Ileyna C. Witenstein is an artist whose practice explores emotions and psychology through portraiture.  She uses oil paint to capture a feeling in her subject and create a sense of unfiltered emotion. She is inspired by the emotional world of both others and herself. Recent exhibitions include RAW Showcase at The Pressroom and Chrome at Arizona State University.  She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Art Education from Arizona State University in December 2020.

Artist Statement

My work explores emotions and psychology through portraiture. The face is often the most expressive part of the body. I use oil paint to capture a feeling in my subject and create a sense of unfiltered emotion. I am inspired by the emotional world of both others and myself. I use color as a means to generate an emotion or feeling. My goal with my work is to share vulnerability and create an emotional connection with my audience. Art has always been my way of getting what I feel out of my head and onto paper. Being able to see what’s in my mind on a canvas has always been a special and sometimes unnerving feeling for me.