Irina Turner: Brushstrokes of Harmony at Arts by Angelova Gallery

As the soft hum of a world harmonizing on a universal frequency whispers to our souls, we're joined by Irina Turner of Arts by Angelova Gallery, who infuses this ethereal concept into tangible brushstrokes on canvas. Her gallery, a beacon nestled in the heart of Middletown, Delaware, stands as a testament to her mission—spreading art, peace, and love through the simplicity and unity of visual expression. Our conversation with Irina flows from her minimalistic tech approach, keeping her artistic and entrepreneurial spirit uncluttered, to the historical roots of her gallery—a place where ink once flowed and now inspiration does.

Step inside Irina's world, where each vibrant mural and abstract creation speaks to the transformative power of art. Her self-taught journey challenges the confines of formal training, proving that passion can indeed be the most potent teacher. With upcoming exhibitions and community events on the horizon, the Arts by Angelova Gallery is more than a showcase—it's a vibrant tapestry of experiences, inviting us all to embrace the colorful vibrations that shape our lives. Join us as we traverse the emotional landscapes of Irina's art, and leave with hearts full, eyes open, and spirits attuned to the beauty that art weaves into the fabric of our existence.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

you, hi, and welcome to the R2RB podcast series Woman Entrepreneur Spotlight. I am in the studio with Irina Turner, owner of Arts by Angelova Gallery, and Irina welcome. Thank you so much for joining me today. How are you?

Speaker 2: 0:59

Hi, thank you for having me. I'm wonderful. Thank you, I'm glad to be here. How are you?

Speaker 1: 1:05

I'm good, thank you. Thank you, I am good, and I always like to ask two questions to get us warmed up. If you could have any superpower, which one would you have?

Speaker 2: 1:16

Okay, so the question about the superpower, so, if I can have, that's a really good one. I actually have this expressed in my artworks and, because it's something that it is a little difficult for me to talk kind of like express in words, but it has, it has something to do with a frequency and with everybody being on same frequency and filling in. Yes, but I'm kind of running for the art for some reason. I'm fine and this is the ultimate power of community. It's not money or power or anything. This is the ultimate everything, if everybody can get on a frequency and vibration, and then that will be the ultimate understanding about all.

Speaker 1: 2:11

I like that. Oh, I like that a lot, and we definitely need to be there. What's your favorite app on your phone and why?

Speaker 2: 2:20

My favorite app. I don't really tend to use my phone much rather than to keep up with the business part of everything, which will be really focusing on the social media aspect of it, when I don't have to use it already or not. But I try to keep up with my Facebook and Instagram because, as an entrepreneur, this is just a must. I have to, yeah, but I do have to put it away and sit it away and other than that I kind of fail.

Speaker 1: 2:55

I think I agree. I do that myself now too. It's hard to sometimes put that phone aside, but I've been coming home in the afternoons and actually just putting it aside and taking time to you know, just to have that quiet time to de-stress. So I get that part with the phone. Your mission Arts by Angelova. Her mission is to cover the earth with art, peace and love, inspiring others to embrace creativity and flourish in the unity communicating through the language of visual arts. What's the full message that you want people to walk away with?

Speaker 2: 3:36

The full message is really it's right there, because it is really just that simple, so it's not complicated, and that's what we as humans tend to do and think sometimes. And it's just not that complicated. Things are simple and we just have to see through, and it's so easy to be more if we can do this together. This is really it. It's just so plain and simple and to the point.

Speaker 1: 4:10

And I think sometimes we over complicate things. Yes, exactly, and it holds us back, absolutely, absolutely. That's why I love this mission statement. So you are the owner of Arts by Angel Lova Gallery in Middletown and you found your space sometime around November 2022, or 23?, 22?

Speaker 2: 4:30

It was 22 when I first looked at it. It was November, but it was a long process. It was a process even of just getting in, because it was very much bare bone industrial. The location is actually where the Middletown transcript was being printed, so that was really really interesting.

Speaker 1: 4:58

So there's history there to begin with.

