Posti will release five new stamp publications on Monday March 2, with a total of 10 different stamps. Stamps released in March will celebrate, among other things, the grand old man of Finnish music, women and Easter. Stamps suitable for congratulation cards include a stylish Finnish student's cap and a full bouquet of flowers. All designers of the March stamps are experienced Finnish graphic designers and illustrators who have now entered the world of stamps for the first time.
Three phases from a musical maestro's long career
This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toivo Kärki, a versatile talent from Finnish music life. To celebrate the occasion, Lasse Rantanen has designed a miniature sheet. The stamps depict the three different phases of Toivo Kärki's long career: a performing musician, an active music industry player and composer as well as a record company mogul during the last decades of his career. During his career, Toivo Kärki composed countless Finnish classics. As a record company boss, he helped tens of artists in creating their careers.
Lasse Rantanen has created a series of portraits with a scratchboard technique in which a motif is scratched out of a black-surfaced cardboard with a sharp knife. Rantanen is known for his imposing illustrations true to his individual style in Helsingin Sanomat's monthly supplement and Suomen Kuvalehti, among other magazines. He was awarded the title of Graphic Designer of the Year in 2005 by Grafia - the Association of Visual Communication Designers in Finland.
A great tit sings its heart out
A perfect choice for an Easter greeting stamp this year is the cheerful Spring twitter, in which a great tit sings its heart out on a branch with willow catkins. In the foreground, there is a narcissus protruding over the regular borders of the stamp. Salli Parikka Wahlberg is responsible for the illustration and graphic design of the Spring twitter. She is known for her storybook, textbook and children's book illustrations as well as the numerous cover pictures, labels and postcards designed by her. She is also famous for her numerous Christmas-themed illustrations.
Student cap for high-school graduation party invitations, thank you notes and congratulations
Many customers' wishes come true as Posti releases a perfect stamp for high-school graduation party invitations, thank you notes and congratulation cards. Anssi Kähärä has designed a 1st class stamp featuring a student cap. The simple Student cap stamp with a blue background showcases modern typography, and the black peak of the cap is emphasized by gloss paint. In the stamp, the cockade of the cap shows Apollo's lyre, the emblem of the Student Union of the University of Helsinki, which is also on all new student caps. In May, the Student Union of the University of Helsinki will celebrate the 150-year-old student cap as a part of the University of Helsinki's 375th anniversary.
Four flamboyant women in front of a mirror
This year, International Women's Day is celebrated with stamps depicting female caricatures looking at themselves in a mirror. The Mirror Mirror stamp booklet contains four 1st class stamps. The stamps are designed by Laura Valojärvi who specializes in illustrations for children's books. She is also writing a doctoral dissertation at Aalto University, researching the significance of picture books from the point of view of Finnish children's book illustrators.
Congratulate with a colorful bouquet
March's floral-themed stamp is called Festive bouquet. Riikka Juvonen has illustrated a colorful and abundant orchid and peony bouquet for the stamp. Ari Lakaniemi and Susanna Rumpu are responsible for the stamp's graphic design. Riikka Juvonen is a multitalented artist, writer and illustrator from Helsinki. She has written dozens of books and also illustrated most of them. Years spent abroad among different cultures can be seen in Juvonen's works as bold use of colors, for instance.
First day event features stamp artists and music by Toivo Kärki as jazz arrangements
The first day event will be organized on the publication date of the March stamps on March 2 in the Postal Museum in Tampere where the postage stamp artists will sign letters and parcels from noon to 2 p.m. At 7 p.m. the Postal Museum will organize a concert in which Panu Savolainen and his orchestra play Toivo Kärki's music as classy jazz arrangements with Ninni Poijärvi as their vocalist.
You can get the special postmark on your first day cachet and other shipments throughout the day. The First Day cancellations will be available during the day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and during the evening concert from 6.30 p.m. onwards.
The Postal Museum is located in Museum Centre Vapriikki in Tampere at Alaverstaanraitti 5.
All stamps available for sale are featured in Posti’s online shop.
