Helsinki of the West

This laser engraved half-white, half-black Apple Macbook is one of my favorite projects so far, because it has a deep connection to my hometown - Astoria, Oregon. Some people might know Astoria as the location for The Goonies, Free Willy, Kindergarten Cop, Short Circuit, and many other stellar cinematic productions. Or you may remember from history class that the Lewis and Clark Expedition finally reached the Pacific Ocean near what was to become Astoria.

The design on this laptop honors a different aspect of Astoria - the rich Finnish culture that began in the late 19th century. By 1920, Astoria’s population was nearly 1/3 Finnish. We all know how much the Finnish like to fish, and Astoria was a booming salmon fishing town at the time. Suomi is the Finnish word for Finland, and the crest is a Finnish family crest. My client, the man behind the band YACHT, happens to be from Astoria as well. Although the Finnish immigration to Astoria ground to a halt several generations ago, nearly 1/4 of Astorians claim Finnish ancestry.

Sisu! (perseverance)