If you have any artworks by Irena Gapkovska, either paintings or drawings, PLEASE send us a PHOTOGRAPH along with the SIZE, TITLE, and YEAR if known.
gapkovskaart@yahoo.com – nicholas.thaw@gmail.com
Irena Gapkovska is President and Founder of NGO Art Studio. She has been an Art Mentor for over 25 years. Irena Gapkovska says: “As a Macedonian artist, the influence of the Byzantine is present in my work in many different ways. My images are usually rather surrealistic in style and I focus on the human figure in a symbolic manner. By using the aesthetics of ancient Macedonian art to express the spirituality of the subject, I make a bridge between abstract and figurative realities ~ combining them in an authentic manner with an intellectual approach to make a unique visual story of symbolic expression.”
Irena Gapkovska’s works are sensual and emotional, celebrating the joy of human movement by combining precise anatomical drawings with expressive and spontaneous touches of color. Strongly inspired by nature, the seasons, and the cycle of life, she redefines the Byzantine spiritual tradition with her unique and modern approach.
Educated in a very traditional manner, she takes inspiration from the moments and impressions from life: “Our deeply visual culture shows the fascination humanity has always had with the power of images within the context of Byzantine art.” Prior to Founding NGO Art Studio in 1998, Irena was graphic designer for the newspaper Elena and for Nova Makedonija Magazine, receiving a national award for best art illustration. She earned a Master’s Degree in Graphic Art from St. Kyril Methodiy University Fine Art Academy in Skopje with her thesis on Symbolism in Art.
In addition to working in her studio, Irena continues to pursue exhibition opportunities and renting her work to select companies.
Her current projects include STIHIA: Unstoppable Force of Nature, coming soon from Haley’s Publishing. The concept of “Stihia,” symbolically translating to an ‘unstoppable force of nature,’ holds profound significance in our understanding of the natural world. Rooted in diverse cultural, linguistic, and historical contexts, this term captures the awe-inspiring power and unpredictability of natural elements.
From ancient mythologies to contemporary discourse, Stihia serves as a compelling lens through which we perceive and interact with the forces that shape our environment and our well-being.
And Portraits of the Blues, by Darrell Arnold, Ph.D. with portraits by Irena Gapkovska. English language version by Sisyphus Publishing, French language version by Haley’s Publishing, both avaliable on Amazon.
A professional artist since 1998, in the last two years Irena participated in the exhibition of the Association of Visual Artists of Macedonia DLUM in Skopje, the Salon Rêves d’Artistes (twice) with “FEARLESS” and “Rêves à Retenir : L’étreinte de l’Amour” at the Palais des Congrès in Perpignan. Initiated by the Friends of the Rigaud Museum, she had a solo exhibition at Perpignan’s Journal l’Indépendant: “STIHIA : Unstoppable Force of Nature” and a solo exhibition “Visage et Intériorité” at the Grand Salon du Vienne in Perpignan. She illustrated the book “Portraits of the Blues” by Darrell Arnold, Ph.D. (English Edition: Sisyphus Publishing – French Edition: Haley’s Publishing). She exhibited at both the 121st Edition of the Salon d’Automne and at the Salon des Indépendants at the Grand Palais in Paris, at the Museum of the City of Skopje, and at Primavera in Arte at Palazzo Maffei, Galeria La Pigna, Rome (winning First Prize for watercolor painting), at Theatre Goldoni in Venice, and the International Art Exhibition “AqvArt – Venice” (winning Second Prize for watercolor painting), and the international art exhibition at the historic Arsenale in Venice. She will exhibit at Irreversible Art Week at Aqua Art Miami in December 2026.
Irena is represented in France by Concordia Art Gallery and in Italy by AqvArt Studio Artemisia.