ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist, I am constantly in search of the beauty and poetry that exist within our everyday lives. Inspired by nature and the human creative mind, I strive to capture the essence of these overlooked moments and their meaning for a person’s self-development.
Watercolor is my preferred medium because it brings a sense of unpredictability and transience to my work, much like the ever-changing nature of life. Each stroke of the brush adds another layer to my artistic vision, creating an ongoing narrative that is part of a larger work.
Ultimately, through my art, I invite others to see the world in a new way, encouraging a dialogue about the importance of slowing down and being present while embracing humanity’s never-ending desire to dream.
ARTIST BIO
Irina is a Sammamish, WA–based watercolor artist who was born and raised in Siberia. From an early age, she was passionate about painting, although she began her formal art education at the age of 28. She earned a Master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environment in 2001 and later graduated from a private art school.
In 2015, Irina moved to the United States with her family and continued developing her artistic practice as a largely self-directed artist, studying figure drawing, portraiture, oil painting, and calligraphy.
Since 2024, Irina has been collaborating with the Karin Kirkland School of Dance in Kirkland, WA, creating commissioned dancer portraits and presenting her work during performances at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue, WA. Beginning in 2025, she has also been volunteering at the VALA Art Center in Redmond, WA.
Exhibition experience since 2017. Milestones are:
Solo Exhibitions
2024 — Solo Exhibition, Cheryl Sallee Gallery, Auburn, WA (January–March)
Group Exhibitions
2026 - Recycled Dreams, VALA Art Center, Redmond, WA
2026 — Winter Show of Small Works and Miniatures, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland,WA
2025 — Winter Show of Small Works and Miniatures, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland,WA
2025 — Plein Air Views of Washington, Magnuson Park Gallery, Seattle, WA (May)
2025 — Art Is Me, Art Is Us, VALA Art Center, Redmond, WA (April–May)
2025 — Environmental Ties II, Magnuson Park Gallery, Seattle, WA (March–April)
2025 — Miniature Show, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA (Summer)
2024 — Winter Show of Small Works and Miniatures, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA
2024 — Environmental Ties, Magnuson Park Gallery, Seattle, WA
2024 — Miniature Show, Parklane Gallery, Kirkland, WA (Summer)
2024 — Crow and Raven, Third Annual Exhibition, Red Sky Gallery, Bothell, WA (Autumn)
2023 — Crow and Raven, Third Annual Exhibition, Red Sky Gallery, Bothell, WA (Autumn)
2022 — Elemental (Exhibition-Competition), Speedball Art & Iredell Arts Council, NC (August)
2021 — Every Leaf Speaks Bliss To Me, SCVWS Member Fall Show, USA
2021 — SCVWS 53rd Annual Member Show, California
2018 — Online Exhibition, Bauhaus Prairie Art Gallery, USA ( honorable mention and two noteworthy)
2017 — Online Exhibition-Competition, Bauhaus Prairie Art Gallery, USA (4th place and two noteworthy)