Irene Van Celestine

I believe that true art is conceived through deep struggles, internal conflicts, and desires. I started painting after the tragic deaths of my mother and aunt, becoming the oldest woman in the family in a matter of days. Feeling closer to them than ever before, I chose to sign my paintings “Irene Van Celestine,” which means “Irene who is heavenly connected.” My work speaks of resilience and unleashed power against the demons that inhabit our world and soul. Some of my paintings were imagined in times of desperation; others came to me in my dreams. Each time I pick up a brush, I'm overwhelmed by emotions, yet often, the characters and scenes remain elusive, their identities and narratives gradually unfolding. As I paint, the background becomes more elaborate, and the figures shift in position and form. The intense visual stimulation of my art is in its shocking unfiltered honesty, brutal force or bright colors, and its magical twist. My paintings aim to evoke deep emotions: our minds stop our train of thought in its path to reminisce, our heartbeats skip in ache, and our eyes tear in sorrow. Yet there is hope–for the light, for the flight, for true love without boundaries.