Karusoma is a one-man art company based in Helsinki, Finland. Its story began in 2008 when founder Ville Ruso (b. 1974) started to try out paints and other materials in his father’s art studio for some fun and to take his mind off everyday struggles.
“I was recently divorced then and I really wanted to do something with my hands and have some time just for myself. Luckily, my father was a part-time artist who had his own studio with all the tools and materials you could ask for available for me to use.”
Having been an avid drawer and a graffiti enthusiast since childhood, Ville was off to a good start almost instantly. Then after receiving positive feedback for his initial creations, Ville decided to take art more seriously and make his works available for a wider audience.
From the start, his intention was to bring original art within reach of as many people as possible, but with none of the pretentious nonsense, that is unfortunately all too common in the world of arts.
“I bought my first original artwork sometime in the late 1990s. Even to this day I still remember how laborious it was trying to buy a painting from an artist. A horrible experience for me as a customer.”
At that time, art, good service and affordable prices were clearly not thought of as something that would go together.
“I really wanted to do something about it. I hated art being so estranged from so-called normal people and the feeling that art was somewhat elitist and limited only to people with wealth. In my mind, art should be available everywhere, affordable and for anybody, just like burgers and coffee.”
Now, after more than a decade of hard work and with hundreds of satisfied customers Karusoma has changed the situation for the better. The brand is known today for impeccable service, positive attitude, affordable prices and—most importantly—beautiful artworks in many different styles. But Ville is just getting started.
“I want more art into the world. The more the better. There are some eight billion people on this planet and not all of them have art in their life. So there is plenty of work yet to be done.”
So if you are searching for art that not only looks fabulous, but also stands out from the crowd, look no further. Karusoma is here to help you to get what most of us often wish to have—something that nobody else has.
Each Karusoma painting is a unique, hand-painted work-of-art, which will never be printed or re-created. Ville does not want to keep painting the same piece over and over again, so the Karusoma artworks always come in several different styles, colors and sizes.
In his studio in the Töölö district of Helsinki, Ville creates all the artworks of Karusoma himself. The main technique used is acrylic, but mixed media, house paints, ink, spray, collage, markers, crayons and oils are also used. Most of the artworks are created on stretched canvases or on different kind of boards (some of which are upcycled, like old billboards). To describe the style of the artworks, one could say they are modern abstract expressionism with more than a hint of graffiti, calligraphy, street art and urban flavor thrown in.
The artworks are always sold ready-to-hang with a steel wire on the back for hanging. Artworks created on board are framed with hand-painted wood frames that go well with the modern look of the artworks. Artworks created on canvas are not framed, because that is the look that Ville prefers. The sides of these artworks are painted to suit the style of the painting. Of course, you can always have your canvas Karusoma artwork framed later after you have received it, if you so desire. All the artworks are signed in the back and have the Karusoma name plaque attached to the side of the painting. The paintings are not named, but each one has its own unique code, such as CC33.
If you do not find the painting you desire in the Karusoma collection, one can be commissioned just for you—at no extra charge. See COMMISSIONS for more information.
Please note that Karusoma does not do exhibitions or work with galleries. The artworks are available only through Karusoma, either from the STORE or from the studio.
You can see the paintings in-person at the Karusoma studio, which is located at Urheilukatu 54 in Helsinki, Finland. To visit, please book a private visiting time by calling or via DM. The studio is open on most days, but only upon request. Ville is always looking forward to seeing you at his studio.
