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![\"Katri](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/katri-oikarinen.jpg\")
<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nKatri Oikarinen. Photographer: Helena Eslon.<\/span><\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\u201cThe summer school exceeded my expectations. It was the best possible experience for someone like me who enjoys an experimental way of making. It allowed learning by doing, without pressure for specific outcomes or fear of failure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nDuring her time at CHEMARTS, Katri created musical instruments from plants and biomaterials, which she then used to compose an original piece of music. Alongside that, she also experimented with paper composite materials.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>![\"Birch](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EverydayMaterials_Birchdrum_KatriOikarinen_photorapher_EsaKapila_AaltoUniversity_5_HR-copy-scaled.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>![\"Closeup](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birch-drum-katri-oikarinen-photographer-eeva-suorlahti.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>![\"Closeup](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birch-drum3-katri-oikarinen-photographer-eeva-suorlahti.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>![\"Katri](\"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/birch-drum2-katri-oikarinen-photographer-eeva-suorlahti.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nImages above: Musical instruments made of plants such as rhubarb, birch, cones. During the CHEMARTS Summer School 2019 Katri Oikarinen wondered if plants could act as a source of music, and finally composed and recorded a song together with them. Photographer: Esa Kapila (top image), Eeva Suorlahti (bottom three images).<\/span><\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\u201cThe atmosphere made it possible for me to bring forward, and eventually carry out, a project that initially felt a bit wild,\u201d she says. \u201cI loved how freely we were able to work, experiment, and explore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nDesigning with curiosity and care<\/b><\/p>\n
Since then Katri completed her Master\u2019s degree in Contemporary Design and has worked as a freelance artist and entrepreneur under her brand <\/span>Katri Oikarinen Art & Design<\/span><\/a>, creating products and concepts from recycled books and natural materials. Her practice combines art, design, and material experimentation, an approach rooted in the freedom and playfulness she experienced at CHEMARTS. Katri is also a <\/span>musician<\/span><\/a>, and has continued creating instruments out of plants that she uses in her live performances.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cCHEMARTS gave me the confidence and trust to continue building a career that feels true to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nShe continues to explore how natural materials can be used creatively and sustainably, while reflecting on our relationship with nature\u2019s resources.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe use of natural resources for human purposes should always be considered in balance with nature itself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nLooking ahead<\/b><\/p>\n
Katri plans to keep pursuing artistic research on natural materials, developing new ways to harness their potential responsibly.<\/span><\/p>\nWhen asked what advice she would give to future students, she smiles:<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI especially recommend CHEMARTS it if you\u2019re interested in experimental work. The course encourages playfulness and a childlike curiosity \u2014 and that\u2019s where real discoveries begin.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text]<\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]Follow Katri’s music<\/a> and design<\/a> on Instagram.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Interested in studying CHEMARTS courses? Apply<\/a> to Aalto University.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”60″ bottom_padding=”10″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”60″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”left-right” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2\/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text] Creating sound from nature When Katri Oikarinen joined the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5194,"parent":4719,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5187"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5187"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5201,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5187\/revisions\/5201"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
During her time at CHEMARTS, Katri created musical instruments from plants and biomaterials, which she then used to compose an original piece of music. Alongside that, she also experimented with paper composite materials.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text] Designing with curiosity and care<\/b><\/p>\n Since then Katri completed her Master\u2019s degree in Contemporary Design and has worked as a freelance artist and entrepreneur under her brand <\/span>Katri Oikarinen Art & Design<\/span><\/a>, creating products and concepts from recycled books and natural materials. Her practice combines art, design, and material experimentation, an approach rooted in the freedom and playfulness she experienced at CHEMARTS. Katri is also a <\/span>musician<\/span><\/a>, and has continued creating instruments out of plants that she uses in her live performances.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCHEMARTS gave me the confidence and trust to continue building a career that feels true to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She continues to explore how natural materials can be used creatively and sustainably, while reflecting on our relationship with nature\u2019s resources.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe use of natural resources for human purposes should always be considered in balance with nature itself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Looking ahead<\/b><\/p>\n Katri plans to keep pursuing artistic research on natural materials, developing new ways to harness their potential responsibly.<\/span><\/p>\n When asked what advice she would give to future students, she smiles:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI especially recommend CHEMARTS it if you\u2019re interested in experimental work. The course encourages playfulness and a childlike curiosity \u2014 and that\u2019s where real discoveries begin.\u201d<\/span>[\/vc_column_text] [vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”60″ overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”left-right” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2\/3″ tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text] Creating sound from nature When Katri Oikarinen joined the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5194,"parent":4719,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5187"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5187"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5201,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5187\/revisions\/5201"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4719"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chemarts.aalto.fi\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>[vc_column_text]\nImages above: Musical instruments made of plants such as rhubarb, birch, cones. During the CHEMARTS Summer School 2019 Katri Oikarinen wondered if plants could act as a source of music, and finally composed and recorded a song together with them. Photographer: Esa Kapila (top image), Eeva Suorlahti (bottom three images).<\/span><\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text]