Heini Mika is a Finnish artist living and working in New York City. Heini holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Worcester (UK) and she also has a degree in Fine Art and Visual Communications from Finland’s prestigious Pekka Halonen Academy of Art. Heini’s paintings have received global recognition, being showcased on four continents in prominent locations such as NYC, Paris, the UK, the UAE, and Indonesia. Her artworks have been featured in many notable publications, including the British Vogue, and several of her pieces are cherished within private collections.
Heini’s contemporary paintings serve the viewer with a palette of vibrant colors and dynamic shapes while she gives you her unique perspective on women, fairytales, and history. They have been an important source of inspiration for Heini throughout her career as an artist and this can be observed in her rich and intriguing acrylic & mixed media artworks.
Heini is the Co-Founder and chief curator of HMVC Gallery New York, an online art gallery that provides artists a space to exhibit and sell their work. With her own gallery, Heini aims to create a community where artists from all walks of life can receive public acknowledgment and encouragement on their artistic journey.
In Heini’s main series the “Feminine Perspective” Heini explores the complex nature of her female heroines.
“Since forever women have been the subject of great art, but rarely were we allowed to create great art. As a female artist living in the 21st Century, I find great inspiration in the female icons of the past. Famous women from Marie Antoinette to Miley Cyrus, have served as profound sources of inspiration for me, due to their distinctive styles and unique spirits. In my art practice I explore the contrast between the public portrayal of the women I admire and their true selves. My aim is to discover how the images of these influential women, given by pop culture, impact and shape my own artistic impressions of them. Just like the women I paint, I am an unconventional woman in the eyes of my society and with my art practice I want to invite viewers to look past the glittering images and see the depth and complexity of the women I paint, myself included.
Ultimately, my work serves as a reflection and exploration of this complex dynamic. While my intention is to showcase the vibrant and visually captivating image that pop culture has crafted around the women I idolize, I also remain very conscious of the underlying darkness that hides beneath the surface of their seemingly lighthearted images. As a Finn, I grew up on satire, dark humor, and happy endings and that is well reflected in my work. At first glance, my cartoonish mixed media paintings may depict my subject’s pop culture image perfectly, which is usually colorful, ditzy, and lacking in substance, but I am actually satirizing our perceptions of my female heroines. We are all guilty of prioritizing a person’s image over the narrative. But whether the viewer understand this duality or not, I still want them to have a good time when viewing my artwork. I choose to work with acrylics, rhinestones and glitters because their vibrant hues and plastic textures are well suited for creating eye-catching artworks that are unique to me, and perfect for the subject matter. “
Next, Heini’s watercolor series “Fantasy Collection” was inspired by history, fairytales, and her travels around the world.
Her second watercolor art collection, “Narratives in Colour” was heavily influenced by her air hostess career in the Middle East, where she was exposed to more artistic inspiration than she ever could have hoped for. Narratives in Colour consists of several colorful original artworks depicting people in historical and modern contexts.
Heini’s portrait collection, “Then and Now Portraits” consists of acrylic canvas art and limited editions. As one of the many talented history-inspired women artists, Heini played with a thought imagining how the historical characters would like to be portrayed in our modern era.
Join celebrate these fine people by viewing Heini Mika’s original art collections and wall art for sale here.
Fine art for Fine people.
ArtExpo in NYC with Artavita.
Stamford Art Association Juried show.
Red Dot-Spectrum Art Fair in Miami with Circle Arts Foundation.
Salon International D’Art Contemporain with Capital Culture House.
art3f International Contemporary Art Fair with Capital Culture House.
AATONAU article, "Heini Mika: Unveiling the Essence of Artistic Passion."
https://aatonau.com/heini-mika-unveiling-the-essence-of-artistic-passion/
Sheet Zine "Connection" issue, March 2023.
February, March, April and June issues.
5th Annual Women Artists Juried Art Exhibition
Prince Street Gallery 14th Annual Juried Show
"The Rays of Light* show at Van Der Plas gallery
"The Snow Ball Effect" show at the Firefly Artists Gallery
All She Makes magazine Issue 3
M.A.D.S Art Gallery, ”DE.MO” show
Capital Culture House, ”Serendipia” virtual exhibition
Fable Jones Studios, ”Shine” show
The Holy Art, ”Cosmosis” virtual exhibition
International Watercolor Society Indonesia, 3rd competition and exhibition
”Kesänkirjo” show at Akvart Galleria
“The Beauty of Women” show at Art Hub gallery
“City Summer” show at Akvart Galleria
"Shift” show at Movement gallery
University of Worcester
Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Fine Art Practice
Pekka Halonen Academy of Fine Art. Fine Art and Visual Communication degree