Iuliana Irimia – one of Literary Revelations’ most beloved and wonderful artists

Dear Followers,

It is our pleasure to feature the second time in our journal one of Literary Revelations’ most beloved and wonderful artists: Iuliana Irimia. We hope you enjoy the feature.

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Iuliana in her own words:

From as far back as I can remember, I’ve always loved drawing. I started by doodling on books, walls, post-its, and any scrap of paper I could find. At 14, I attended my first art class and decided to pursue Fine Arts at Dawson College in Montreal after finishing secondary school. My journey continued at Concordia University in the Painting and Drawing Program, but in 2013, I returned to Dawson to enroll in the Illustration and Design program, which felt like a better fit for my artistic aspirations.

Since graduating, I’ve taken on a variety of graphic design and illustration commissions and ventured into the world of mural painting. One of the highlights of my career came in March 2023, when I was commissioned by LNDMRK to execute a mural designed by Nalini Malani, one of India’s leading contemporary artists. Collaborating with such a distinguished artist was a deeply rewarding experience and an opportunity I’m profoundly grateful for. The mural was crafted using markers and charcoal—the latter also being a material I love and often incorporate into my own art.

I find the greatest joy in challenging myself to create more intricate and complex pieces. While I explore various mediums, I’ve learned that preparation is key. Creating a drawing or painting often takes many hours, so I take my time to thoroughly develop ideas before committing anything to paper. Yet, even after countless sketches, I frequently find myself making adjustments once I’ve started the piece.

Photo references play an essential role in my creative process. I enjoy dressing up in costumes and often enlist my spouse to help with taking pictures. Sometimes, he even becomes my model! Over the years, I’ve thrifted numerous outfits that now form my costume collection, which I use in these photoshoots.

Sometimes, my inspiration doesn’t begin with a fully formed idea. Instead, it sparks from the pictures I take of objects or scenes that catch my eye. During the summer, I love taking long walks, and it’s never too hard to find something inspiring along my path—whether it’s nature, manmade objects, animals, or the play of light. I also enjoy painting outdoors, in parks or on the streets, to capture the natural colors and essence of light directly, without the intermediary of a photograph. While I draw immense inspiration from the world around me, I also find the internet to be a treasure trove of breathtaking images of far-off places that would be impossible to explore in one lifetime. I save way too many pictures on my computer so I can go back to them and feel inspired all over again.

After absorbing as much inspiration as possible, I love blending the images in my mind into something entirely new. I’m particularly drawn to surrealism and enjoy capturing fleeting, dreamlike sensations onto paper or canvas.

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Works by Iuliana Irimia

Iuliana Irimia & Nalini Malani – Mural Fest- Iuliana drew the middle and right figures, as well as the hands.

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Toad Factory – Iuliana Irimia

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Guardian in the Clouds – Iuliana Irimia

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Pothole Rat – Iuliana Irimia

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plainair – Iuliana Irimia

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Celestial Perch – Iuliana Irimia

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To Make a Queen – Iuliana Irimia

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Reminders:

With a cover designed by our of award-winning Japanese artist Hikari, and with artistic photos by award-winning Japanese photographer Naoki Kimura included, please do not miss the chance to have your words grace the pages of our upcoming book, Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku. Email five haiku(s) at literaryrevelations@pm.me and label your submission 5 Haiku.

Submission closes February 28.

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We are now open for art submission. Please read on our website how to submit.

We have received a great deal of poetry submission. Please be patient and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

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Exciting Success: All Books published by Literary Revelations have become #1 Amazon Top Releases and/or #1 Bestsellers!

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