Statement
 

I am an expressive figurative painter. My latest work captures the essence of my unusual body  form, and the way I feel in it. Upon studying Egon Schiele’s work - I saw myself. My figures are uncommonly elongated & dark but playful. I place ordinary and unusual items into my paintings, such as heart monitor stickers to bottle ties. I feel the outcome is overwhelmingly intense and although semi-abstract provides imagery one can relate to and be touched by. I capture the ecstatic of boney figures filled with an awkward awareness of themselves and complicated gestures. My intention is to evoke a sense of whimsy yet sympathy for my twisted and gangly figures. I am a voice for those whose life and circumstances have not always been kind or comfortable, yet their inner strength shines through.

Bio
 

Katrina Avino-Barracato was born in Russia in 1990. In 1996 she was adopted by an American family and brought to Brooklyn, NY. Katrina’s early love for art prompted her parents to enroll her in private art classes held in a storefront around the corner from her home. Katrina’s passion for fine arts flourished while attending the Bay Academy for the Arts and then Brooklyn High School for the Arts. Katrina’s work has been showcased in the Albany Museum, as well as exhibited at a number of galleries in New York City. She also participated in Art Basel Miami, 2012. Katrina is a teacher’s assistant at the Hetrick- Martin Institute where she also volunteers in the institutes after school youth program. This program provides education and emotional support to the participants, utilizing art as a  healing modality.