Vinson Sheku Irby

A native Washingtonian, Vinson “Sheku” Irby graduated from the University of the District of Columbia with a degree in Art Education and has been teaching in public schools for 30 years. His earliest artistic inspirations were the large abstract pastels created by his father, who he mimicked

with great pride. His youth was spent traversing the forests of Rock Creek Park and the wetlands of Tidewater Virginia. These early experiences would reemerge and play pivotal role ni his work. Sheku is fascinated with the role that history plays in shaping our perception of ourselves and the world around us. His personal journey for the rediscovery of cultural roots has reaffirmed and

emboldened his approach to expressing the human form, and the human experience. He embraces the challenge of blending intriguing materials and themes into a cohesive and compelling story. The constant and captivating element in his work is the three-dimensional texture. Acrylic mediums,

cloth, string, papers, industrial materials, the lost, found and even the occasionally repurposed egg cartons are mingled to create alluring surface qualities. Sheku wants to leave the audience with an expanded perspective of the human experience and a greater appreciation of what is considered fine art material.