A FEW WORDS ABOUT MYSELF

    I started to make sculptures after graduating from Estonian Art Institute sculpture department in 1983. My first works were from bronze, chamotte and plaster. The first personal exhibition I had in 1985 was a great success. As during this time it was quite cheep to make bronze-casting in Estonia (this time is called a bronze-era), I discovered bronze as a material for myself. The works I made then were humoristic and funny.

    In 1990 I took part in the first woodcarving symposium in Estonia and fell in love in wood. Since then I started also to do more and more abstract works. Until now wood is still one of my favorite materials. Since 1990 every year I have taken part in some wood-carving symposiums – in Finland (in Kemijärvi and Kakslauttanen), Costa-Rica, France, Wales , USA, Holland and many times in Estonia. Since 2000 I am also organizing an international woodcarving-symposium in Estonia - in Sagadi manor-myself.

    I am a member of Estonian Artists´ Union and in the board of Estonian Sculptors` Union. My works have been exhibited in Estonia, Australia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Russia, USA, Germany, Costa-Rica, Japan, Ireland, Japan and Holland. I have had 14 personal exhibitions - 10 in Estonia, two exhibitions in Finland (Helsinki, Hämeenlinna), one in Holland (Groningen) and one in Germany (Berlin).

      My work has been influenced by Estonian mythology and Nordic religions and beliefs.

For the exhibitions I prefer to do abstract works from all sort of different materials. For the commissions I also make realistic works and cast them to bronze. The most well-known of my works is in Tartu - the second big town in Estonia, famous of its old University. The sculpture is from bronze: two life-size figures - writers- sitting on the same bench. One of them is world-famous Irish writer Oscar Wilde and the other very famous Estonian writer - Eduard Wilde. The sculpture is very popular - people like to sit there and also to make photos together with the writers. Last year (2004) was very important to Estonia – we joined European Union. For this occasion Estonian Republic made a gift for Ireland – Galway city got the copy of this sculpture. It is situated now on the main walking street in Galway.

    I have had an honor to make two coins for Estonia - one golden coin in 1999 dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Estonian Bank - stamped in Austria and a silver coin in 2002 dedicated to the anniversary of Tartu University - stamped in Australia.

    My winter hobby is to make ice sculptures. The first time for me to make a snow-sculpture was in Finland ( Savonlinna)  in 1998 and I have done them also in USA, France, Switzerland, Canada  and Estonia. The first ice-sculpture I made was in 1998 in Alaska, USA. I have been in Finnish Lapland (Pello, Kakslauttanen), in Helsinki, Vaasa and in Salekhard, Russian Siberia to make ice-carving and enjoy it very much.

I am working in Tallinn University as an associate professor of sculpture