I am so ecstatic to have Paulina of Lemmikkiapina at LL&O today, a truly lovely anniversary treat. I am a little lost for words about Paulina’s work, the images really speak for themselves, better than a list of adjectives, where would I start: sublime, heartbreaking… you see what I mean! So, let’s meet Paulina and lose ourselves in her beautiful world.
Tell us a little about yourself, the media you work with and your creative process.
“My name is Paulina Temmes and I’ll be 34 years old this December. I live in a small village in Southern Finland with my partner and my old grey striped cat. I grew up in Helsinki and I studied textile art there at the University of Art and Design.”
“I started making dolls and writing and drawing little animal stories when I was about 20 years old. Most of my older dolls were made from modelling clay, but lately I have concentrated on sewing soft sculpture animals. I love loosely woven linen, paperlike organza and vintage fabrics with signs of their age. One of my favourite materials is little stones and pebbles found everywhere.”
“At the moment I’m working at home and sewing my animals full-time. I rarely draw any sketches before I start sewing. By the time the animal’s face and body are ready, I usually know his character and how he should be dressed. Usually my animals turn out to be quite melancholic and peaceful.”
From where do you draw your inspiration: music, books, people, nature etc?
“I always find inspiration from animals: my own cat, neighbour’s horses that graze just behind our garden fence, the rabbits that come to our garden at night, a patient dog waiting outside a grocery store.
Lately I have drawn inspiration from old mechanical toys and books about medieval embroidery and outsider art.”
If you could talk briefly about the background to one of your pieces which would you choose and why? Please tell us the story behind the piece.
“This monkey holding a garland of forget-me-nots is very dear to me. I made him for a small exhibition I had in Helsinki a few years ago. I think he looks very calm and quiet, a bit like a statue in an animal cemetery.”
Thank you so much for joining us Paulina, it has been so wonderful to learn some more about you and your creative process. It is my dream to give a home to a creature from Lemmikkiapina next year, keep your fingers crossed for me, they fly so fast! Do you have a favourite from Paulina’s shop? I would love to hear which you would choose, it was hard enough to select the images for this post, *everything* is so beautiful. Sigh!
I love Them!
xx
someone, somewhere, has “young rabbit” and that person is quite lucky.
I’ve been trying to avoid falling in love (until I wil be able to purchase) with her creatures everytime I see one on Melissa Loves …
But now I just can’t !
Images n°3, 5 and 8 … Oh dear …
I am in awe.
Thank you so much, Lisa & Paulina.
x x x
___mathyld___
I have been very blessed to “meet” Paulina on Etsy and own some of her amazing work!
Paulina made me an amazing deer head last month , i wanted something special for my birthday, every time I look at it, awwwwwww sigh….soo beautiful. I would love to have one of her beautiful foxes next…..
Thank you Paulina and Loulou Oscar featuring such an amazing artist in your blog!!
Paulina’s work is amazing and inspiring. I plan to own one of her sweet animals very soon. Thank you, Lisa, for this interview. xo
Thank you so much for sharing these incredible creatures. I love that they all have their own little coats too. What a very talented lady.
Shaz.
x
Oh. how wonderful….I adore Paulina’s work so very much and always favorite every single one she features. I know she also made a custom swan for Ez and it is sublime…..I would love to own one of her beautiful pieces of art one day….maybe a custom elephant with a gorgeous elephant on his back? If I could be so lucky…..thank you for this ladies!
xo
Melis
oops, I meant a gorgeous butterfly on his back! Not an elephant! That would probably hurt him! 😉
xo
Melis
thank you so much for doing this interview! paulina’s work is nothing short of incredible, and they are even better in person. (trust me, you will not be disappointed.) i have a sweet little fox, but i find myself craving her “fox tying knots” and the deer head she made for theresia! so, so beautiful.
ooh, i am just overjoyed with all the beautiful shots of paulina’s work. thank you so much lisa… what a lovely start to my morning!
Wow! Stunning work. Her little foxes break my heart–I LOVE fox tying knots so much.
I have been a long time secret admirer of Paulina’s art and when I saw your post this morning I thought I would just try to see if there was anything in her shop. I really had a feeling their would be something special there waiting just for me.
My premonitions are very strong sometimes. There she was a exquisite horse wearing a dark coat. It moved me and images of a mourning cloak flashed through my mind. I purchased it in a flash and I can’t wait for it to arrive.
I am the happy owner of Paulina’s Blue Rabbit. It is so quiet and lovely. I look at it everyday. Thanks for this post, and I like the rest of your blog as well. All the best to you. XO Maribeth
I’m the ecstatic owner of several Paulina’s animal (that deer now lives with me) and embroideries and just bought the Mechanical Bear as a christmas present for myself. Her work is truly amazing and I’m especially happy with my commisioned work. Thank you for the post!
Thank you so much, Lisa!
and thank you all for your lovely comments and support!
how lovely – so delicate and tender – very inspiring
so glad to have been introduced to this artist…the work is graceful and sweet.
my favorite. sublime!
Absolutely poetic work- I adore yoour shop and love your creations! An inspiration : )
OH Joy. Whenever I come here, there is so many treasures to admire. Thank you for sharing!
cute blog!
Such beauty and sensitivity!
Love the new hoops, like the spidery theme it’s looks real!!
Still no badge, don’t know if it’s Jersey or Scotland.
these creatures are so beautiful. they remind me of my mother’s rabbit that she kept from when she was a girl. so worn down, in a little sweater dress. so amazing. and all of them remind me of the feeling from the velveteen rabbit.
so glad you did this interview! how nice to hear from the artist. i have one! i’m totally in love with it. i have a rabbit wrapped in a shawl that has two tiny hearts embroidered on it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/comfies/3782901123/
I would to know the email address of Paulina temmes
Your blog and work are beautiful!
I love this work as well, one of my favorite etsy artists, probably my very favorite!
WOW…love these creatures, are they for sale?
i love her sky rabbit..& hope to get one someday <3