Hi! I'm Riina.

 I paint  people. ​
​And it's the best thing in the world!
My passion for the art of make-up has included nearly every genre of makeup artistry, but my specialty and love of my life is body painting. It's living, breathing and moving art with magical qualities and endless possibilities. People say my eyes start to sparkle when I talk about it! Yes, even more than when I talk about rabbits, the  power of manifestation or my motorcycle!
Now you're on my site so I know you're interested in body painting.
But do you believe that body painting could change your life or help your business? 
I do, but I'm  guessing  you aren't sure, so...
Let me convince you!  Or even better, let me show you!  Let me surprise you!
So here's what I can do for you.

I can help YOU if...

​​​​☆   You want to tick off a liberating, fun and once-in-a-lifetime experience from your bucket list
​​​​☆  You want to feel wonderful and empowered in your own skin and love your body just as it is, with all the lumps and bumps
​​​​☆   You need a piece of art on your wall​, but you really want something more unique than a city view poster from Ikea​

​​​​I can help ​YOUR BUSINESS if...

​​​​☆   You want to stand out with your marketing, create buzzworthy PR content or need some eye-catching  entertainment for your event
☆   You're not afraid to do something different than your biggest competition, and you're certainly not scared of being seen
☆   You want to fascinate your audience and do something that evokes wonder, admiration and opinions
​☆   You think body painting often looks cheap and therefore it wouldn't compliment your brand ​ (Yes, I want to show you the opposite!)

You're always my most important client.

 I don't cut my standards, but I strive to meet, or rather exceed, your expectations.  My years of experience and vast knowledge guarantee that you don't have to worry about settling for average.  I strive for excellence and I love my clients who share the same attitude towards their goals. There is nothing better than seeing every piece of the puzzle fall into place and creating amazing results together! 
We made a series of tv-commercials based on Riina´s bodypainted vegetables. Beforehand we were a little bit nervous, how to combine naked bodies without destroying image of taste, which is crucial in food advertising. Shooting three different vegetables made of human beings took three days. We were impressed by Riina´s professional commitment to achieve excellent artwork and at the same time commitment to reach our commercial communication targets. The end result was absolutely stunning.
Miika Helenius, Apetit Oyj
​​Colourful. Intriguing. Beautiful. Bold. Unique. Outstanding quality.

MY CREDITS IN NUMBERS

☆
6 AWARD TROPHIES 

The most prestigious one is  
The World Champion title from 2014.
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HUNDREDS OF PAINTED BODIES

99% would like to get painted again
​(1 % didn't say that, so I'm  guessing! )
☆

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10 COUNTRIES

I'm  based in Helsinki, Finland but available for assignments worldwide.
☆

SELECTED CLIENTS

Apetit | Pfizer | Veikkaus |   Bayer | Valio | LUSH | Supercell | LUMENE | Teknos | Efima |  ​ Crunchips/ Lorenz Snack-World At  |  PETA |   Muchachomalo | Intrum Justitia | Tekes |  Minna Parikka | Otavamedia | Radio  Nova |  Finnish Floorball Federation |   Exel Floorball | Starkki | Betsson | Radio X3M |   US Ambassador Bruce Oreck |  Saastamoinen Foundation |   Alma Media Corporation | Lepaa Garden show | Powerfactory  Oy/ Scorpion Exo | Via Helsinki -magazine | Illusion  Magazine | Tuusula Night of the Arts | Aller Media | Kämp Galleria | Salli |  TV 5 |   WB Academy/  WB.Production GmbH ​ | Taiga Colors |   Grönmark
TV appearances: TBC  (South Korea),  Strada (TV1) , Yle 1 morning show (TV), MTV3 morning show (TV), Puoli seitsemän (TV)
And then there's all my basic CV stuff below this. In case you're interested.
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Or you can just  click the button & contact me to  book your body painting!

​HONORS & AWARDS

2020 Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) - Artist grant , COVID-19
2014 World Champion - World Bodypainting Award in brush/sponge (The World Bodypainting Festival, Austria)
2014 Appreciation Award - Korean Makeup Artists Association (South-Korea)
2014 Nominee  - World Fine Art Bodypainting Award (The World Bodypainting Festival, Austria)
2014 Second place - Juried Exhibition: Em*bodied Art. Winter competition at Artscenetoday.com (USA).
2013 Make-up Achievement of the year -  the Professional Make-up Artists of Finland.
2013 Third place -  Living Art America - Bodies as work of art. (Atlanta, USA.)
2013 Vice World Champion - World Bodypainting Award in brush/sponge (The World Bodypainting Festival, Austria)
2012 First place - 'Body Painter of the Year' (UK Face and Body Painting Convention)
2011 Third place -  World Bodypainting Award in UV-effects  (The World Bodypainting Festival, Austria)
2011 Nominee - World Fine Art Bodypainting Award  (The World Bodypainting Festival, Austria)

