Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Irwin.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I remember growing up and feeling like I couldn’t keep my heart from wanting to add life and color to e v e r y t h i n g. I would cover my journals, homework, brothers walls, my house with words and color. I would doodle, decorate, and create on whatever was in front of me because I was so stoked about life and the people around me. I spent so much of my time writing notes to friends, using any excuse to make giant colorful signs that made people feel celebrated and loved and tagging walls with encouragement to brighten up someone elses day in some way…I remember practicing countless fonts because i loved how all the fonts looked in my journal entries. I found it to be such a fun way to express myself through words and the style of the letters. Writing and creating have always been an outlet for me to release all that was stirring within. My dad played a huge part in my creativity because he was such an incrediblwalls e artist and I saw him use his talent to provide for our family and I admired that so much about him. My dad would paint my bedroom with the dreamiest murals of the most breathtaking sunsets and ocean views. I remember being little and sitting in my room while I stared at his killer paintings and think, “I want to create like that — work that inspires and breathes life and awakens something inside of people like this does for me” I grew up and continued using creativity as an outlet and getting better at signs and people would always comment on how much they loved them but I never dreamed it would turn into what it has now. My creativity didn’t flourish until I was 22 when my mentor spoke life over my creativity and felt God wanted to use it more than what I was currently doing. It was then that I asked Jesus what He wanted me to do with this gift He had given me and He spoke Ruah into my spirit. It was then that I created “Ruah Dry Bones Come Alive” with the simple hope to create art pieces that would breathe life and awaken the dead, hopeless parts of people and give them hope and create life, abundant life in their hearts. I look back and realize that all those years in elementary and middle school of practicing fonts, writing letters, falling in love with encouraging others led me to the older version of myself that would have “Ruah Dry Bones Come Alive” with the mission of encouraging others across the world. I have a 7 year old son who is already so talented and creative and I want to show up that it’s okay to dream God sized dreams and chase the roar…. and I hope that him seeing me pursue art and my passion would give him the freedom to do the same.
Ruah is a Hebrew word that means, ‘spirit, breath’ and Dry Bones Come Alive is from Ezekiel 37 when God breathes life into the valley of dry bones. I was so dead, lifeless and lost when Jesus rescued me at 18 and He radically changed my life and has turned my biggest mistakes into such a beautiful story and I want my work to be a part in Him doing that in others. I love creating pieces that tell a story and radiate life and speak truth. Hearing testimonies of how God uses the right art piece at the right time in someones life is what inspires me to keep creating. I spent 18 years of my life dead, lost, wondering, hopeless and it wasn’t until Jesus rescued me that I wanted to pour that into others so that they could live their lives fully alive!
Please tell us about your art.
I still find myself creating on anything and everything around me, no matter where I am or what it is. The other day my niece was jumping on my bed and she paused and looked around and said, “wow, you are inspired by everything.” I smiled as I looked around because I use anything to create whether that’s old wood, broken glass, blank paper, leaves or walls with open space! If I have been there, you can usually tell because I’ll leave a created something in my tracks 😉 Jesus is always inspiring me and I have come to realize that if whatever it is has space to add more life — you can find me doing just that 😉
I started off doing wood work but as my creativity has flourished and I’ve gotten more confident in what Gods gifted me with– my pieces vary and you can find a lot of different pieces that I do. It’s all so different i think because each piece is inspired by Jesus and whatever He is stirring within me that day. I love being able to use something that’s old or broken and refining it and turning it into a beautiful, useful piece of art that has purpose and sends a powerful message. That is such a symbolization of what God does with each one of us — finds us in our mess, takes what’s broken in us and transforms us into new and beautiful, unique creations that shine bright for His Kingdom and reveal His glory. He takes our mess and uses it for a message which is what my hope is with each piece that I make.
I love wood work but I also love finding leaves and glass and anything that I can add a touch of color or powerful words that give life when someone reads them. My hope while I create whatever piece it may be is that whoever the person is, whatever state they are in, whatever condition their heart and whatever circumstances they are facing — they will be able to feel my love, passion and deep commitment to creating art that breathes life into them and gives them hope each and every day. I drench my pieces in prayer and believe so strongly that art is such a powerful part of our healing journey if we come across the right piece at the right time. I desire for God to use me to create those pieces for the right people everyday.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think the challenges would be creating fast enough to keep up with the countless other artists and social media accounts that are constantly flooding in with new artwork and really being able to display your artwork in a gallery or a show instead of social media…ya know? So many people use social media as a platform and it does put a pressure on you to make sure you’re constantly creating but making sure it’s unique and different than the rest? it can become a lot since I do all of the work on my own but I just have to trust that God called me to this and He will do the part in sending out the pieces and showing them to the right people at the right time.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Social media and my website are the easiest ways to see my work! I plan to start doing pop up shows as a way to meet new people and have them see my work in person instead of viewing it online — that way it’s more personal and a chance for me to share my story and really speak into peoples lives.
People can support my work by following me on social media, ordering pieces they see and dig or ordering custom pieces they want done! I want more people to see my work and mission because I believe so many people are in need of hope and powerful truth telling messages that ignite something in them and I want Ruah to play a part in my story! People can email me, text me, contact me through Facebook or Instagram because I genuinely enjoy connection while creating pieces for people. It’s so much more than making money for me but it’s about meeting that person, getting to know their heart, creating something that is special for them and will give them hope as they walk through life. I think spreading the word and following me on social media would support me big time and help major!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ruahart.com
- Phone: 8325620777
- Email: alexirwin00@outlook.com
- Instagram: @ruahart_drybonescomealive
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ruahcomealive
Image Credit:
Specific pictures taken by Narissa Campos at NC Creations
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
