Reijo Kivijärvi, originally from Soinio, has been a professional artist for more than 40 years. In addition to charming naïve paintings of ordinary people, he produces landscapes. His paintings often depict everyday life in a rural village in the 1960s, before the societal changes that marked the end of this lifestyle took place, where people were self-sufficient, the village high street bustled with life, and people visited one another and helped each other. The artist’s exhibition is open on Kivijärvi’s farm in Soini every day from Midsummer to the end of July.
On his farm, Kivijärvi has created a unique old-world milieu, complete with historical buildings. In the early 1990s, he began to transfer old buildings, such as barns, smoke saunas, a blacksmith’s workshop, a grain store and a summer kitchen, along with old items and tools to the farm. The farm’s shingle cutter powered by a stationary engine, which was built by Kivijärvi, is a unique item. Over several summers, the farm also served as a venue for Kivijärvi’s ‘Olde Worlde Event’.
These days, the artist welcomes visitors to explore the farm from Midsummer to the end of July. A café is open on the farm in summer, and meals and bathing in a smoke sauna can be arranged on request. Visitors seeking a unique experience can stay the night in a 300-year-old barn that exudes old-world charm.
The farm is open to groups by appointment. It also makes a suitable venue for courses on traditional crafts.
