Sivellinsattumia: Bright summer watercolors by Aalto-Heikkilä and Palokallio at Mobilia

Sivellinsattumia, a summer exhibition of watercolors and mixed-media works by Hallila-based Leena Aalto-Heikkilä and Tampere artist Virpi-Marja Palokallio, opens in Mobilia’s Mini Cabinet on 4 July and runs until 5 August 2026, the museum said in a press release.

The small display space is filled with bright, playful pieces hung densely, inviting a compact, fairy-tale stroll through cheerful scenes. Small but lively. "Sivellinsattumia describes our exhibition well. We both love working in watercolors, but other techniques often creep into our work," Aalto-Heikkilä said, adding that mixed media lets the paintings take unexpected directions.

The two long-time friends travel together whenever possible, bringing painting materials on trips and drawing inspiration from places such as Italy, Finland’s archipelago and sunny coastal towns. The show also features works made at home. "Many pieces were made on autumn evenings when you want to curl up by candlelight and let the brush capture the mood," Palokallio said.

The Mini Cabinet sits next to the museum’s café and is freely accessible to visitors during opening hours when it is not booked for groups. The museum provided an image of Aalto-Heikkilä’s work La Mortellan puutarhassa to accompany the announcement.

The exhibition is part of the museum’s summer programme, highlighting local artists and offering visitors a compact, colourful display that can be seen alongside the regular exhibits.