Irena Taylor has been drawing and painting since childhood. She received her teaching degree from Houghton College, and a certificate in Religious Studies from Cambridge University. She studied with Paul Ingbretson at his atelier for classical drawing and painting(Boston School), Cambridge Street Studio in Philadelphia, and has taken several art workshops under Ted Seth Jacobs, Daniel Greene, and Sherry McGraw.
Irena Works in charcoal, pastel, watercolor, and oil. She enjoys most subjects through portrait and figurative are her favorites. Her landscapes are primarily done en plein air.
She taught youth and adults for almost 20 years at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art, San Antonio Tx. Currently Irena teaches privately and accepts portrait commissions.
She has won several awards for her work, including First Place at the Spring TX Art Fest (2003), Coppini Artist o the Year(2003), Best of Show – Plaza Club plein air event (2003), 2nd place at the Pastel Society of Southeast Texas National Show (2014), and several Honorable Mentions – most recently at the 2015 Susan K. Black Foundation Workshop in Wyoming. First place Inspire Art Competition 2014, (pastel) 2nd Place pastel New Braunfels, TX 2018 Juried Show.
Memberships include: Texas Pastel Society-Founding member and President 2014, Portrait Society of America, and the River Art Group in San Antonio, Outdoor Painters Society, Pastel Society of America.