Irina Howard | Compassion. 2023

Description

Irina Howard

Irina Howard is a New York-based visionary artist who explores the complexity of human life experiences. Her innovative style is inspired by organic forms and textures, personal experiences, philosophical views, and the depths of her imagination, transporting viewers to ethereal realms of her thought-provoking art. Pushing the boundaries of creativity, bridging reality and imagination, she reveals the visible within the invisible. By giving a physical form to conceptual ideas, she produces artwork of magnetic quality that is timeless and contemporary. 

Irina Howard was born (1969) in Kiev, Ukraine, with a boundless imagination and an insatiable curiosity. Her artistic talent bloomed at a tender age. As a child, she immersed herself in the enchanting worlds of literature, arts, music, and nature. She found solace in their harmonious interplay and inspiration to overcome merciless traumatic events extended throughout her life. These influences shaped her unique artistic vision later in her mature age when she dedicated herself to a career in the arts. Irina earned a Fine Arts degree (2015) with honors from the City University of New York and a degree in Integrated Arts (2018) from the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences in Maryland, USA. 

Critical acclaim for her work nurtured and encouraged her professional journey, setting the stage for her growth and willingness to explore new artistic frontiers. Committed to the art world, Irina became an active member of the New York art community, working alongside various art institutions, schools, and art studios as a teaching artist (since 2021); she embraces the opportunity of sharing her passion for the arts with younger generations.

In the vast tapestry of the art world, Irina Howard’s work shines brightly, weaving together beauty, imagination, and thought-provoking narratives. Her work has received extensive coverage in magazines and art books. Notable publications include Artists Magazine, Art Market Magazine, and Art Tour International Magazine in the USA; Ideal Contemporary Aesthetics Magazine by Circle Foundation for the Arts in France; and Aesthetica, the Art & Culture Magazine in the UK. Her work is also featured in books such as Important World Artists by Worldwide Artbooks in the USA (2022/23), Power of Creativity by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine in the UK, and Contemporary Celebrity Masters by Efetto Arte Fondazione in Italy. Her artworks are on the cover of Artistonish Visual Arts Magazine (2023) in Canada and Magic of La Boheme Art Book in Germany (2023).

Howard has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades. Her recent achievements include the Oscar of Visual Arts as a part of the Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art 2022 /23 at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City. The Efetto Arte Foundation in Italy honored her with the International Prize Leonardo da Vinci (2023). Contemporary Art Curator Magazine in the UK presented Irina with the Harmony for Humanity: The Global Consciousness Art Prize (2023), and the Circle Foundation for the Arts selected her for the Artistic Excellence Award.

Irina remains steadfastly committed to the transformative power of art. She continues to produce captivating artwork presented during esteemed art shows worldwide: Art Expo in New York (2022/23), Tokyo Tower Art Fair in Japan (2023), Museu Maritim de Barcelona in Spain (2022), Art San Diego (exhibited with Artavita Art Gallery) in California, and Hamptons Fine Art Fair (exhibited with the Artifact Art Gallery) in New York. Her recent exhibition, Celebrating life, was at the Grimandi Art Gallery in NY. Furthermore, her work is widely exhibited at venues online and at galleries in the US, Canada, and Europe.  

ABOUT “Patterns of Life” 

Through my art, I hope to spark a dialogue about what it means to be human, to confront our challenges and triumphs, and to ultimately find solace and inspiration in the beauty and meaning we discover along the way. When creating each piece, I immerse myself in the process of understanding the patterns that shape our lives. From the intricate details of an abstract shape to the subtle interplay of texture, I seek to unearth the hidden threads that connect us all.

Each artwork in the “Patterns of Life” collection tells a story. The black-and-white color schemes speak to the universal duality in our existence – the light and the dark, the good and the evil, the joy and the sorrow. By embracing this contrast, I aim to convey that life is not merely a linear, one-dimensional journey but rather a complex tapestry of emotions and experiences. This choice allows me to strip away the distractions of color and focus purely on the forms, textures, and patterns that convey the essence of the human experience.

For me, art is not simply a means of self-expression but a conduit for connection and understanding. By exploring the patterns of life, we can foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of our shared human experience. With each stroke of the brush or manipulation of form, I seek to bring to light the inherent beauty and significance that exists within us all.

Through this visual language, I aim to inspire the audience to embrace the patterns of their own life, finding meaning, connection, and, ultimately, a deeper sense of self. In the simplicity of a curve or the complexity of a textured surface, may they find echoes of their own joys, sorrows, and moments of transformation.