Mirka has a deep passion for creating books for children. She loves stories with humor and heart and has worked on picture books, graphic novels and non-fiction. Her first illustrated book, Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book, came out in March 2019, and she has since published 5 books, with 4 of them being author-illustrated titles. Mirka has three more books scheduled to release in 2024-2025 with Odd Dot and Holiday House.
Mirka moved to the U.S. in 1998 to attend Rockford College in Illinois (BFA 2002). She received both Master of Arts (2004) and Master of Fine Arts (2006) degrees in printmaking from University of Dallas, TX. As a military spouse and many moves into her career, Mirka has had the opportunity to be an active part in many art communities, teaching, speaking, and organizing events.
Mirka works on freelance design/illustration projects and for literary work is represented by Laurel Symonds at KT Literary Agency.
When not creating a menagerie in the studio she takes care of the zoo she has at home: three kids, a cat, a dog and a husband.
Mirka Hokkanen: Bio
Mirka Hokkanen is a Finnish-American freelance illustrator, author + printmaker based in Maryland.
Mirka creates funny books, and nature inspired art and products, with a mission to bring joy to the world. She is often inspired by retro colors and patterns, and her Scandinavian roots.
Awards
2024 Kitty and Cat: Bent Out of Shape, Mathical Book Prize winner - PreK category
2023 Kitty and Cat: Opposites Attract, LA Public Library Best of 2023: Children’s Book
Clients
Holiday House • Candlewick Press • Odd Dot • Pomegranate Kids • Passion Planner • Puzzle Twist
Experience
I have worked with a lot of organizations as a teacher, mentor, volunteer or illustrator over the years. Here are some of the experiences that I’ve had:
Stacie Bloomfield - 2021-2023
Act as a guide, subject matter expert, mentor, cheerleader and customer service helper during Stacie Bloomfield’s “Leverage Your Art” - art business course.
Skillshare, online education - 2020 - ongoing
Create online classes for the Skillshare platform. Current classes taught: watercolor, digital art and picture book illustration.
Volunteer, SCBWI - 2019 - ongoing
Illustrator Coordinator for Hawaii chapter between 2019-2021, and Webinar Coordinator for the Md/De/WV chapter starting in 2023.
Guest Speaker, SCBWI - 2021-2022
Have presented at SCBWI events, about querying agents, watercolor illustration, and path to publication.
In-Person Art Classes - 2006-2020
Organize and host a variety of art classes with topics ranging from drawing skills, watercolor painting to printmaking in Bryan, TX, Savannah, GA & Tacoma, WA. Taught all ages, from private classes to large groups.
Adjunct Professor - 2007-2009
Taught at two college programs: Armstrong Atlantic State University - printmaking, and Columbia College - art history and art appreciation.
Education
2006 Master of Fine Arts, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
2004 Master of Arts, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
2002 Bachelor of Arts in Art, Rockford University, Rockford, IL
For book illustration and writing:
I’ve been an active member of SCBWI, and Storyteller Academy since 2017 and took illustration classes at SVS-Learn (2018-2020).
