes. Those years did however give me a good base in art through exploring and experimenting with different techniques.

During the pandemic my passion for creating art resurfaced as I received a set of aquarelle paints as a gift and have been actively building on her art practice since then. I have a Master’s degree in Economics from University of Turku and am currently studying printmaking at Academie Berchem in Antwerp.