Contemporary Visual Artist
Johanna Oras
Johanna Oras is a multitalented and multidimensional contemporary visual artist from Finland. When the curtain parts at her exhibitions, you get to see Oras’ signature flower: the calla, intricate still life, expressionist displays of colour and revised classic masterpieces.
As an internationally awarded artist Oras has made her name very well-known over the course of her 30-year career and her work has found homes around the globe. She has studied in the Academy of fine art in St. Petersburg and in Florence, and still to this day is continuously evolving off her solid foundation of knowledge and technique.
Johanna Oras fearlessly fuses the art worlds classics, visions of the future and natures harmonies to quench her thirst to create. The stories behind her art are touching, funny and might even agitate their viewer.
Johanna Oras has yet to meet her match in the art field. Oras doesn’t fit in any box, refuses to be compartmentalized and will not set foot on any road that’s already been paved. Oras will paint her way herself.
Her debut exhibition sold out in less than thirty minutes. She has had an audience of over a thousand people give her a standing ovation. Her paintings have found homes across the globe.
It is without a doubt that Johanna Oras is the brightest shining star in the Finnish art sky. Growing up in very humble conditions, it wasn’t self-evident that Oras could ever follow her dream of becoming an artist. As the daughter of a single parent, her focus was needed elsewhere. Her budding dreams were dimmed by the realities of the life she was born into. But luckily for art enthusiasts around the world, not for long. After graduating an art high school in Southern Finland, Oras got accepted to study at the St. Petersburg Academy of Fine Art, where she started to bloom and find herself as an artist. To expand her learning and techniques even more, she studied one more year at the Florence Academy of Art. After an intense four years of studying, Oras had the skill set and confidence to step out and start discovering herself as an individual and as an artist. In 1997 in Helsinki, her debut exhibition was held at the most respected art gallery of its time. The evening was largely anticipated, fully packed, and every piece sold out. Everyone was intrigued by a promising young adult, who exuded passion for art and was clearly here to make her mark in the world. Fast forward to four years later, Oras proudly hung her work up at the Salon des Beaux-Arts de Paris, Carrousel du Louvre. Out of hundreds of artists, she received the jury’s Honorary Mention, and unsurprisingly it didn’t end up being the last prize she won at the Louvre. With Oras’ past successes in Finland and Europe, her determination and her identity was stronger than ever and she was ready to take on her next challenge. In 2005, Oras and her family moved to the Côte d’Azur in France. This unfamiliar country offered her a whole new source of inspiration to tap into. With this refreshed vision, Oras went on to hold exhibitions in places like Cannes and Monte Carlo, just to name a few. Since then Johanna Oras has continued her quest to conquer the world, having had exhibitions around Europe, The US, China, Russia and Qatar. Even though Oras still continues to travel the world with her art, she has also settled down with a continuous summer exhibition in Eastern Finland, which opened its doors to the public for the first time in 2010. Since then, Oras has been purposefully expanding her brand, and worked towards her vision of making fine art accessible for everyone to enjoy. In the present day, Oras still pursues growth and development as a visual artist. She lectures, teaches, interior designs, and has opened her mysterious atelier doors so that people can come watch her work. Johanna Oras is a household name, a wife, an innovator, a mother, a friend, a role model, but mostly: an incomparable artist. Now, we can only guess what’s next for this exceptional woman. She’s only 49, after all.
Curriculum Vitae
1997 The Florence Academy of Art, Florence
1994-1996 The St. Petersburg Academy of Art, Work shop of A.A. Melnikov
1993 Classes in art history at the Helsinki University of Arts and Design, Hämeenlinna
1992- 1993 Private Art School, Tampere
1990-1991 Classes in cultural history, Open University, Turku
1986-1989 High school for visual arts, Turun Lyseo
1975-1977 Wäinö Aaltonen Drawing School, Turku
1996-1998 Teacher of visual arts group at Auranlaakso Open College
1996-1997 Art camps
2017 Sivellin, joka soi Suomelle-exhibition, official part of SuomiFinland100-programme
5.10.-22.10. Logomo, Turku
26.5.-27.8. Johanna Oras Art Manor, Punkaharju
22.6.-30.7. Art Center Harri, Alavus
8.4.-6.5. Särestöniemi Museum, Kittilä
2010-16 Johanna Oras Art Manor, Punkaharju
2013 Seinäjoki Tango Festifal. Seinäjoki
2010 Vuojoki Manor, Eurajoki
2010 Art Manor Moisio, Elimäki
2009, 2010 Gallery Hanna Kaarina, Helsinki
2003 Espoo Cultural Centre
2003 Wanha Pappila (The Old Vicarage), Huittinen
