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Her distinctive green-themed compositions reflect her connection to forests, lakes, and other serene vistas found in Finland. Although her journey to painting was not conventional, she has quickly risen to prominence, exhibiting her work internationally and building a reputation for conveying peace and vitality through color.
Transition into Painting
Hurme-Mehtälä spent years working in non-artistic fields before rediscovering her creative side. A need for personal expression led her to pick up a paintbrush after a long break. Once she began painting regularly, she found that her focus on soothing greens felt natural. Finland’s abundant greenery, including mossy forest floors and lakeside foliage, shaped her initial explorations of abstract form.
Friends noticed her gift for capturing nature’s essence in a style that felt uncluttered and refreshing. Encouraged by positive feedback, she started to share her work online. Collectors responded warmly, appreciating how her art projected a sense of calm that could brighten a living space. This surge of interest spurred Hurme-Mehtälä to pursue founding an art company Sari Irene Art, and she soon set up her own studio to accommodate growing demand.
Style and Technique
Hurme-Mehtälä often relies on layered acrylics to achieve depth, allowing shades of green to interplay in ways reminiscent of sunlight filtering through leaves. She might add subtle pops of other colors—soft yellows or subdued blues—to create balance or highlight certain areas on the canvas. Each composition suggests aspects of the Finnish landscape, from water reflections to moss-covered stones.
Her approach balances spontaneity with deliberate brushstrokes. She regularly experiments with palette knives, sponges, and even everyday objects to layer paint in unexpected patterns. This creative freedom helps her capture the gradual shifts found in nature, such as morning mist lifting from a forest or waves rippling on a lake’s surface. Although her works vary in scale, the feeling they evoke remains consistent: a calming, restorative view of the outdoors.
International Exhibitions
Hurme-Mehtälä’s reputation has grown steadily, and galleries in Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, Dubai, Helsinki, London and Paris have showcased her paintings. At each exhibition, viewers often remark on how her pieces invite reflection and a sense of grounding. Many come away with the impression that her art does more than depict landscapes; it transforms the viewer’s mood by drawing attention to the healing qualities of nature.
She has collaborated with interior designers looking to add a calming influence to both residential and corporate spaces, and her pieces have found homes in private collections worldwide. Critics point out that her style, while rooted in a specific Scandinavian setting, resonates on a universal level. In a fast-paced era, her art reminds people of nature’s inherent rhythms and the peace available through mindful observation.
Featured at TRUE NORTH
On April 22, 2025, Hurme-Mehtälä will present one of her latest green-hued abstract works at the TRUE NORTH showcase, a Nordic and Baltic arts event. The painting will be part of an immersive gallery experience that invites guests to wander through rooms filled with music, dance, and other art forms. Her piece is meant to serve as an oasis within the lively setting, offering a moment of quiet for anyone who pauses to observe it.
Attendees may find themselves captivated by the gentle shifts in tone that define her artwork. Strokes of emerald, olive, and lime can suggest distant pine groves or underwater vegetation. The painting highlights how subtle changes in color can evoke entire worlds of thought and feeling. Hurme-Mehtälä hopes that by placing her piece in a setting that also spotlights environmental values, she can draw further attention to Finland’s natural legacy and the wider Nordic commitment to preserving the planet.
Visitors can see Sari Hurme-Mehtälä’s work up close at the TRUE NORTH event on Earth Day, April 22, 2025, at the New York Estonian House. The showcase merges visual, musical, and performative arts, celebrating Nordic and Baltic communities in New York. Tickets are on sale now, offering a chance to explore this harmonious blend of creative expressions. By viewing Hurme-Mehtälä’s painting, you can share in her gentle vision of nature brought to life through color and abstraction.
