Iryna Besarab

I’m a painter based in County Limerick, Ireland, inspired by changing light, quiet landscapes, and the gentle pace of life. Since childhood, I’ve felt overwhelmed by the beauty around me—the way a moment can glow and vanish. Painting became my way of holding onto that fragility, of turning fleeting feelings into something lasting and shareable.

In 2023, I created State of Soul, a series exploring the emotional depth of being human. Through posture, gesture, and expression, I aimed to capture what lives within us, quietly or in chaos. As that chapter unfolded, my focus shifted outward—toward nature. I began to see emotion in petals and stems, in how wildflowers lean toward the light. Nature felt like a continuation of the inner world I was painting: the same vulnerability, now expressed in leaves and branches.

I work entirely by hand—from building wooden frames to the final layer of paint. This grounding process makes each piece wholly mine. I paint in oil, using expressive brushstrokes and a language of movement that hovers between abstraction and impression. I’m not trying to depict things exactly, but as they feel—soft forms, layered textures, and a sense of presence.

I’m drawn to small, quiet moments—a flower on the sill, fruit on a table—and through paint, I give them weight. My work invites stillness, softness, and wonder. It’s less about what we see and more about what we sense.