9 May 2019 sees the issue of four new postal stationery cards in voluptuous colours. With this colourful interpretation of the 2019 theme, crayfish party, visual artist Carolina Sundelin from Åland makes her debut as an illustrator for Åland Post.
Celebrated since the 1800s, crayfish parties are arranged in the late summer, a tradition as well stablished as the Christmas and Midsummer celebrations. Typically, paper lanterns light up the darkness as crayfish, cooked in a broth of salted water with spices and an abundance of dill flowers, are served, often with a buffet-style serving of pies, cheeses and bread. Aquavit and drinking songs are other popular accessories.
River crayfish can be caught in most Åland lakes, swamps and ponds. They were probably implanted by Swedish kings in the 1500s. River crayfish are susceptible to the crayfish plague, a water mould carried by signal crayfish. Consequently, signal crayfish farming has been prohibited in Åland since 2012.
The postal stationery cards are Carolina Sundelin’ s first commission on behalf of Åland Post. She grew up in France and is a qualified visual artist with a considerable number of exhibitions in her portfolio. Today, she also works as a visual arts teacher in Åland. She likes to paint nature motifs, preferably close-ups.
The postage paid symbols on the address side of the cards relate to the picture side motifs; postage is thus included in the price of the cards that can be posted as such from Åland to any destination in the world.