Speaker 2: 5:00

Yes, it is history there. There was marks all over the floors, from the ink, from the presses. So yes, it's pretty interesting and cool and it took a little bit to even have the place to a point where I can get in and start working on it, and that wasn't until February. But first looked at it in November and the vision was just since then straight up and forward to me and I keep working on it consistently.

Speaker 1: 5:38

Yeah, it's in progress. So, before you found your space, though, did you have an idea of the space you were looking for, or did you have the plan in your head that you wanted a gallery?

Speaker 2: 5:51

I did. Yes, I mean I had a vision of having a space to. It was slowly shaping up, Even if it's not necessarily a gallery, just a space to where I can display and others can display and more creative things can go on, like a creative studio sword gallery. Everything is happening very organically and just kind of following what feels right for me to do.

Speaker 1: 6:21

And that's one of the best ways to go is organically, especially, I think, being an artist.

Speaker 2: 6:28

Oh yes.

Speaker 1: 6:29

This is a must.

Speaker 2: 6:30

This is an absolute must for me. Well, and because I'm an abstract artist, so I can't, I'm not the type of artist who can copy or who will follow tutorials through a Tee or take very specific commissions, or whom is all about self-expression. So it has to happen this way, otherwise it just doesn't happen.

Speaker 1: 6:56

Absolutely. And you have shared on Facebook the process of your abstract art, which is, I remember, when I first started following you and I saw this beautiful painting that for me and I forget which one it was, which one was it? I'm going to find the one that it was, but it was just and you might have asked the question about feelings or something, and I just remember it invoking such feelings, looking at this and I call them angels in your artwork.

Speaker 2: 7:32

Thank you, that's what people call them I don't know what they are when they happen.

Speaker 1: 7:38

Yeah, but there's this beautiful image coming through. That that's what got me and I was like, oh my God, I got to follow this Absolutely, and so you've shared that process of where you start from and how you've done a few of those where we've seen some of the beginning and the middle and the beautiful endings of your artwork. Thank you. When did you know that you wanted to be an artist? Um?

Speaker 2: 8:08

I think always from very early. But then there is a point of time, especially when it comes to you know, being an artist. There is a lot that goes into factor, that you know as a child it can happen, so you don't go that way and then you just don't think that you are. But you always know because something is off. So when life takes you through different opportunities to where creativity can be expressed, either if it's in, you know, when you become a wife and a mom in a home and you set up your home, either if it's expressed on how you do everything, how you coordinate it, if it's the way you dress, either if it's like the projects that you pick up and do. It just goes around with you no matter what else happens in your life. That just stays in goals.

Speaker 2: 9:12

And if you don't find that way to express it, then an artist is always an artist. So they're not going to be anything else. It's not going to go away until they, you know, until they hear. So they may not understand it, but what it is is there will be something always missing. It can either go that way or you can try finding ways to make it funnel out. It can be simple things, and this is how it really became for me what it is now like literally, I was just picking up objects around me and making things out of them, like literally from the silliest things and projects around the house like I'm talking about impressively very skillful, handcrafted projects that I have never done before and I just did and I was like, wow, let me see. And then it just moved into more finer things with the paint and I worked in fashion for some time as a stylist.

Speaker 1: 10:17

as a stylist, Is that how your art and your styling got into the clothing?

Speaker 2: 10:24

I think so. Yes, because I've always. I was always great with putting the colors and the shape together on the body as a stylist, as a former stylist, and having all the fabrics and textures and all that work. Now, while I don't work as much with the different fabrics right now, right now, my fashion line is to several different fabrics and I have bags and also make jewelry and different accessories, but I think I just kind of like it wasn't really plain. I just kind of like naturally lit. What I felt like should be happening happened. I made few things for myself first. I loved it, and that's another thing is that I wouldn't give my audience anything that I wouldn't just love.

Speaker 1: 11:16

So, yes, yeah, I've seen some of your pieces as well, and taking your artwork to put on a piece of clothing. They're beautiful.

Speaker 2: 11:29

Thank you, thank you. Yeah, they make you feel like you're floating. They do have Marta Morgan on Delaware Avenue in Wolf-McDonnell. She has the bags. They're great accessories to all her quilting lines over there.

