Uni
We are excited to welcome our new artist, Uni to the RésArt family!
Niko Lehtola aka Uni (Finnish word for dream) is a self-taught muralist, painter, and designer, father and lifetime traveler whose roots are deep in the local hills and snowboarding culture. His surreal, detailed and vibrant art is strongly influenced by graffiti and rap-music and inspired by the native cultures around the World, nature, moments of inner silence and visionary states.
When Niko was young he spent his days skateboarding and filling his sketchbooks. Growing up, snowboarding took all his time and attention until he was introduced to surfing in his early twenties. Through surfing, he developed a strong connection and respect for the ocean. His style had been surreal since young, influenced mainly by comics, graffiti and the art of Dali but surfing brought new understanding, inspiration, and perspective to his life and art that went well beyond the surface waves. Later visits to native communities and their ceremonies further deepened this connection with life and affected his style as an artist.
“Whether it's a recycled skate deck, canvas or a large wall, I love to paint improvising. Exploring the little details of nature and the connection that I feel are common to all life.” - Uni