PERFORMANCE ART

2019 A la Maud.   Performance in the live talk show. Uppsala, Sweden.
2018​ Living artworks - Immersive performance - with 00100 Ensemble - 50th anniversary of Saastamoinen Foundation. Helsinki.
2016 Bilitis Amoureuse (dir. Debi Wong) - University of the Arts Helsinki. Helsinki Music Centre.
2015 "Is it me?" Experimental performance with opera singer Päivi Pylvänäinen - Metsä². Helsinki.
2014 "Is it me?" Experimental performance with opera singer Päivi Pylvänäinen - ArtHelsinki Contemporary Art Fair. Helsinki.
2014 Garden spirits - performance - With dancers Tatjana Aidanjuuri-Vestala & Jari Pahkin-Hämäläinen - Lepaa 50th anniversary garden show. Hämeenlinna

EXHIBITIONS

2017 Bodycapes. Solo exhibition in restaurant Oiva. Helsinki​, Finland.
2016  Wonder Women - "Women communicating through arts" invitational group exhibition. International Cultural Centre Caisa, Helsinki, Finland.
2015 Wonder Women - The WAU Project. Solo exhibition. Lasipalatsi - Helsinki, Finland.
2015 Wonder Women & other works.  Solo exhibition. World Bodypainting Festival 2015. Austria
2013 International Bodypainting Exhibition. Group exhibition. Make-up Artfair. Soeul, South-Korea. 
2013 Fine art exhibition for the Chelko Foundation. Group exhibition. Living Art America - Bodies as work of art. Atlanta. USA. 
2012 "Bodyscapes" - fine art body painting exhibition. Solo exhibition. Gallery ArtSpace, Helsinki. 
2010 The Professional Make-up Artists of Finland . Group exhibition. The Beauty Show, Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre.

POSITIONS OF TRUST

Finnish Body Painting Championships/ Helsinki Bodypainting Competition
- head of the jury 2009 - 2019
Irish Bodypainting Festival - head of the jury 2017
Painture Festival, France - head of the jury 2016
World Bodypainting Championships, Austria - member of the jury 2015 & 2016
Duroy -bodypainting competition, Helsinki - head of the jury 2016
Baltic Beauty -body painting competition, Riga, Latvia - member of the jury 2014
North Netherlands Bodypainting Championships - member of the jury 2014
Daegu International Bodypainting Festival, South Korea - member of the jury & special artist 2013
Nordic Bodypainting Championships, Oslo, Norway - member of the jury 2012
The Professional Makeup Artists of Finland  association
- the chairman 2008 - 2013
- member of the board 2007-2014

ORGANIZATIONS

The East-Helsinki Art Association   -   2017 to present
The International Fine Art Body Painting Association   - 2011 to present
The World Bodypainting Association  -   2007 to present
The Professional Makeup Artists of Finland  association  -  2006 to present

EDUCATION

COURSES

2019 Extreme Fashion Makeup Masterclass with  Einat Dan (Israel), Helsinki
2016 Face painting for adults  - Jinny (Canada), Helsinki
2015 Airbrush bodypainting, workshop with Alex Hansen. The World Bodypainting Festival
2013 Secrets of successful bodypainting, workshop with Craig Tracy. The World Bodypainting Festival
2013 Camouflage Bodypainting, workshop with Bella Volen. The World Bodypainting Festival
2013 Bodypainting Concepts and Compositions, workshop with Johannes Stötter. The World Bodypainting Festival
2012 Introduction to Drawing and Painting II. Aalto University, Helsinki
2012 Introduction to Drawing and Painting I. Aalto University, Helsinki
2012 Textures for props, face and bodypainting, workshop with Kristina Elizarova (Russia). The World Bodypainting Festival
2012 UV Bodypainting, workshop with Wolf Reicherter (Germany). The World Bodypainting Festival
2011 3D Face art, workshop with Nick & Brian Wolfe (USA). Suomen maskeeraajat ry
2011 Commercial bodypainting - logo designs, workshop with Mike Shane. The World Bodypainting Festival
2011 Bodypainting - Highlight & Shadows, workshop with Raphaelle Fieldhouse. The World Bodypainting Festival
2010 Make-up for High Definition/ RED camera. Professional Make-up Artists of Finland
2010 Bodypainting ART, workshops with Bella Volen (Bulgaria). The World Bodypainting Festival
2009 Bodypainting Brush / Sponge, workshop with Jinny (Canada). The World Bodypainting Festival
2009 The Flawless Airbrush Beauty 2 Day Professional Masterclass. Woodbridge Productions Ltd
2002 Esthetics 2,5 credits. Open University

QUALIFICATIONS
2006 Degree Program in Beauty and Cosmetics (BA).- Helsinki Polytechnic Stadia, Finland
2001 Artistic Make-up and Special Effects..- Leicester College, UK
2000 A' level of University of London - Fine Art - Leicester College, UK
1998 Matriculation Examination. Obtained in six subjects (equivalent to A' levels) - Nummela Upper-Secondary School, Finland
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