Hi, my name is Ira. I’m a Ukrainian abstract artist based in Fort Langley, BC, Canada.
I’ve always loved painting. Since I was a kid, I could sit for hours coloring, completely lost in it. My grandpa was a self-taught painter, and his landscapes hung in our home. I used to stare at them, noticing all the little details. I think that’s where it all started — this quiet fascination with color, texture, and light.
Hi, my name is Ira. I’m a Ukrainian abstract artist based in Fort Langley, BC, Canada.
I’ve always loved painting. Since I was a kid, I could sit for hours coloring, completely lost in it. My grandpa was a self-taught painter, and his landscapes hung in our home. I used to stare at them, noticing all the little details. I think that’s where it all started — this quiet fascination with color, texture, and light.
The day everything changed
When the war in Ukraine started, everything changed overnight. I woke up to the sound of rockets in my city. After finding a safe place to stay for a while, I remembered a paint-by-numbers kit my friend once gave me. I thought, maybe this will help me calm down a bit.
Halfway through painting it, I realized how much creative energy I had inside. I hadn’t painted for a long time, and suddenly I knew I wanted to create something real — something that came straight from me. A few days later, I saw an ad for a Canadian abstract artist’s online course. I took it, and it felt like exactly what I needed. That’s when I asked myself one question: If tomorrow was my last day, what would I want to do today? The answer was clear — paint.
That’s how it all started. Later I moved to Canada and decided to start fresh, to build a life as an artist here.
Now my paintings are my way to translate how life feels — through the colors and textures of nature. I don’t try to paint what I see. I paint what I feel. Every piece holds a part of that journey — from chaos to calm, from fear to freedom.
That’s how it all started. Later I moved to Canada and decided to start fresh, to build a life as an artist here.
Now my paintings are my way to translate how life feels — through the colors and textures of nature. I don’t try to paint what I see. I paint what I feel. Every piece holds a part of that journey — from chaos to calm, from fear to freedom.
Explore my new series
Eight paintings. One story. Born from a year of change, reflection, and returning to myself. Inspired by the colors of Tenerife — and by the lessons life whispered after.