Hello, I'm Mari Ahokoivu (she/her, b. 1984), an illustrator and a comics artists. I'm originally from North of Finland but now living and working in Copenhagen. I have a degree in media studies and I've been studying comics in Finland, Sweden and in France. I use digital and traditional media, depending on what fits best with the project I'm working on.
I work mainly with children's books and comics, and draw to both kids and adults. I've been publishing comics professionally from 2007, starting with a how to make comics guidebook. My first graphic novel, Find me in this city, came out in 2009. My main work, graphic novel OKSI came out in Finland 2018 and was published in US 2021 and in Slovenia 2024. I've been illustrating children's books since 2019, mainly in Finland and in Sweden. Aika Matka!, a children's book written by Laura Ertimo and illustrated by me was nominated for the Finlandia prize in Children's and Youth Literature 2021. Many of the books I've illustrated have been translated to other languages.
I speak Finnish, English and Danish and can understand a bit of Swedish and French. I love everything cute and scary, from Studio Ghibli to Lamberto Bava.
In 2023 I received Puupäähattu prize from the Finnish Comics Society.
