Location: United States
Irina Howard was born in Ukraine in 1969 and currently lives and works in New York City, USA. Her work is centered on painting, sculpture, and design. She draws inspiration from organic texture and composes her themes giving physical form to a conceptual idea. She embodies personal experiences and philosophical views through her artworks, expressed via visual language elements (e.g., lines, shapes, forms, textures, and colors). Her current series of works explores the challenges in life and their influences on the development of the human soul.
Irina began drawing at an early age as a means of coping with personal and family tragedies. Feeling powerless amidst the injustices surrounding her, she was compelled to shout out to society and emerge with the belief that the artist has no right to contribute any more pain to a world full of struggle and despair. After leaving her born country, she found her new life in a more secure and fulfilling environment with the opportunity to pursue her passion for arts.
Irina studied art at the City University of New York and Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States and presented at the world's largest fine art trade shows. She is an award-winning artist for excellence in oil painting. Her artworks belong to several private collections in various countries.
Patterns of Life is a collection in progress, which will contain fifteen paintings and five sculptures. These works of art represent the artist's philosophical views and personal experiences, expressed through visual language elements (e.g. lines, shapes, forms, textures, and colors).
This collection explores the challenges in life and their influences on the development of the human soul. Irina's paintings are named after the various themes they characterize: Patterns of Life, Challenges, Poverty (Physical and Spiritual), Addiction, Nostalgia, Innocence, Freedom, Virtue, Soul Purpose, Dream, Wisdom, Miracle, Inspiration, Harmony, and Hope. The sculptures are inspired by the paintings and are named: Representation of Life, Soul Purpose, Virtue, Harmony, and Hope.
Irina's process combines thoughtful, conscious decision-making and spontaneous, intuitive solutions to create compositions. She recognizes the psychological influence of elements and how they generate rhythm and mood and uses them to create intriguing and delightful experiences for the viewer. Irina often uses symbols to visualize concepts that do not have a physical form yet are recognized immediately once seen.
The purpose of Patterns of Life is to challenge the viewers’ imagination and focus on the emotional and spiritual energy to improve the quality of life and be a better version of the human being. This project can reach a broad and diverse audience with its meaning and inspiration.
Oil on canvas, 24" x 1.5" x 24"
"Patterns of Life" is a central piece of a collection. It speaks of the choices and decisions we make while selecting our path and facing its outcomes. Life experiences shape our identity and behavior and determine our success or failure, our worthiness to ourselves or others.
It is fascinating to create a composition when each element transforms into another and builds new possibilities. Metaphorically, each pattern represents a life experience influencing our way of living, making us who we are. My goal is to inspire and motivate great values, make more fulfilling choices to flourish through the lifetime - as a small investment into humanity's wellbeing and see the world as a better place to live in.
Oil on canvas, 30" x 1.5" x 40"
"Hope" is the thing with feathers – That perch in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all" - Emily Dickinson.
I am a firm believer in hope as an engine to better myself and the world around me. It brings strength during a difficult time and opens possibilities for a better future. Hope motivates us to fight for what we care about and inspires vision. Vision brings out the best in people and improves humanity.
Hope stayed with us even when nothing else left. It helps us overcome our challenges and extends its arms when other sources fail. It pushes heavy clouds apart to bring the sun out. It warms us up when it's cold. It is always ahead - to break through, lighten up, and drive us into a better, bigger, refined future.
Sculpted metal wires, wire mesh, compound, papier-mache, spray paint, 18" x 12" 10"
Every element in the "Representation of Life" is symbolical and contains its own texture. Symbols are essential in visualizing the concept that may not have a physical presence, like "life," yet is recognized once seen. Texture creates an aesthetic experience, communicating the significance of life experiences.
Oil on three canvases, 36" x 1.5" x 48"
Each artwork is a deliberate effort to communicate ideas that create moments of self-discovery. The most magical journey begins with a brush in my hand and imagination implementing the visual poetry of life. So many layers of "Nostalgia" are experienced through time and space, evoking contradicted emotional responses. Moments we tirelessly cherish in our memory with pleasure and sadness as if doomed in a circular cycle of recollection significant events.
Oil on canvas, 30" x 1.5" x 40"
Addiction is a symbolic representation of dependency expressed in a cycle of repetitive events. The contradictory experiences and compulsive behavior of an addict interfere with controlling intense urges to take a drug. Powerlessness in making the right choice brings a person to an edge between good and evil, life and death. Rising above the darkness, embracing the enlightenment - are my biggest hope and greatest desire for any soul exposed to self-destruction.
“Patterns of Life”
“Hope”
“Representation of Life”
“Nostalgia”
“Addiction”
