Real or Virtual. What are your thoughts comparing visits to real museums and virtual on-line museums?

Global Finns. How do Finns living in countries around the globe preserve their material culture?

Design. What is Finnish design? How does it affect everyday lives?

Old School. Traditional brick and mortar museums require that the vast majority of involved individuals be consumed with fund raising, membership drives, charity events and other similar taxing efforts. By contrast, little precious time is afforded to the “art” side of the equation. What is the purpose?

Typical Barriers. Direct involvement with the founding of a fledgling brick and mortar museum clarified those demands all too clearly. Little money, few volunteers and a challenging lack of resources suggested that an Internet presence might be a viable and practical answer.

Alternative Direction. Logic indicated that a new type of philosophically ideal museum, totally free of normal politics, time and resource constraints, could be established. A different vision was possible. Those were several of many reasons driving the establishment of FAVM – the Finnish American Virtual Museum.

At Warp Speed. Words and visual images can be shared instantly to millions of twenty-first century world citizens via the Internet. It is relatively cost free in comparison to historical alternatives. In turn, virtual visitors can exchange ideas about what has been presented or comment on information related to special sources of creativity. Perhaps you might be aware of an inspired rug maker, basket or box maker, painter, sculptor, potter, innovative photographer, environmental artist or another interesting artistic person, past or present that you would recommend for featuring on this site?

Art and Folk Art – Craft and Folk Craft. What are the basic distinctions? “Folk” generically indicates that the person who fashioned the item lacked formal or advanced art training. Essentially they were self-taught. Differences between art and craft are based upon whether an object was intended to be functional like a dish or a bowl or intended to be admired or looked at for its aesthetics. The terms are not negative, just descriptive. The line between them is often not so clear, particularly when talented people moved in unique directions.

Fertile Imagination. Ordinary people often find extraordinary ways to visually express themselves. It doesn’t require great financial wealth, years of higher education or the right connections. What it does take is a fertile imagination and a personal determination to say something that is on their mind. They do it with paint, wood, clay, stone, fabric or any material that suits their creative purposes and is readily available to them. You are invited to bring individuals with those qualities to the attention of FAVM.

Common Denominator. Is there an inspirational common denominator that links many Finnish artists?