Get inspired by painting in water colours, making mosaic or environmental art. You can also try the Finnish national instrument, kantele, and let yourself be enchanted by its sounds against the background of light summer winds or open fire in the winter…
Combine your holiday with an arts workshop!
1. Journey to Sources of Creativity*
Open all senses to the nature, explore small details, look out for and collect treasures to create environmental art. What does the wind look like, how does it feel and smell? Stones and driftwood smoothened by water tell their own tales. Collect treasures of the nature to make your piece of art that you can photograph, sketch, take with you… A personal work of art is like an amulet that takes one back to true nature.
Practical art from the nature – a feast for the eyes for children and adults alike. A three-hour excursion into natural and environmental art, led by artist and designer Liisi Vuorjoki.
Liisi is a diversified artist, who creates art out of natural and recycled materials. Unexpected features and bold colours are characteristic of her work.
Options: weekend courses or 3 hours workshops during your holiday week in Raita.
A. Weekend course from Friday 6 pm until Sunday 4 pm
Contains: a weekend in the Raita villa in twin rooms, tuition, materials, sauna.
Group size: 4-6
Fee: 277 euros p. p. With a DIY meal package 327 euros p. p. With meals 380 euros p. p.
B. A day during your holiday
Group size: 4-6
Duration and fee: 3 hours 45 euros p. p.
2. Watercolour Weekend*
On this course, everyone can paint! Spend a weekend painting with watercolours at Raita cottage!
On the watercolour painting course at Raita you paint in the midst of the nature, under the tuition of a professional. You get acquainted with the equipment and various techniques of watercolour painting. You can combine watercolours with pencil, felt-tip pen or charcoal drawing.
Motives are provided by the surrounding nature. For landscape painting, you learn about the impact of light on colours and shades. The idea is not to produce photographic paintings, but to concentrate on finding a relaxed approach and the individual art of painting for each participant.
The package contains: a weekend in Raita cottage in double rooms, tuition and materials. Friday-Sunday afternoon.
Fee: 277 euros p. p.; minimum 4, maximum 6 participants.
With a DIY meal package 327 euros p. p.. With meals 380 euros p. p.
Tutor: Auli Partio, MA, Fine Arts
Auli Partio is an artist known for hand-painted silk scarves, including some with Kalevala motives. She works in a former cow shed that she has converted into a studio. Join her autumn-time “Walks of Art” to explore recycled art.
* These courses can also be arranged on weekdays
3. A Day Creating Mosaic
The mosaic workshop in Koivuniemi is targeted at grown-up participants. During the eight-hour course you learn how to create mosaics. The meditative force of mosaic making is a good remedy against stress.
Contains: tuition, materials, coffee/tea and a meal
Fee: 150 euros p. p., minimum 2 participants. (Koivuniemi)
Tutors: Riitta and Patrick Ward
Patric Ward is an Irish-born artist, who discovered his great talent in mosaic-making after moving to Finland. His favourite motives are the Finnish nature and animals. He, too, excels in the use of recycled materials and in creating landscapes.
Mosaic for the Whole Family
At the mosaic workshop for families at Koivuniemi we make simple mosaics: pictures, pot mats and decorative balls. In the three-hour session, families can create art together and enjoy a coffee and refreshment break. Get in touch to fix a date that suits your holiday plans best.
Contains: tuition, materials, coffee/tea/cold drink and pastry.
Fee: 50€ p. p., minimum 4 participants.
Tutors: Riitta and Patrick Ward
Distance between Raita and Koivuniemi is 20 km – 20 minutes.
Raita for artists
All our cottages are located in Rääkkylä in the northern Saimaa Lake District. The town is renowned for folk music and the modern electric version of the national instrument ‘kantele’. Our most popular cottage, Raita on the island Suursaari in Varpasalo can be reached from Joensuu by car in 1 hour. Scenic surroundings, magnificent vistas of the northern Saimaa lake district from the house, valuable forest areas. Private nature protection areas.
For 6 people, 99m2, barrier-free access
· Open-plan kitchen, dining & living area
· 2 double bedrooms
· galleried sleeping area for 2, standing height
· bathroom with shower and sauna
· 2 x toilet
· cloakroom
· utility building with carage
· 2 x dry toilet
· wifi, internet
Island idyll, haven of tranquility – an hour by car from Joensuu – for relaxation and invigoration around the year.
Modern building based on Karelian timber construction tradition, built in 2011.
Prices: Ask for more!
Äksyt Ämmät Oy | Green Finn Tour operator
sales@aksytammat.fi | +358400877085
