From an artist's point of view, there are many interesting things to picture in Oulu.There were still primitive things left such that are cherished by artists. The Äimärautio trotting track and its stands were in a truly bad shape, but there was still action there. There were trotting races, horse exhibitions and jumping competitions. It was the life that induced me to draw - not the external circumstances. I still cannot define art in any other way but in terms of it being a sign of life that has been lived.