Impi Sotavalta

1885-1943

Finnish textile artist Impi Sotavalta (1885-1943) can be considered a pioneer of Finnish rya rugs. In the early 1920s, she began creating contemporary rya rugs, drawing inspiration from traditional rya designs. Typical of her designs were natural elements, such as decorations of branches, animals and birds. Moreover, she often mixed different color tones in the yarn, giving her work a subtle color palette.