Decisive impacts – for a flourishing future

The environment and sustainable development are highly relevant topics that affect us all. The barkraft.ax network was set up in 2016 to coordinate realisation and implementation of Åland’s development and sustainability agenda, which was adopted by the Åland Parliament in 2014.

The agenda is based on the vision

“Everyone can flourish in a viable society on the Islands of Peace”. The route to realising this vision is by means of seven development goals, which include striving for happy people, ecosystems in balance, biological diversity and creating sustainable consumption and production patterns. The Bärkraft network is also Åland’s contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to be achieved by 2030.

Åland Post is one of the members of the Bärkraft network and has an overall goal of being fossil-free by 2035. The company has invested in electric vehicles and installed 420 solar panels on the roof of the post terminal, among other measures.

Graphic designer Elin Eriksson took on the challenge of interpreting the theme on stamps:

“It was tricky to come up with a new approach to the theme and not fall back on old clichés relating to future/environment/ solidarity, as it’s such a well-worn topic. It just so happened that I was on parental leave with my 1-year-old daughter at the time, so it felt like a natural interpretation of the subject: to think about the next generation and how the world will look for them. The choices we make today will have an impact on the world they inherit”.

“I photographed myself and my daughter in profile, positioned so our gazes meet on the stamps. On the stamp with my profile, a bud can be glimpsed in the background, and the choices I make today will enable that bud to flower in the future. Behind my daughter’s profile the flower

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My stamps - Sustainability

Date of issue: 22 September 2023

Artist: Elin Eriksson

Design: Elin Eriksson & Johanna Finne

Edition: 25 000

Denomination: 8 × Europa

Stamp size: 28 × 45 mm

Mini-sheet size: 170 × 95 mm

Paper: 110 g/m²

Perforation: 13 per 2 cm

Process: 4-colour offset

Printer: Cartor Security Printers can be seen coming into full bloom. I want the stamp design to feel hopeful and to convey a sense of fellowship and warmth,” explains Elin.

The flower from the stamps reappears on the first day cancel and first day cover. Allow the bud to bloom by, for example, recycling clothing and growing food locally.

Elin Eriksson recently moved back to Åland after thirteen years spent in Stockholm and Helsinki. With hands-on experience within graphic production and design, she is now making her debut as a stamp artist.

“I had never designed a stamp before, so it was fun, but tricky to deal with the tiny format and decide how best to convey my message on such a small canvas. If you try to include too many details on a stamp, it easily becomes very messy and unbalanced. Having now had a go with this tiny format, it would be fun to have an assignment at the opposite end of the scale, perhaps a wall mural or curating a whole exhibition,” ponders Elin.

Elin has studied both art and illustration, as well as furniture and graphic design.

“Collage technique is a favourite of mine, where I combine photography with digital illustrations and photo manipulation.”

“As a graphic designer, my day-to-day work involves realising my clients’ visions. I work well having a framework for reference, but then within that daring to challenge conventions and go on to create something unexpected. It’s like a creative equation to be solved. I like mixing different techniques and styles. Collage technique is a favourite of mine, where I combine photography with digital illustrations and photo manipulation. That’s the technique I used to produce these stamps,” explains Elin.

@elin.maria.eriksson

FDC My stamps - Sustainability

Price: €6.60 Code: 416-000445

Order your personlised stamps

The release of this year’s mini-sheet means expansion of our online ‘Create your own stamps’ service, with a new stamp template that you can use for creating personalised stamps from Åland. The denomination of the stamps in the mini-sheet is ‘Europa’. In other words, you can use them to send cards and letters from Åland to any country in Scandinavia and Europe.

How to tell your story with stamps:

1. Select ‘Create your own stamps’ from the Stamps menu tab at the top of the page on alandstamps.com.

2. Select a stamp template and upload your image. The image must be in jpg format and at least 640×480 pixels.

The minimum order is 1 set, consisting of 2 mini-sheets, i.e., 16 stamps. After submitting your order, we will contact you with an image of how your stamp will look. After that we will print the stamps and send them to you.

Direct link: https://alandstamps.com/ en/products/gor-egna-frimarken-portoeuropa-1