IRINA HOWARD

www.irinahoward.com

“Making art, to me, is a profound process of personal discovery and development. My work manifests beauty and seeks the inner creative significance to reach those who appreciate classical ideals while still being inspired by contemporary ways of speaking about human values. The visual language I developed offers an authentic experience expressed within a non-representational form that reveals the invisible within the visible and helps me to create aesthetically pleasing, meaningful artwork.

I draw inspiration from organic texture and compose my themes by giving physical form to conceptual ideas, bridging reality and imagination. My fascination with shapes and textures takes me on a journey to reveal and interpret their meaning, unique purpose, and beauty in connection to human experiences. I chose abstract as the most expressive style. It opens doors for curiosity, imagination, interpretation, and the flow of inner emotions. I use lines to create feelings; shapes and forms to reflect on emotions, thoughts, and perceptions; texture to reveal experiences; and color tones to add contrast and reinforce a message through design and composition. The psychology of art elements imparts more meaningful design, influencing emotional responses. My favorites are circles and curved lines. I found them simple but, at the same time, very compelling. The circle is a line that never stops, represents “completeness,” and gives a sense of protection, friendship, femineity, community, and perfection. It naturally communicates positive emotions and builds a strong visual identity.

My processes combine research, thoughtful, conscious decisions, and spontaneous, intuitive solutions while creating compositions. My favorite medium is oil paint because it provides an expressive ability and flexibility to create and achieve extraordinary results. For sculpture, I enjoy working with clay. I also use sculpted metal wires, mesh wire, modeling compounds, and other materials to explore different textures.”

“My body of work expresses personal experiences, thoughts, spirituality, feelings, and philosophy in life. I believe in an awakened mind and a soul’s purpose when every life experience can be turned into a life-changing event. Therefore, I always strive to inspire hope and encourage positivity towards a bigger future, a healthier relationship, better solutions, restored trust, a more effective and enjoyable human connection, and a more significant self.”