I grew up about 20km from Tallinn. From the age of 7-11, I went to after school art classes. From 2000, after high school, I took art classes at the Tallinn Folk University for a couple of years. Once a week I studied some classical things about painting and drawing. At this time I had quite different style.
A couple of years after I finished the art classes, I still participated in their exhibitions. Then a former teacher invited me to exhibit and I went there with my new style of painting, the teacher didn’t want to put them up. While I was a bit upset I couldn’t stop drawing as I wanted to. Who would, eh?
In 2007 I went for a year in Australia. I started to like the Japanese style character design. And this started to influence my work. In Australia I had plenty of time to draw and I came back with a huge pile of pictures. Then in 2008 Aivar Tõnso asked me to do visuals at an electronic music party and things just started happening. Since then I have participated in over 20 different parties and concerts with my drawings.
I think I can draw anytime. Even if I am in a bad or sad mood, it Won’t appear in my drawings. If I’m drawing it’s to create the world where I want to be. And I think that every artist has the possibility to create something beautiful, so I use this opportunity.
I do have a dark side but I don’t show it much, it’s not like ‘dark’, more like a sad kind of maudlin side. But I try not to think negative thoughts or give energy to them. Putting labels on experiences or people, telling others how they should live? If I find myself thinking like this, then I just stop it. I follow my feelings, so I only communicate with people who I really like, that saves a lot of time. If I don’t have anything to share, then I’d rather be alone and do my stuff.
While basically I draw the same thing, it appears in a variety of ways and with different characters. It’s the one mood I am trying to express. Like the ‘ohm’ feeling. Where I am flying and floating. I’m not drawing for other people, I’m always happy though when others like my creations.
My other passion is photography. I’ve been taking photos since 2005, never studied it at school, although I feel pretty comfortable. I like experimenting and trying new things. Now I’m at a stage where I mix photos and drawings.
I take a lot of photos and then on the computer customise them with the pictures. I don’t have a specific concept before, I only design the layout of the surface.
And the pictures are nameless, because I never know what’s going to come out when I start, and even when I do the combining I have no idea what’s going to happen. As I’m mixing the photos and drawings I create new worlds and I always like to see the result, always thinking ‘how would it be if this world was real?’ I know it’s not real but I try to incorporate it into my worldview.
Okeiko is a photographer and artist based in Tallinn, Estonia. Drawing her inspiration from nature her photographs of trips in Iceland, Estonia and Australia are heart warming and charming, sneaking into your subconscious to play mischievously. Okeiko is also a sought after VJ, blending illustrations and photography, playing at the most fun and informed events in the town and country.
Dive deeper:
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Saw your work at Robotaanika Park music festival & u really impressed me with your warm & positive work. Continue…
absolutely adoring your stuff :D
I am in complete love with your work, and I’m high…lol
Good job Annika ;)
Great stuff!! Love the almost comedic mixture of photography and anime-like characters. Do you take the photos upon which the characters have been superimposed? Love it. Want more!
Positive aura reflected from her pictuers and herself. I am happy to have a friend like her!
Well, I like it :)
