Illustrator of the Year 2026 is Armi Teva, a boldly venturous creator
The Illustrator of the Year award, which is worth €10,000 and awarded annually by the Finnish Illustration Association, has been given to Helsinki-based Armi Teva, known for her ceramic “Faces” reliefs.
Armi Teva (b. 1992 in Tampere) has been chosen as Illustrator of the Year 2026. The award is presented annually to an illustrator or group of illustrators who have promoted or represented the field in a significant way. The award cannot be applied for, and it comes to the recipient as a surprise. This year, the expert jury has decided to honour a boldly venturous creator, who inspires many others. The newly announced Illustrator of the Year describes receiving recognition from within the field as “absolutely incredible”.
Armi Teva’s work encompasses ceramics, illustration, sculpture and public art. Her rich and playful style brings a smile to viewers’ lips, and her work can be seen as part of a long tradition of Finnish illustration and design. Teva’s clients include Arabia, Fiskars, Lapuan Kankurit and the City of Helsinki, and she has collaborated with professionals ranging from architects to musicians. Teva works intuitively and is passionate about drawing. She’s been inspired by classic ceramicists Rut Bryk, Birger Kaipiainen, Esteri Tomula and Raija Uosikkinen.
Human figures have been a part of Teva’s journey from the start. She created her first ceramic reliefs featuring faces for a school fair ten years ago. Over the years, her popular Faces have delighted audiences at venues such as the Lokal Gallery and Artek store. Teva is also skilled at scaling her work to large sizes and advocates for the value of art as part of everyday life. Hakaniemen helmet (‘Pearls of Hakaniemi’), illustrated during her studies at Aalto University, continue to add colour to the cityscape at the Hakaniemi metro station. Currently in progress are public art projects for daycare centres in Kaskenmäki (Turku) and Latokartano (Helsinki).
The jury found that Teva’s distinctive style evokes a desire in the viewers to grasp something tangible in contrast to artificial intelligence. At their best, craftsmanship and interdisciplinary art serve as a response to the world’s challenges, with experts from different fields entering each other’s spheres of influence with an open mind. The jury also commended Teva’s ability to generate her own work. Like many contemporary illustrators, she uses social media as a tool and advertising space to direct buyers to her online store.
This year’s expert jury consisted of Illustrator of the Year 2025 Pauliina Holma, Tammi’s graphic designer Laura Lyytinen, illustrator Rakastaja Robert, Head of Exhibitions at the Architecture & Design Museum Suvi Saloniemi and art and cultural historian Hanna-Reetta Schreck. Producer Veera Jalava acted as secretary of the jury. The awarded sum and the video portrait of the winner created by Silja Minkkinen are funded by copyright royalties collected by Kopiosto.
The newly crowned Illustrator of the Year dreams of doing more textile or pattern design in the future. “I feel like I still have loads of patterns in my head to draw on,” she explains.
Armi Teva’s works are currently on display at the Young Artists 2026 exhibition at Kunsthalle Helsinki.
Further information and interview requests:
Veera Jalava, Producer, Finnish Illustration Association
veera.jalava@kuvittajat.fi tel. 044 775 0509
