On 19 March, Åland Post releases its next stamp in the “Open Edition” series, this time with a magically imaginative stamp by illustrator and tattoo artist Amanda Chanfreau with roots on Åland. She is the third artist to be given free rein to create a stamp, and her interpretation of Åland arouses both curiosity and wonder.
“This year’s issue is a visual adventure that captures Amanda Chanfreau’s unique visual world of images. Her ability to balance playfulness and fantasy makes the stamp an inspiring symbol of Åland. It will be a pleasure to send letters with this stamp”, says Johanna Finne, design manager at Åland Post Stamps.
The stamp motif – a tribute to the sea and her childhood on Åland
When choosing a motif for her stamp, Amanda Chanfreau decided on a recurring theme in her artistry.
“The sea fascinates me, and the relationship between above and below the surface is a theme I like to come back to. When I was given free rein to create a motif, this came spontaneously. I wanted to create something playful and inspiring, an image that arouses curiosity. In the motif, I’ve also included my parents' house, my childhood home on Åland. I like to draw houses, too, and create small colonies of houses on the backs of animals and in other unexpected places. I hope people will enjoy it and think it's a fun stamp,” Amanda says.
Amanda Chanfreau – a versatile stamp artist
Born in Helsinki and raised in Mariehamn, Amanda Chanfreau today lives in Malmö where she runs the Malört tattoo-studio. Recently, Amanda has focused on children's book illustrations, a type of assignment that took off after the success of her debut book “Giraffe island”, which she created together with her sister Sofia. The book was nominated for several awards and won the 2022 Finlandia Prize in Children's and Youth literature.
Amanda has worked with Åland Post previously. Her first assignment in 2011 was a series of postal stationery cards on an Åland summer theme and, in 2013, she designed a stamp featuring Peacock butterflies.
About Åland Post’s “Open Edition” stamp series
Åland Post’s “Open Edition” stamp series gives selected artists free rein to create unique Åland stamp motifs. Launched in 2023, the first issue was art photographer Christoffer Relander’s stamp “Bark boat in a jar”, an artistic tribute to a childhood memory from Åland, followed in 2024 by visual artist Carolina Sundelin’s stamp “On the islet”, an interpretation of the wild archipelago nature of Åland. Amanda Chanfreau is the third artist to contribute to this unique stamp series.
Order stamp today
Discover and collect Amanda Chanfreau’s imaginative interpretation of Åland in the latest edition of the “Open Edition” series.
Facts about the issue:
Name: Magical island
Date of issue:19 March 2025
Artist: Amanda Chanfreau
Design: Johanna Finne
Edition: 30 000
Denomination: Lokalpost (€2.90)
Price FDC: €3.90
Stamp size: 30 × 40 mm
Sheet size: 264 ×185 mm
Stamps/sheet 2 × 15 stamps
Paper: 110 g/m2
Perforation: 13 per 2 cm
Process: 4-colour offset
Printer: Cartor Security Printers
Order the stamp and first day cover in the webshop.
