Studio 19
Ainura Barron
MIXED MEDIA
A native of Kazakhstan, Ainura Ashirova Barron lives and works in St. Charles, MO. She earned her MFA in Visual Studies from Missouri State University in 2019. She also holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Kazakh National Academy of Arts (1997) and BA in Set Design from Almaty Arts College (1991). Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibits in Poland, Kazakhstan as well as throughout the St. Louis region including shows at Art Saint Louis, Creamery Art Center, Foundry Art Center, Framations Art Gallery, St. Louis Artists' Guild, St. Charles Community College, Springfield Art Museum, and Zeke Gallery.
For more than 20 years, Ainura worked in the area of art and education administration and art management. She worked for international not for profit organizations such as Aid to Artisans, USAID, British Council and for the Public Affairs section of the US Embassy in Kazakhstan. Through her career, Ainura had a chance to travel, see the world, and learn. She developed a broader understanding of arts and culture, which gave her the opportunity to obtain more knowledge that she could have not learned if she had remained working mainly in the studio as an artist.
This experience of seeing international art and working with contemporary artists has motivated her to go back and explore her creative self. In her works she attempts to combine the knowledge she gained into a specific investigation that cultivates not only her personal identity but also personal history and cultural meaning.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Journey to My Roots
I create various narratives that explore my traditions and history through a visual journey. This process has led me to rely on photographs, stories, and family traditions such as crafting, to construct my autobiography, and to run a specific investigation of my identity and history of Kazakhstan (my home country).
My cultural background forms my preferences in the color palette and in the materials I am using, as well as always refer me to the traditions and heritage I gained. As we all are products of our life experience I include my personal stories in my works as well.
In my artworks I attempt to combine the inspirations I gained from working internationally and my reflections on that experience, experimenting in a range of media including paintings, graphics, collages, digital works, illustrations.
By pushing myself through the cultural boundaries I explored how my life experience might be reflected in art. I incorporate elements of crafts into my paintings due to their association with women and femininity.
2022 CLASSES | Learn art-making, drawing, painting, and more! All classes and workshops can be scheduled for individuals or groups on an arranged date by contacting Ainura Barron. The maximum number of students per class is 6 people. Click here for flyer.
CONTACT
ainurabarron@gmail.com
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