Speaker 1: 11:45

Oh, that's fantastic. Oh my gosh. I know again so two things, that your the colors and the vibrancia and the depth of your artwork from those, those color combinations and the expression that comes through each of your pieces of artwork are absolutely extraordinary. Thank you.

Speaker 2: 12:06

Thank you, and this is what I'm trying to give this like positive, uplifting vibration.

Speaker 1: 12:14

You can't get depressed looking and feeling from your artwork. There's too much, too much happiness. I just want to go back to when you opened your gallery oh yeah, yeah, and you were talking about, you know, being a blanks mess really. And then a little late, and again you post it when you first you know, I think, when you first got the keys to the door and moving in and all the work that the prep work and you were doing that by yourself, yeah yes, but again, that kind of vision just kept keep going and going and it got done, and not only.

Speaker 2: 12:55

But one of the very signature things about the gallery is something that I don't know if it can be seen anywhere else, but it doesn't matter, because I'm doing it just as it felt right at the time. But the floor is turned out really great because once, once, I refinished them, I cleaned them, refinished them and one day I was sitting in and I'm thinking because everybody is our gallery floors, they should be neutral, they should be gray and or something, something neutral. I'm working with concrete floors. So at the time I had to move quick. There was no you know no resources or time to do like resin. Ideally, the plane is a resin that I want to do myself, but I think I'm slowly going to add elements to it. That's another working provision, a fantastic one. So one day I just picked up a bunch of colors and started making the floors, which have been an absolute smoking point for anybody who walks in. And while this was not the plane, the plane was just to let things flow out it turned out very much like a signature.

Speaker 1: 14:11

It did. Oh my gosh, it is part of you on the floor that makes it just stand out over and above any place else that you would walk into with that, with, like you said, the neutral color, which can be boring.

Speaker 2: 14:28

Yeah, well, the art of mixed things, you know pop. But it turned out actually that the way the artwork is curated in the space, it still makes everything flowing really great and it's a very attractive view for the viewer to walk in and see this yeah, it's just an extension of you and your art, exactly, exactly, and then it's exactly, yeah, and it carries out to the walls.

Speaker 1: 14:57

Right, and it carries out to the walls with your artwork with. You know more of you and so do you have a favorite piece of art.

Speaker 2: 15:10

I don't have a favorite. If I have to pick one, I don't think that I can, but if I really, really really have to pick one, it will be probably the angel that was displayed at the DuPont, at Curtis DuPont yes.

Speaker 1: 15:26

It was an absolute phenomenal.

Speaker 2: 15:30

It really just flew out at me like the entire thing just came from. It came very quick, very intuitive, very it was done in a very prolific way and it just came up, literally, came up to life in a very unique way. So yes so that will be her.

Speaker 1: 15:51

Sorry, did somebody contact you that they were looking for somebody to do the display in the window, or did you find it?

Speaker 2: 16:00

Actually, this is the owner of the Salon's, randy Curry. When that very location was opening up, he liked my artwork, so he purchased nine artworks for their location and so they're actually there. They are on display. Yes, they are. So they're there on display. Then, you know, he kept an eye on what I'm up to and all that and it's like, gave me an opportunity that I also really appreciate. But coming from somebody like him, who is such a somebody with such a vision, the way, the way his business is run, is just so much more than a business. It's more like it feels like a family to where you know everybody's comfortable going in and having great service. He has done this for a long time, he has found talents for a long time and he's an art collector as well, and when that opportunity was given it, that that was really. This is what she represented, what it felt at the time, because it's a very focal spot.

Speaker 1: 17:06

So for those, for those of you who are listening, it's actually a 3D piece of art that Irina created in the window, and did you not set out for it to be a 3D piece, or did you have kind of an?

Speaker 2: 17:22

idea and it just kind of came up like that. So I did all of it. I built the dress from broken glass so it was really really rising up from this with clear raisins, so it looked like she's coming out of broken glass and there was the big wings on the top and the wings was actually it will be reversible. I have them at the gallery and you can display them as a butterfly or as an angel and it's a very interesting piece, very like top provoking piece and it means like coming out of a glass and flying out.

