This painting is a humorous snapshot. It tells a story by exclusively depicting the climax; the rest of the plot is left to the imagination.

Two creatures stand with coffee, a broken cup lies off in the corner providing insight to get the observer thinking about what is going on in the picture, and beginning the process of filling the gaps left in the storyline.

The artist, Inari Kylänen, 32, from Finland is in her third year at UAF. She works in the Art Department as a teacher's assistant for the 2D-design class. She originally came to UAF on exchange, but she fell in love here and decided to come back.

Her process began with the two figures. She then added and removed various elements until she was left with one cohesive image, an image that acts as a porthole to another world, another life.

"I start the painting and then let my mind take over," Kylänen said. "I think about one thing and then I think about something else…I edit things out, the random things that don't fit."

Working with acrylics provides her with the leeway she needs to make the changes she wants in the design. Many artists avoid acrylics because they tend to give the finished image a strange sheen. To avoid the sheen Kylänen uses a really dry brush and lots of layers of paint.

"I use the brush as an extension of my thought process. It's a record of what I am thinking at the moment," Kylänen said.

Her creatures come from her fascination with the role of animals in the lives of modern people. Animals used to have a direct impact on daily life but today their uses are much more restricted. She paints fantastical images of the daily life of animals with comical twists that keep viewers engaged.