Finnish calligrapher finds success in a booming industry, attracting top fashion brands and global interest

When 34-year-old Aini Mäensivu from Helsinki, Finland, tells people she is a calligrapher, she often prompts the same question: “What’s that?” Mäensivu explains that she makes a living by drawing beautiful letters. Calligraphy is the art of decorative handwriting or lettering, a practice especially significant in Eastern cultures due to its long history. In places like China, skilled lettering is as highly regarded as visual arts.

People often ask Mäensivu if it’s possible to earn money in Finland by drawing beautiful letters. To their surprise, she confirms it is. Since 2017, she has run her own calligraphy studio in Helsinki, earning at least the same salary she did in her previous job in the media industry, and now even more. Modern calligraphy is a growing hobby, so her business has expanded every year regardless of the pandemic and economic fluctuations.

One of the best aspects of her job, Mäensivu says, is that it can be done from anywhere. She has spent several winters in tropical locations around the world. Mäensivu sells calligraphy courses and takes on various commissions for a range of companies. Top fashion brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton have utilized her skills. In Louis Vuitton’s store on Birgerjarlgatan, Stockholm’s finest shopping street, Mäensivu performed calligraphy in front of customers.

In recent years, many Finns have discovered the beauty of calligraphy. Mäensivu believes its popularity stems from the calming escape it offers from the fast pace of modern life. The majority of her students are women aged 30 to 40 who, like Mäensivu, first saw calligraphy on social media and then became interested in trying it out themselves.

Mäensivu has made a living from calligraphy, but many are attracted by the mindfulness it encourages, and the fact that it doesn’t have to lead to anything. She considers herself a pioneer of modern calligraphy, which is more flexible than traditional calligraphy in that it allows the creator’s own style to shine through.

Despite the shift from handwriting to typing, Mäensivu notes that picking up a pen has many benefits, such as for memory. However, she stresses that calligraphy is more about drawing letters than writing them, and even those with beautiful handwriting will need practice to master the technique.