Irina Velman

From her Waitakare studio Auckland painter Irina Velman is inspired by the beauty of the West Coast. Her vibrant colour palette translates superbly onto canvas, these are bright, colourful artworks with a strong sense of place. Irina is a full-time artist after escaping from the corporate world, she says " I have always been a free spirit, an artist. I hated taking instructions from other people and living on someone else’s schedule. I was not cut out for corporate world. My problem was not uncommon: creative person trapped in a cubicle. I needed time to paint and all I had was a couple of hours late at night, after working day and domestic duties were over."