Iryna Griffith

I madly, madly want to live
And make all living things immortal,
All faceless – human. And in total –
To incarnate, to love, to give!


I am looking for the inner side of things, their spirit, and the relationship between Spirit and Matter. Why do we struggle so desperately to deny non-material reality? To me, life consists of intelligence — in other words, in the power of Thought. Quality of Spirit is Thought. Quality of Matter is Form. Thought affects Form.
If the Form was not expressed in solid substance, but mouldable by Thought things would be flowing into each other. I imagine what it would look like. And – Bang! There is no dilemma for me as to what to paint, but a sense of urgency to put all my thoughts down on canvas. I have lots of sketches and hope I have time to paint them all. It is sometimes hard but exciting to put on canvas images that exist only in your imagination because you have no reference point, but somehow you know where the light should lick it, where the shadow should fall. I see it in my mind’s eye.
When I am asked to explain my painting, I normally say: “What do You think it means?” and enjoy the way different people find different meanings to it. I love to discuss their point of view first. W...

Iryna Kosachova Griffith - British Artist
Born in Ukraine, 1956.
Studied graphic design at the College of Art and Design in Kiev.