Riikka Sormunen's work is amazing! I am quite taken by her colour palette and the crazy amount of fine detail she puts into every little thing. Her stylistic approach to figures and the way she contrasts uber decorative fabric with flat coloured interiors is an approach I like to take in my own work.I remember a few years ago at university a painting tutor once told me that the my subject matter tends to stare towards the 'exotic'. At the time I felt affronted, huh, what does he mean? That I like to draw sexy ladies? Animals? Is that too kitsch? It wasn't until later after finding myself trawling through countless books on Japonesque and trying to mimic Indian folk paintings did I realise that, oh I guess he was right. I find these exotic themes all through out Sormunen's work too, which is why I like them so much.