CV - Fine Art
Selected grants and awards
2019 Narrative Art Award, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators Winter Conference
2017 First Place in Portfolio Showcase, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators Brazos Valley Conference, College Station, TX
2015 First Place in Printmaking Category, Brazos Valley Art League Juried Show, Arts Center of Brazos Valley, College Station, TX
2011 Finlandia Foundation National Grant, given for the Finnish Wallhanging Project
2010 City Purchase Award, Kent Summer Art Exhibit, Kent, WA
2005 Purchase Award, 19th Parkside National Print Exhibition, University of Wisconsin, Kenosha, WI
2004 MAPC Juried Exhibition Recognition Award, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
2001 The Derrick Prize in Art, Rockford College, Rockford, IL
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 Illustrations and Prints, Gallery 979, Bryan, TX
Grafiikkaa, Galleria G, Helsinki, Finland
2016 Human. Nature, SEAD Gallery, Bryan, TX
2014 Prints by Mirka Hokkanen, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland
2012 Prints by Mirka Hokkanen, Krab Jab Studio, Seattle, WA
2010 Inching Closer, La Familia Gallery, Seattle, WA
2010 Puskaradio, Galleria Gjutars, Vantaa, Finland
2009 Down the Grapevine, Friends Gallery, Lakewood Library, Lakewood, WA
2007 Kaikenkarvaiset, Tuusan Aitta, Nummela, Finland
2006 Maatilalla (At the Farm), Galleria Harmonia, Jyvaskylan Grafiikkakeskus, Jyvaskyla, Finland
2006 Manipulated, Continental Gallery, Dallas, TX
Selected Group exhibitions
2020 Original Art Exhibition, Society Of Illustrators Annual juried exhibition, New York
2019 Luonnon Lapsia, 3-Person exhibition at Galleria Pictor, Nummela, Finland
2017 View from the Art Village: 50-Year Retrospective, Beatrice M. Taggerty Gallery, University of Dallas, Irving, TX
Wood Engravers Network Triennial Exhibition, traveling exhibition starting from Hamilton Wood type and Printing Museum, Two Rivers, WI
Society of Wood Engravers 80th Annual Exhibition, traveling juried exhibition, opening at the North Wall Arts Center, Oxford, England
Gone Fishing, Galleria Dix, Helsinki, Finland
2015 10th Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition 2015, Center for Contemporary Printmaking, Norwalk, CT
Society of Wood Engravers 78th Annual Exhibition, travelling exhibition starting from North Wall Gallery, Oxford, England
A Second Look: Interpretations of Slected Works from the Permanent Collection, Forsyth Galleries, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Brazos Valley Art League Juried Show, Arts Center of Brazos Valley, College Station, TX
2014 77th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Wood Engravers, traveling exhibition starting from Art Jericho, Oxford, UK
Wood Engravers Network Triennial Exhibition, traveling exhibition starting from Hamilton Wood type and Printing Museum, Two Rivers, WI
Masters of Print/Grafiikan Mestareita, Galleria Dix, Helsinki, Finland
A Woodengravers Menagerie, Zygote Press, Cleveland OH
International Wood Engraving Invitational, Davison Galleries, Seattle, WA
2013 Animal/Elain, Haihara Cultural Arts Center, Tampere, Finland
2012 Uusi Lehti, Uutta Taidegrafiikkaa, Galleria G, Helsinki, Finland
2011 PS 5, Washington State Convention Center, South Galleria, Seattle, WA
2010 18th Annual Juried International Miniature Show, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA
La Familia Gallery Group Show, Art Monaco 2010, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco
2009 Grafiikkaa Veistoksia, Galleria Ferin, Helsinki, Finland
National Small Works 2009, Washington Printmakers Gallery, NW Washington DC
2008 Faculty Exhibition, Armstrong Atlantic State University Gallery, Savannah, GA
Naestved International Mini Print Exhibition, Naestved Grafisk Vaerksted, Naestved, Denmark
Political and Poetical: 14th Tallinn Print Triennial, Kumu Art Museum, Tallin Art Hall, Tallinn, Estonia
2007 Miniprint Finland 2007 Triennial, Lahti Art Museum, Lahti, Finland
6th Lessedra World Art Print Annuall, Lessedra Gallery and Contemporary Art Projects, Sofia Bulgaria
2006 Draw_Drawing_2, The Foundry Gallery, London Biennale, London, UK
West Meets West, University of Art and Design Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
2005 Egos: Erik Tosten, Mirka Hokkanen, Sara Maxwell English, 500X Gallery, Dallas, TX
New Texas Talent XI, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX
2004 Mid America Print Council Members Juried Exhibition, University of Nebraska- Lincoln, NE
Selected Public Collections
Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland • City of Kent, Portable Works Collection, Kent, WA • Käpytikka RY, Helsinki, Finland • Lillie M. Kleven Print Collection, Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN • Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN • University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland • Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey • Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Organizations
Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators
Suomen Taidegraafikot (Association of Finnish Printmakers)