Irina Teske

Predominately, obsessed with acrylic on chipboard, I have been painting for more than 30 years. Recently, I have begun exploring linocut printmaking and am interested in the similarities and differences between the two mediums, often creating the same images in both genres. A graduate of the University of Windsor, I have shown my work in many juried and solo shows across Canada. Most recently, I had a solo exhibition at the Leamington Arts Centre, receiving an Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Grant.

Exploring the relationship between image and material serves as the foundation for my art practice. The dichotomy between the natural and the man-made is acknowledged by a close engagement with the chipboard, unearthing the imagery inherent in the material. The repetitive patterns found in nature echo the repetition found in industry, in the mass production of building products. The material has its own recurring patterns that can be manipulated to reflect and correspond to the patterns found in the natural world.

My work concerns itself with the creation of a meditative space, a spiritual place in time. Painting, with its fluidity of line and endless tonal qualities is the medium that best lends itself to this end. Chipboard arrests this mutability and forces sharp, coarse edges not only on the beauty of the image but also on the gestural quality of the paint. I am intrigued by how these two elements work with each other and against each other, adding layers of meaning to my images. It is this contradiction that results in the creation of a new space, the space between the background and the surface, a place of contemplation.