2002, 2004, 2007, 2015 Crypt of Helsinki Cathedral
2001-2005 Hotel Herttua, Kerimäki
2000 Gallery Hanna Kaarina, Haikko Manor, Porvoo
1999 Culture Center Crusell, Uusikaupunki
1998-2009, 2015-2016 Culture Gallery, The Town of Pori
1998 Summer Salon, Koski Tl
1997, 2001, 2009 Galerie Galilei, Turku
1997, 2000, 2005 Art Museum of Varkaus, Varkaus
1997, 1998, 2001 Galerie Hörhammer, Helsinki
1996, 2008 Art Museum of Yrjö Liipola, Koski Tl
1995, 1996, 1997 Art Summer in Heinävesi
1994, 1995 XL International Exhibition of Art, Turku
1994 Hämeenlinna
1993 Tampere, Helsinki
2017 Sivellin, joka soi Suomelle-exhibition, official part of SuomiFinland100-programme
11.1.-31.1. Gallery of The European Court of Auditors (ECA), Luxembourg
2009 Wilhelm Hack Museum/Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz, Ludwingshafen, Germany
2008-2009 Chateau Musee Grimaldi, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France
2008 Danish Design House, Cannes, France
2007 Chateau de Taulane, La Martre, France
2003 The Finnish Cultural Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2003 The Finnish Cultural Centre, Antwerp, Belgium
2002 Palagio di Parte Guelfa, Florence, Italy
2002 Château des Tourelles, Plessis Trevise, France
1995-1996 Invitational Exhibition, Körmend, Battahyány, Várkastely, Tapolca, Vasvár, Castum Galeria, Szentgotthárd, Hungary
1994 State Art Museum, Tsarskoye Selo, St. Petersburg, Russia
1994 Stockholm, Sweden
2017 Näsi Manor Gallery, Porvoo
2012 Gallery Putka, Savonlinna, Finland
2011-2015 Salon S.N.B.A. Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2011 Visual Art Centre, Doha, Qatar
2010 Ari Kupsus Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
2010 Culture Center Ibsen House, Becescaba, Hungary
2009, 2010 Galleria d´Arte Mentana, Florence, Italy
2008 Europ´Art, Geneve, Switzerland
2007-2009 Art en Capitale, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2007-2009 Ecole de la Loire, Blois, France
2006 Maison des Artistes, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France
2006 Expo Fleur Haut de Cagnes, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France
2005 Art Festival, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Florida, USA
2004 Saint Paul Summer Song Festival Art Event, Minnesota, USA
2001-2008 Salon S.N.B.A La Société Nationale des Beaux Arts, “Salle Le Nòtre” Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2001-2004 La Famille vue par les peintres, France
1998, 2002, 2006 Moisio Art Manor, Elimäki, Finland
1996 Alpo Jaakola´s Sculpture Park, Loimaa, Finland
1995 Galerie Hörhammer, Helsinki, Finland
2016 Salon S.N.B.A Carrousel du Louvre Prix du Jury, Paris, France
2015 Town of Savonlinna Award of Honor
2011 Turku School of Economics Associations Award of Honor
2011 Federation Natioal des Beaux Art, Medaille de Vermeil
2009 Grand Prix Val de Loire, Academie International Ecole de la Loire, Blois, France
2009 Revelation 2009, Grand Concours International, Federation Nationale de la Culture Francaise
2009 Medaille d´Argent, Merite Culture Francais, Federation Nationale de la Culture Francaise
2009 Toile d´Or, Federation National de la Culture Francaise
2008 Grand Prix Val de Loire, Academie International Ecole de la Loire, Blois, France
2008 Revelation 2008, Grand Concours International, Federation Nationale de la Culture Francaise
2007 Grand Prix du Val d´Or, Special Mention du Jury, Academie International Ecole de la Loire, Blois, France
2006 Le Prix “Commercants et Artisans du Haut de Cagnes”, Journee Chevalet des Haut-Talents, Maison des Artistes, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France
2005 Medaille d`Argent, Salon S.B.N.A Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2005 Merit Award, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Florida, USA
2003 Mention d´Honneur, Salon S.N.B.A Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
2003 Diplome d´Honneur et Medaille de Villeneuve- Saint-Georges, France
2003 Medaille d´Argent, Arts, Sciences&Lettres, Paris, France
2002 Diplome d´Honneur, Arts, Sciences& Lettres, Paris, France
2001 Mention d´Honneur Salon 2001 Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
1999 First Prize in the competition Look at the bag,Helsinki, Finland
1985 Special prize in the drawing competion arranged by The Turku City Orchestra and The Museomäki School, Turku, Finland
2015 One hell of a painter – Pirun hyvä maalaamaan
ISBN 978-952-93-5506-8
2008 Taiteilijanallet Rivieralla – Artist Teddy Bears on the Riviera
ISBN 978-952-5278-84-2
2005 Eternal Mystery – Ikuinen Mysteeri
ISBN 952-5278-60-3
2005 Maalataan ruokaa!
ISBN 952-468-079-3
2000 Eye for Beauty – Silmää kauneudelle, biography
ISBN 951-9129-40-5
Illustration of five children´s books by Anja Välimäki:
1998 Prättäkitti – Tepon talon outo emäntä
2000 Riki ja Lotikonkellarin aarre
2002 Riki ja susivaara
2004 Riki ja karitsa
2005 Hevonlinnan hiisi
La Société Nationale des Beaux Arts
France Monde Culture
Expression libre
Maison des Artistes
Fédération Nationale de la Culture Francaise
Artiste de la Communauté Européenne
