Visiting Artist Exhibition: IRINA ASHCRAFT

Free Public Opening Reception: Friday, April 10th - 6:30-8 pm

Studio ArtFarm 120 E 4th Ave. Mount Dora, FL

Irina Kovnacka Ashcraft, b. 1976 is an accomplished fine artist from Latvia, where she received her formal training and has been showing her artwork in numerous shows and galleries. Irina earned her B.F.A. in Oil Painting from Latvian Academy of Art in 1998. She came to Orlando, Florida, in 1999, and now makes her home there. She has since been presenting her work at several local and European galleries, art

festivals and shows. Some examples are a one-woman art show at the Gallery on

Cork Street in London, UK, Artist of the Month at the Orlando Museum of Art Gift Shop

Gallery, and poster artist in numerous art festivals in Central Florida. Most notable, however, has been Irina's success as a prominent emerging fine artist on Sothebys.com between 1999 and 2003. Kovnacka’s auction sales records are listed in the prestigious MAYER 2000-01 and 2002 International Auction Guide (currently Artprice.com.) In 2006, Irina completed her M.A. in Art Education at the University of Central Florida. In addition to her professional artist’s career, she teaches art at Trinity Preparatory school in Winter Park, Florida, as well as conducts workshops and private lessons to students of all ages.

“I love working with color and texture. When I paint, my goal is not to replicate my

subject exactly, but rather to reflect the impressions and moods brought on by the

moment, often exaggerating the colors or shapes of my focus. I use my artwork as a

source of expressing personal perception of the world and also as a way of communication with a spectator, where colors serve as words. The value of this

dialogue is in its universal language.”

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