Kajsa Quinterno
Photo: Nikola Tomevski
For the past five years at the Helsinki Healing Arts Center, there’s been a steady, quiet presence shaping how we’re seen and felt in the world. Kajsa Quinterno is the creative force behind the visual language that carries our spirit, intention, and story.
She’s helped me see through a new lens—one that honors beauty, listens deeply, and makes space for what’s real. Kajsa is not only our brand designer; she’s also the mother of our children, my loving (and patient) wife, and a true partner in this work.
In honor of mother’s day, I wanted to take a moment in this journal to bring her into the light and share a glimpse of who she is and what she creates.
Kuldip: When did you know you wanted to work with design?
Kajsa: For as long as I can remember, I’ve been deeply drawn to the world of visual expression and aesthetics. As a teenager, I would spend much of my weekly allowance on ELLE and other fashion magazines, immersing myself in images, textures, and styles. I loved rearranging my room, constantly shaping different atmospheres and experimenting with how objects, colors, and light could transform a space. At one point, my childhood room reflected a blend of Egyptian statues, Persian rugs, and the soft trace of incense — an early sign of how much I enjoyed crafting environments that felt layered and meaningful. Mood boards made from magazine cuttings were one of my favorite ways to translate what I saw and felt into something tangible. Visual expression came naturally to me, and it became a way to communicate beyond words.
Over time, my curiosity widened to include the deeper currents beneath aesthetics — the stories, symbols, and cultural meanings that shape how we see and create, which led me to university studies in sociology. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I worked as a social worker. Still, I noticed myself naturally drawn to the visual — rearranging my office space, adding plants, and making small adjustments to shape how the environment felt and looked.
It was during maternity leave with my first child that I realized how important it was to follow this creative instinct more intentionally. As I completed my master’s thesis on sociology and fashion, I also studied visual merchandising. Through an internship at a PR firm, I began working as a freelance stylist. I loved the tactile, hands-on aspect of the work — a refreshing contrast after years of theoretical studies and administrative tasks. I discovered how fulfilling it was to shape visual worlds that reflected a brand’s ethos, and I found that my understanding of sociology gave me an intuitive grasp of how visuals can resonate with different audiences.
This intersection — where sociology, storytelling, and visual communication meet — was something that I felt an urge to learn more about and to work with. I loved the process of working with a brand and helping to create a coherent visual identity or styling composition that communicated its essence. Over time, I noticed a natural gravitation toward incorporating graphic design into my approach, and I gradually began taking on more projects that involved both graphic and web design. One client in particular — someone I now consider a mentor — recognized and encouraged my growing interest and this, if you will, gift of mine. Over the years, I learned, practiced, and eventually went on to study graphic design. To this day, I enjoy the balance between working digitally and creating with my hands, always returning to the same guiding curiosity: how to shape images and spaces that speak clearly, feel meaningful, and connect with others.
Kuldip: What shaped the visual style and feel of Helsinki Healing Arts Center?
Kajsa: When we opened the Helsinki Healing Arts Center opened, our intention was to create a space where you can arrive and deeply exhale, and to leave feeling a little lighter and clearer. We wanted it to feel both elegant and welcoming — with an warm but refined atmosphere, like a quiet and grounding refuge.
Five years ago, there were few places quite like this — spaces dedicated specifically to the healing arts. There were yoga studios and spas, of course, but what we envisioned was something different: a center where both education and hands-on session work could meet, supporting growth and healing in equal measure.
My connection to the spiritual aspects of life has always run deep, and I have often felt that the divine speaks most clearly through art and beauty. As we shaped the space, it was important to us, however, that the aesthetic of the space not lean on borrowed traditions in ways that felt superficial or appropriative. Instead, we aimed to let the spiritual essence of our ethos express itself in a graceful, subtle way that felt both authentic and respectful. When crafting the brand identity of HHAC, much of the inspiration came from the fashion and interior design. Helping to shape the visual language of the space was deeply meaningful to me, especially knowing how significant it was for you, Kuldip — to finally root your life’s work in a home that reflected the depth and dedication you had devotionally cultivated for so many years.
Photo: Juuli Kangasniemi
Kuldip: In what ways does being a mother come through in the work you make?
Kajsa: There are so many ways, both conscious and unconscious. Being a mother truly becomes part of who you are, and it inevitably shapes everything you do. It's not just a role, but a way of being that seeps into all aspects of my life, including my work. Most of all, I think my sense of purpose — my why — has become much clearer since becoming a mother. What I create and share feels more aligned with a deeper, more personal intention than it did before.
On a practical level, motherhood has helped me refine my ability to multi-task, manage time, and stay hands-on with my projects. I’ve learned that the perfect moment rarely arrives, so I’ve gotten better at starting and finishing things when those small pockets of time present themselves. There's a certain rhythm to the day that’s shaped by this flexibility and immediacy.
Motherhood has also influenced how I approach my work, especially when it comes to boundaries. I’ve become more confident in the ways I say yes and no, and these decisions are guided by a stronger moral compass and clearer principles. I’m more in touch with what aligns with my values, and that, in turn, shapes the choices I make in both my personal and professional life.
Photo: Markus Pentikäinen
Kuldip: What’s something you do really well?
Kajsa: I believe one of my strengths lies in my ability to maintain a broad, macro perspective, allowing me to see the bigger picture and ensure coherence in my work. I also consider myself to have a diplomatic nature, which, at its best, enables me to view situations from multiple angles and at its worst, can come across as a sense of indifference. I do thrive and love creating new concepts and ideas and have a manifesting nature and a problem solving disposition.
Kuldip: How do you keep your creativity alive?
Kajsa: I believe creativity is always present, but there are times when it needs to be dormant and other times when it requires engagement. Like anything that carries life force, creativity too is cyclical, and it can't always be on. When I feel a lack of creativity, I find that the best approach is to completely disconnect from what I’m trying to focus on. Whether it’s taking a long walk, doing household chores, or engaging in something that doesn’t demand active mental effort, the void eventually fills itself with creative energy.
Kuldip: What do you hope to create or grow through your design work?
Kajsa: In addition to continuing to develop and build the Healing Arts Center and its new, exciting projects for the future, I hope to create visual spaces — both physical and digital — that bring meaningful healing work into people’s lives. Through courses, design, and carefully crafted experiences, I want to make these teachings and practices more accessible, inviting, and visually resonant. As a designer, it feels fulfilling to support others in connecting with tools that foster well-being, reflection, and growth. Especially today, in a world that often feels fragmented and fast-paced, I believe we need spaces for healing and reconnection more than ever.
I would also love to be part of creating larger, big-picture projects for other brands, guiding them from the initial concept all the way to their physical expression. I’m drawn to working more in the areas I naturally gravitate towards — fashion, design, and holistic wellbeing — fields that feel deeply meaningful, creatively fulfilling, and inspiring to me. ◼
