Irina Howard | A Magical Organic Odyssey
“Irina Howard has taken us on a journey into her magical world, and we can all individually take from the paintings what we want… Her work is highly stylized, deeply spiritual, and full of inventiveness. Her paintings explore the soul and heartfelt ideas into the world of desires, dreams, and the unconscious.”
– Anthony Fawcett, Art Critic and Art Historian.
Irina Howard is an award-winning artist based in New York, known for her innovative style that draws inspiration from organic forms, personal experiences, and philosophical views. Her work explores the complexity of human life experiences and transports viewers to thought-provoking, ethereal realms. Pushing the boundaries of creativity, she bridges reality and imagination to reveal the visible within the invisible. Her artwork is timeless and contemporary, representing conceptual ideas in a physical form.
Mix Media (Clay, Sculpting wire, Mesh wire sheet, Modeling compound, Paper mâché, Glue, Gesso, Spray paint, and Wood plaque),
41 x 41 x 38 cm
Oil on canvas,
76.4 x 102 cm
Howard was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1969 and showed artistic talent from a young age. Her imagination and curiosity led her to immerse herself in literature, art, music, and nature, inspiring her to overcome traumatic events throughout her life.
Her unique artistic vision took shape later in life when she pursued a career in the arts. She earned a Fine Arts degree with honors from the City University of New York in 2015 and a degree in Integrated Arts from the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences in Maryland, USA, in 2018.
Oil on canvas, 102 x 76.4 cm,
She has received several international art awards and recognitions, acknowledging her as a Very Influential Artist, Art Titan: Master of the New Era, the Premier Artist, and Artist for a Green Planet.
Her work has been widely published in magazines and art books worldwide and exhibited across the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Oil on canvas,
76.4 x 102 cm
“Howard’s works show a serene balance between aesthetic contemplation and poetic narrative-layered, lyrical, euphoric yet pensive energy going far beyond expressionism or a simple art object, drawing or painting.”
– Katie Brown, Editor at Visual Voices International.
“In my artistic practice, I envision art as a medium for introspection and reflection. I aim to evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity in the viewer, inviting them into a world where imagination reigns supreme and heartfelt stories encourage hope and transformation.
I aspire to create a dialogue about what it means to be human, to confront our challenges and triumphs, and ultimately find solace and inspiration in the beauty and meaning we discover along the way. My work is deeply personal yet universally relevant, encouraging emotional and intellectual discovery. By harnessing the universal language of symbols and visual metaphors, I invite viewers to explore their own inner landscapes and find connections to broader human experiences.
My process is a delicate combination of research, thoughtful decision-making, and spontaneous, intuitive solutions. When I allow my subconscious to guide me, uncovering hidden layers and meanings within each artwork, that unfolds a mysterious conversation between creator and creation.
Oil on canvas,
76.4 x 102 cm
Every painting is a unique experience, charting uncharted territory and guiding me toward unexplored frontiers of creativity. The complete interpretation of a piece could emerge at any stage. Each time, I am astounded by the enigmatic workings of intuition with its mysterious path to bring me to the culminating point of creation.
In my artistic journey, oil paint is traditional, with meticulous attention to form and space, and contemporary, embracing conceptual depth. Each creative venture commences with a central symbol, a thematic anchor that encapsulates the essence of the chosen theme. From there, with interpretation and visual design, other elements would seamlessly connect and harmonize to strike that perfect balance within the composition. Inspired by the endless variety of organic textures, I seek to capture their intricacies, transforming them into visual narratives that reflect our shared human experiences.
Oil on canvas,
61 x 61 cm.
Working predominantly with a monochrome black-and-white palette, I aim to emphasize these opposing forces’ starkness, complexities, and contradictions. I want to capture the tension and harmony between them, showcasing the interconnectedness of light and dark. This choice also 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. Ultimately, I create art that celebrates the timeless beauty of classical ideals through a surreal lens while hoping to ignite curiosity within the viewer to delve deeper into their personal journeys, where art becomes a portal to the depths of our souls. “
– Irina Howard
See the full article in the GOLD LIST Special Edition #8
Website: irinahoward.com | Instagram: @irinahoward_art
