While it is wonderful to travel, meet new people, and experience new things, home is the place where one can truly be oneself – and create art freely, believes photographer Dasha Pears, who lives in a Lumo home in Pihlajamäki, Helsinki.

"It feels like a relief," Dasha describes the feeling she experiences when returning home. "Finally," she adds with a laugh.

When the artist was looking for a new home with her two school-aged daughters, natural light was one of the most important criteria. This home is on the top floor, and the large windows offer a view of nature. From here, Dasha and her daughters can see both the sunrise and the sunset.

Dasha always uses natural light in her photography, and the atmospheric, soft light is a distinctive feature of her work. To her, "light creates the magic" in her pieces.

The creative process, which begins in the peace of home, often starts with sketching. Preparation takes a long time, but photographing the piece is quick once the creative idea is planned.

Sometimes, Dasha even takes photos at home: the decor is minimalist so that furniture can be easily moved to create a white background for the picture.

Dasha edits at a workspace in her bedroom. This part of the process is meditative for her, as the final result has already been meticulously planned in advance.

Dasha's journey as an artist began around 2010. Burnout from her IT marketing manager career and a subsequent sabbatical inspired her to pursue art school and photography.

Today, her works are minimalist, abstract, surrealist photographs in a style she calls "psycho-realism."

Over the years, her style has evolved from documentary beauty photography to a more staged and painterly expression.

"Initially, I documented the surrounding reality and its beauty more. I was fascinated by capturing small details – and, of course, by photographing my firstborn, who was a tiny baby at the time."

Dasha draws inspiration from surrealist artists, illustrators, and animated films. For her, art is a way to process emotions and profound inner experiences.

"People have an immense range of emotions that are not always acceptable, desirable, or even consciously recognised – but there must still be space for them in the world. I want to express them in a beautiful form."

A quirky detail that Dasha fell in love with in her home is the two separate doors to the bathroom. When the door to the kitchen is opened, natural light also flows into the bathroom.

Her favourite place in the home is the living room sofa, where she enjoys sitting in the morning with a cup of tea. Mornings are her most creative time.

"I wake up early and prefer to work in the morning. It's when I'm both the most productive and the most creative," she explains.

However, home is not just a workspace for Dasha—it is a shared sanctuary for the family, a place where they play board games and watch films together. Creativity also thrives in everyday moments. Dasha enjoys cross-stitch embroidery, for instance.

"My older daughter is interested in art – she paints and draws. My younger daughter, on the other hand, is really into crafting. She collects all kinds of scraps and turns them into art," Dasha laughs.

Explore Dasha Pears' art here.