Speaker 1: 18:01

Yes, and so if you go, follow Irina, you can see the beautiful piece of art on your Facebook page. And before we go any further, why don't you tell people where they can find you on Facebook and contact you and where the gallery is located in Middletown? Okay?

Speaker 2: 18:19

so my Facebook is Artis by Angelova. That's A-R-T-S-B-Y-A-N-G-E-L-O-V-A Arts by Angelova. It's the same thing with Instagram and that's where you can find me. This is also my email. My brand Arts by Angelova is across the board, so is the site artsbyangelovacom. The gallery Arts by Angelova. It's located at 24 West Main Street, unit C, and you can't miss it because there is a very colorful side wall glittery, shiny, colorful, happy, vibrant side wall leading you through Signs of the inspirational alley, which is where the gallery is located. You will see the signs and a big colorful mural hugging the door, so you can't miss it.

Speaker 1: 19:29

No, and before you moved in, you could very easily miss that alley because there was nothing.

Speaker 2: 19:35

It was nothing yes, well, my landlord's don't from creative age. She's a very creative person, so it worked out well. She's also the one who has told me to do the side walk, because not many landlords will say, yeah, go for it. But she's been very helpful. She did a lot of my signs and she's doing the signs for the events now and she's riding there in that alley with me trying to boost the creativity out.

Speaker 1: 20:06

Yeah, that is so great. We need that. We need something like that in the communities, be it Middletown, here in Dover, up and down Delaware. Absolutely, we know it's been a rough few years coming out of COVID and having a place like your gallery is absolutely. People have to get out and find you. We get stuck and sometimes we get so stuck in a rut that we don't know what we want to do. But then we find somebody like you that has this amazing artwork herself and then this amazing gallery to go to and you have an event coming up as well, right?

Speaker 2: 20:49

Yes, yes, we are having the bloom, the bloom March 22nd.

Speaker 1: 20:56

Is there another event coming up after that? Other things coming up.

Speaker 2: 20:58

Well, there are things. Currently, I'm just taking some work down from gallery 1601, which is a new gallery in Wilmington, delaware. They are fantastic, amazing, curated by Unified Creative Exchange. Okay, what I currently also have is a large display, a legal grounds cafe, which is a beautiful cafe at Ellesmere, delaware. The display is turning out lovely. You should really go see it because it's only up until the end of this month. Oh wow, it's looking just beautiful and it's radiating that energy that I was talking about, and it's really a great way to start a day with a nice coffee and breakfast and just enjoy that. It is really a way to relax and just be talking to the art for a little bit and take a minute to just relax.

Speaker 1: 22:04

And we don't do that enough. We need to learn to take an extra minute to distress and find beauty in other things.

Speaker 2: 22:13

Mm-hmm, right, yes, and so this is what's happening now in March. In April, finished in the owl, it's a bookstore in Wilmington who will have me as the future artist. This, so this is April. In May, for the May art loop, I will be the future artist at the Deco in the same hotel, japan's building. Yes, so, which is interesting because my very boosted up career in Wilmington started from there as well. It was one of the Kyolywos events which until this day attend, but she's a whole nother story. She's like a whole nother name and inspiration that I can go on for. But, yes, I'm back at the Deco in May and in June. In June I have a solo exhibition 40 artworks.

Speaker 2: 23:15

Wow, the opera house in Antiques in Newcastle. They were wearing historic Newcastle, oh my God. Yeah, curated by Joleta Hill. She's a wonderful curator and artist. She will be at the Bloom. She will be one of the future artists. Yes, and I'm really, really excited. This is the first time that I am going to be editing in the gallery, but like out of the gallery to where I have like a full solo exhibit how exciting.

Speaker 1: 23:47

Oh, that's so exciting for you. That is awesome. Oh my gosh, that's so great. Let me ask you a question Did you have any formal art training?

Speaker 2: 23:57

No, not at all. Not only that, but it's what is interesting kind of for me, is I much rather just find my way in what I'm doing and just letting the process be, versus having to follow tutorials to try to do something else, like I'm really just painting it's, I'm really just making art and I wanted to be just like that. And I do see when they do come out to life. I do see plenty of mistakes, room for improvement, like if I am to judge some artist who is like very advanced or anything like that. But I just love everything happening in this space and the way that it's happening. So I'm just really this is what I'm doing. I'm embracing the love for that process.

