Beautiful longing (2025) Original Mixed-media Painting by Vilmalotta Olivia Schafhauser

Kaunis kaipaus (in Finnish)—meaning "Beautiful Longing" —was born from a deeply personal reflection on the quiet ache of yearning and the beauty found within stillness. Painted on a circular canvas, a shape that to me symbolizes wholeness, memory, and a protective space, this piece captures a moment when the gaze turns inward and the noise of the outside world softens.
The woman in profile, with her eyes gently lowered, embodies a serene, contemplative longing. Beside her, white orchids bloom against a sweeping, textured grey background—a reminder that fragile beauty and quiet grace can thrive even in subdued, muted seasons.
Yet, beneath a calm exterior, longing is never truly still. The vibrant red paint drizzled freely across the canvas represents the unseen pulse of emotion, memory, and untamed creative energy weaving through our thoughts. Letting go of control and allowing those crimson lines to dance across the realism of the portrait was a liberating part of my process—a visual metaphor for embracing both our quiet composure and the passionate, beating heart of what we miss or desire.
Created in my studio in Finland, my hope is that Beautiful Longing brings a sense of poetic calm, emotional depth, and vibrant life into the space it inhabits.

Materials used:

Oil and acrylic

Details:

• Mixed-media painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 76 x 76 x 1cm (unframed)
• Ready to hang
• Signed on the back
• Style: Photorealistic
• Subject: People and portraits