Ify Chiejina - Of darkness seemed

Many artists of today owe their ingenuity to artists like Faith Ringgold.

Last week I walked into fabric stores in my area looking for patterns in cool colors. Even though I wasn't really feeling the yellow, I do love lines and angles so I couldn't ignore this textile. #ifychiejina #IfeatuanyaChiejina #americanartist #workinprogress #drawing #contemporaryart #mymom https://www.instagram.com/p/CiN41AEOFsu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Reposted from @raveneditions In conversation with resident artist Ify Chiejina, continued. Q: So your work and processes are transformative in nature? You see a picture and decide to make it into something new; in that process, you learn something new. A: Yeah, that word ' transformative' hits so close for me. In all of the pieces I make, especially self-portraits, I want to create something inspired by a photo, piece of artwork, or based on an experience. I love the idea that my process is transformative, but it's not something that I started thinking about immediately. But that's the beauty of describing my work, having conversations with others about it, and hearing certain words used to describe it. Just like the word reflective. It's not something I would have come up with myself until someone said, " So you do a lot of reflection in your work." That got me thinking like " Oh, yeah, I do." I love having these conversations. Whether it be about where a particular photograph is from, the story behind it, making self-portraits, or choosing a specific image, I love that type of back-and-forth communication. I don't have a studio space; instead, I have to designate space within my bedroom or living room to create. But with this, I find more value in my work based on where it is taking me in the world and the residency or fellowship I'm doing because there's more opportunity for me to have exchanges with people about art. It also lets me see from another person's perspective and think more about how people respond and interact with my work. Then I think about whether that suits the work, my practice, and what I can do with it to create the next piece." 👀 Be on the lookout for updates on this print release! Color tests done by studio assistant Nick Roberts. . . . #raveneditions #contemporaryartist #inthestudio #printmaking #studiovisit #ravenprints #residentartist #collectprints #IfyChiejina @ify.chiejina @nicholas_roberts421 https://www.instagram.com/p/CiIg3Q4rI73/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#tb Taking the Japanese Woodblock workshop with @nandinichirimar @efa.rbpmw was such an enjoyable experience. I did struggle with understanding the technique, but once I got it I felt much more confident in my pace. #IfyChiejina #IfeatuanyaChiejina #contemporaryartist #japanesewoodblock #printmaking https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch-aYKPuVGt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I'm thrilled to be a participating artist for "Here We Are: Young, Black, and Indigenous Women in the Art World". Answering questions about the pieces I selected for the exhibition was really nice because it was a reminder of how much I enjoy doing what I want to do in my practice and experimenting. My older brother went to the opening reception with me and took most of these photos. The group show was curated by @shawnalaine1 💜 and the works will be on view till the end of the year. #IfyChiejina #IfeatuanyaChiejina #americanartist #nigerianamericanartist #artist #contemporaryartist #exhibition #southeastqueensartist (at Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChlZeRmsz53/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#IfyChiejina #IfeatuanyaChiejina #nostalgia (at Somewhere Nice) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChLpjM0sbrT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Reposted from @thenewhousecenter Gearing up for August 20: Opening Day Party celebrating three exciting new exhibitions! Next up is Here We Are: Young, Black, and Indigenous Women in the Art World. Here We Are, curated by Shawnakay Salmon, is a showcase of five New York-based woman artists who share their art as an extension of themselves. Featuring work by Jaclyn Burke, Ify Chiejina, Jodi Dareal, Debbie Roxx, and Arrianna Santiago. We'll be highlighting each of the participating artists over the next couple of weeks. Ify Chiejina is a visual artist born and raised in Queens, NY. Ify is a black Igbo female with ideas, thoughts, and truths that are rooted and reflective of different customs and traditions. As a Nigerian-American, Ify considers the tensions and complexities that come with being brought up in an African household, in a western society. Ify completed her B.A in philosophy from Queens College, and completed a certificate program for the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute in 2015. Learn more at the link in bio! #snugharbor #newhousecenter #statenisland #ifychiejina #hereweare #BIPOCartist #nigerianamericanartist #statenislandart #nycgallery #artgalleriesnyc #womenartists #exhibitionopening https://www.instagram.com/p/ChH3Ll8rLj0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Reposted from @raveneditions Experimenting with collage elements such as burlap, mesh, mod podge, and other 'untraditional materials,' resident artist Ify Chiejina constructs tactile narratives, pulling inspiration from her parents' photo albums and exploring the essence of self captured in them. She intuitively layers narratives into her figurative pieces, expressing emotions, and personalities, distorting characters, and traversing the space between memories. . . . #raveneditions #contemporaryartist #residentartist #studiovisit #ravenprints #silkscreen #collage #artist-in-residence #artistresidency #printstudio #experimentalprintmaking @ify.chi.chiejina https://www.instagram.com/p/ChClryprAxf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I love how this drawing of my friend @2_legit2quit__ turned out. Before starting it I kept telling myself to enjoy the process because I have been feeling all over the place creatively. Reposted from @2_legit2quit__ I feel honored, flattered, and appreciated by this piece of work!!! Thank you @ify.chi.chiejina 💯🙏🏾 #IfyChiejina #IfeatuanyaChiejina #artist #art #drawing #workinprogress #blackmenguided https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg4WcsUAH5l/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I spent my beautiful Sunday afternoon creating some glittery watercolor monotype prints. Glittery mediums aren't something I typically reach for, but the experience of using glittery watercolors was super satisfying. The workshop was led by @punkraque, and presented by @efa.rbpmw and @printedmatter_stmarks. 📷 credit: @kibounce #IfyChiejina #IfeatuanyaChiejina #artist #art #printmaking #monotype #watercolors (at Printed Matter / St. Marks) https://www.instagram.com/p/CguHMxbr8HA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=