Speaker 1: 24:57

And you certainly love what you do. Yeah, I really do. You do. I see it in your smile and when you talk about your artwork and you light up is just that's the best feeling you know that you're doing something right. Yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 25:14

I hope so. I mean, I think that I am because I can see it in the response of others as well.

Speaker 1: 25:26

Yeah, yeah, absolutely so. Are you working on anything new? Oh, I'm always Always. It's always in progress.

Speaker 2: 25:37

I'm working on several new things at the same time, and right now it's a lot of my work is actually like through different displays. So even though I have to have the room, the room for the bloom, I still consistently work on things. Just one, and most just because it's part of me, but who I am. And two is because it's for me. It's important to keep producing the artwork For things coming up as well to summer is going to be busier. It will allow me to also really open up the inspirational alley and have things set outside by the mural, which is going to be just lovely, and I'm playing in a little garden out there. I like it.

Speaker 2: 26:27

So if anybody in Middletown you know, test by.

Speaker 1: 26:31

Absolutely. Now. Do you have guest artists that will come to you to want to hang their pieces in your gallery?

Speaker 2: 26:38

Guest artists I have several artists that are featured right now. I have some of the greatest artists in the area and some very emerging and just budding and upcoming artists. Together and I have 16 artists total for the bloom exhibit. That's gonna be so much fun and it will be also an art look at the same time.

Speaker 1: 27:03

Yeah, I can't wait, oh my gosh. And I can't wait for Sunday night, when we talk more about it too, because that is going to be so exciting I mean, that opens up so much in that area to have that Middletown, the arts, your community coming together for everybody that's going to be involved. And this will be the first of many. So, going forward, you're gonna be able to say the first bloom, and now we're having the second bloom. Yeah, oh my gosh. So just a couple of questions on the business side. Would you do anything different when you first found your space and you started putting it all together? Would you change anything? Or everything does kind of fell into place.

Speaker 2: 27:54

Everything happened the way it happened because it should have, and I did my best. So this is really the only thing that we can do, I guess. I mean, and when you're laid by really by passion, when passion plays such a big part of your decisions, that can be tricky, but it is turning out. I think I wouldn't change a thing.

Speaker 1: 28:26

Let me put it this way and most of the women that I've asked that question to have said the same thing. It's been a learning experience and from if there are anything that did go wrong, everybody's learned from it. And one other question what advice would you give another, either woman, artist going into business for opening a gallery, wanting to open a gallery for themselves? Just?

Speaker 2: 28:51

to make sure that they continue to be the true artists that they are and show that part to the world or anybody who they want to show it to, and just to embrace the authenticity, because this is the true opportunity that they have to connect to the artwork, to the community and to anybody who sees the artwork, who views the artwork is it's only one truth you only want. This is your truth. So if you put it out, you never have to be, you never have to do anything. So just do it.

Speaker 1: 29:35

I like that I like that a lot. So is there anything that you want to share that I haven't touched on? Have I missed anything?

Speaker 2: 29:43

I think that we have covered just about anything that I can possibly talk about. I am gonna continue to work towards these little colorful vibrations that I was talking about earlier on and maybe just take this opportunity to tell everyone to be a little more open with their vision. Just be a little more attentive. Not try to be attentive, but don't let things that can bring simple choice into just slide by because of something else that has consumed you. So finally they'll happen and it's like they're all around. Make some art. Go see some art. Yes, this is one more. Go see some art.

Speaker 1: 30:39

Yes, and there's so much. There's so much beautiful artwork to look at and to feel, and to come see you at your gallery and to feel the vibrations and the feelings that your artwork expresses. That's what everybody needs to get out to.

Speaker 2: 30:59

Yes, they do.

Speaker 1: 31:00

Yes, they do. Thank you, hi Irina. Thank you so much. I have enjoyed our conversation. I am so looking forward to meeting you in person and talking to you again Sunday night.

Speaker 2: 31:11

Yes, me too. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. You are welcome.