Ira Stein

I am an ISSUE-IST.

Issue-ism is a pioneering movement in contemporary art. It is where creativity meets consciousness, born from the artist’s deep connection to the pulse of the modern world.

It transcends traditional aesthetics to become a voice for the voiceless, illuminating the pressing social, political, and environmental challenges of our time.

In this space, the artist is not bound by a singular technique or form, but by a purpose—to provoke thought, evoke empathy, and stir dialogue.

Whether rendered in bold abstraction, delicate realism, or any form in between, the essence of issue-ism lies in its ability to hold a mirror to society, making visible the unseen and amplifying the unspoken.

It is art as activism, beauty as a beacon for change, and vision as a vessel for truth.

Apprenticeship with Laddie John Dill
Apprenticeship with Tom Wudl
UCLA (Art History)
Santa Monica College of Design, Art and Architecture
Gemological Institute of America - Certified Gemologist
Monterey Peninsula College (Photography

Solo Exhibitions

2015 Genetics, I. Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2013 Eye on Stein, Bubar's Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2010 Ira Stein, Santa Monica Fine Art Studios, Santa Monica, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2015 New Perspectives, New Century Artists, Inc., New York, NY
2009 LA Biennial Exhibition, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2008 Public Art Project, Westside Arboretum Gateway Complex, Santa Monica, CA
Artists for the Children, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA
2007 Faces to Come, Soapbox Gallery, Venice, CA
2006 Painting & Drawing in Umbria, Scuola di S. Antonio, Assisi, Italy