About
Aria’s underwater series presents evocative, abstracted seascapes in which schools of fish drift and swirl in quiet harmony. Through an impressionistic technique—each brushstroke rendered in a single hue to signify an individual fish—she creates a rich sense of depth and an almost sculptural, three-dimensional effect. Vibrant blues and greens, punctuated by flashes of red, yellow, and magenta, animate the canvas with a luminous interplay of movement, texture, and colour.
These works reflect Aria’s profound connection to the natural world, particularly the ocean’s ever-shifting rhythms. The compositions, alive with motion and layered complexity, invite the viewer into immersive underwater realms. The titles further illuminate her inspiration, evoking the graceful choreography of fish moving in unison.
More recently, Aria has recognised a subtle parallel between her palette and that of traditional Finnish textile artists, whose woven landscapes echo similar tonal harmonies. This discovery has deepened her exploration of colour and form. Driven by curiosity, she continues to experiment with materials and techniques, crafting visual experiences that captivate and engage the eye.
A Finnish-born, Australian-based impressionist, Aria has been practising since the mid-1990s. She holds both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales, Sydney. Her work has been exhibited extensively across Australia and Finland, including twenty-two solo exhibitions.
Aria has been recognised as a finalist in several prestigious awards, including the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney, the Fisher’s Ghost Art Award at Campbelltown Arts Centre, and the Sydney Living Museums Meroogal Women’s Art Prize. She has received numerous accolades and grants, including a scholarship supporting her MFA studies, and was named Finland’s Young Kalevala Artist of the Year in 2004.
Her works are held in both public and private collections internationally, spanning Australia, the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and Finland.
Aria's CV
Education
2003 UNW Art and Design, Masters of Fine Art
1998 UNSW Art and Design, Bachelor of Fine Art
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024 Ocean Odyssey, Precinct Galleries, Berry
2023 Comforted by Nature, Clifton School of the Arts
Tropical Ocean, Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney
2021 Ocean View, Audrey Fine Arts, Sydney
Sea Tulip, Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney
2020 Woven Ocean, Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney
2019 Ocean Vista, Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney
2018 Ocean Forest, Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney
2017 Nordic Taiga, Art2Muse Gallery, Sydney
2016 ACAS, Hong Kong
2015 Natural Vibrations, Embassy of Finland, Canberra
2014 Natural Rhythms, Wollongong Art Gallery
2005 Planting Feet, Wollongong Art Gallery
2004 Sampo, Juminkeko, Finland
2002 Paljastus, Wollongong Art Gallery
2000 Arja Välimäki: 1999 Resident Artist, Wollongong Art Gallery
1996 Out of a Suitcase, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 The Imagined Realm, Wollongong Art Gallery
2023 Curious Rhythm, Francis Keevil Gallery, Sydney
Reach, Gallery Lane Cove, Sydney
2020 On the Edge, The University of Wollongong
2019 OOTI 3, NSW Parliament House, Sydney
Näyttely, Galleria G12, Helsinki, Finland
2018 Summer Love, Wollongong Art Gallery
Now, Wollongong Art Gallery
2017 OOTI 2, NSW Parliament House, Sydney
Feast, Belconnen Arts Centre, ACT
2015 OOTI, NSW Parliament House
2013 Me, the Road and I, Wollongong Art Gallery
2012 WCG Resident Artist Program 20th Anniversary, Wollongong Art Gallery
2008 Just Imagine 2, Wollongong Art Gallery
2007 (collected) Women, Wollongong Art Gallery
2006 Just Imagine, Wollongong Art Gallery
2004 Masters of COFA 2004, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
2001 Refurnished, Wollongong Art Gallery
2000 frisson, Tamworth City Gallery, 14th Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial
2001 Refurnished, Wollongong Art Gallery
Selected Grants, Awards and Prizes
2025 Finalist: Wollongong Art Prize, Wollongong Art Gallery
2014 Highly Commended: Meroogal Women's Arts Prize
Finalist: Postcodes from the Edge, Wollongong Art Gallery
2011 Second Prize: Meroogal Women's Arts Prize
Finalist: Fisher's Ghost Art Award, Cambelltown Arts Centre
2009 Second Prize: Meroogal Women's Arts Prize
2007 Winner: The Bundanon Trust: Regional Artist in Residence Scholarship
2004 Finalist: Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Sydney
2003 Finalist: 17th Liverpool City Arts Prize
Finalist: Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
2002 Finalist: The Wynne Prize Finalist, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
2004 Award: Young Kalevala - Artist of the Year, Finland
2001 Scholarship: Masters of Fine Art, UNSW Art and Design
Research Grant: UNSW Art and Design
Finalist: 21st National Craft Acquisition Award, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin
1999 Award: One year Artist in Residence: Wollongong Art Gallery
1996 Grant: NSW Ministry of the Art, Multicultural Activities Program
Collections
Finland’s Foreign Minister, Consulate General of Finland, Hong Kong
Embassy of Finland, Canberra, ACT
Juminkeko, Finnish government organisation, Finland
Wollongong Art Gallery (Three works 1998, 1999 and 2013)
From 1997 Private collections in Australia, England, Ireland, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Turkey, Spain, Slovenia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and USA