My name is Ioanna Iosifellis (pronounced  Eo-anna  Eo-see-fel-lee) and signed  I.K.Iosifelli  in honor of my father ’s first name Konstantinos. I was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Anixi, a suburb of Athens, Greece where surrealism and abstract painting became a part of my life.

 

As a self-taught artist with over 20 years' experience, I first learned about mixing colors from my father who was a professional painter. Later I discovered my talent by painting on different kinds of materials such as rocks, pieces of recycled plastic and natural gourds; thus, turning them into art. I began painting on canvas when I was 17 years old and fell in love with using acrylic paint. My primary art mediums are oil and acrylic paints on canvas with varnish.

 

My artwork combines nature, spirituality, and my cultural heritage in metaphorical or symbolic ways. I use images of flowers, tree branches and roots which symbolize my personal connection with nature.  Birds are a representation of freedom and the female figure represents passion, fertility, sexuality, and motherhood. The sun and eye are symbols of energy and protection. The angelic figures and eyes convey a spiritual presence above that we can feel but not see. My choices of deep contrasting colors are characteristic of my Greek and Latin American roots. The use of bright and dark colors creates feelings of happiness and positive energy. Elements of the universe  (e.g. the sun, moon, and earth) unify the known with the unknown. 

 

I also have a sense of childhood and innocence in my work in order to keep a distance from other artistic styles and trends. However, I have great admiration for all types of art and I believe that art makes our life better and gives us food for thought. My life would be empty without art and I wish the world over becomes more creative. Ultimately, my hope is that others can experience something through my artwork.

 

My favorite quotes:

 

“Wherever I look, I see art, and I draw inspiration from my favorite places and my love for animals”

 

"Music is a major source of inspiration in the creative process. When I paint, I have no boundaries and I follow my feelings as a guide." 

 

"With music and my feelings as a guide, I will continue to create."  

 

 

Thank you for visiting my site,

Ioanna