Born in Japan but grew up in the United State, Yukio Kevin Iraha's goal in life has always been to be creative. While there’s cultural influences from both East and West, the root of his art stems in story telling. The stories derived from memories, cultural anecdotes, history, or folk tales; he then mixes those ideas with personal touch and imaginations.  Iraha’s primary medium is acrylic, although collage technique has become part of an unique accents in most recent works.  
 
He has bachelor of fine arts degree, exhibited art widely in the past.  Ever more adventurous, he has branched out to commercial art venues as well.  Beside creating personal art, he has contributed illustrations to national magazines and publications in the past. One of the newer creations is a surreal comic strip, “Nine Bits,” which serialized through online format.  His art is eclectic and ethereal but  integrity never fails in both the creating and outcome of the pieces.  

He clearly believes authenticity in art. He says, "In this overloaded information world, it's easy to mimic or copy styles of others out of whim.  I try to express my true self. I don't make art to please people, or try to be popular, that's never been my intent.  The truest sense and hardest part of being an artist means to mature and grow into being one: to develop one's original style. In order to grow, one has to find and learn what really matters in life: It means chisel, carve out, fine tune who you are. We need to sharpen our perceptions. Creating something truly of your own takes a long, arduous process which involves trial and errors. Visually speaking, we have some intuitive senses of what forms, styles, or colors speak to us. I want to keep on nurturing those intuitions."

​CV

Yukio Kevin Iraha
​Born in Japan
Residence: Washington , USA

Education

Pacific Northwest College of Art, Bachelor of Fine Art 1993 Portland, Oregon

Selected Exhibitions

2020

• 11th Annual 10 x 10 x 10 x Tieton 2020 (juried), Tieton, Washington

2019-2020

• “13th Annual Holiday Mini Art Exhibit”, Ghost Gallery, Seattle, Washington

2018-2019

• “12th Annual Holiday Mini Art Exhibit”, Ghost Gallery, Seattle, Washington
• Northwest Fine Arts Competition (juried) Phinney Center Gallery, Seattle Washington   

2017 

• “SMILE: Humor & Whimsy” Juried Exhibit, Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend, Washington
• “Silver Linings”(juried) Era Living University House Wallingford, Seattle, Washington
• PNA Member and Volunteer Show, The Phinney Center Gallery, Seattle, Washington
• “Arts at the Port Juried Exhibition” Anacortes Arts Festival, Anacortes, Washington
• “FUNctional Art Fundraiser” Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend, Washington

2016

• "Small Work"(juried) Dendroica Gallery, Seattle, Washington
• “10th Annual Holiday Mini Art Exhibit” Ghost Gallery, Seattle, Washington
  

2015

• Solo show “Quiet Retreats” University Friends Meeting, Social Hall, Seattle, Washington
• Solo show “Interiors, Fortress, Retreats” Freeland Library, Freeland, Washington

2014

• Coupeville Arts Festival, Juried Art Show, Coupeville, Washington

2013

• Northwind Arts Center/Showcase Gallery Port Townsend, Washington
• Washington 43rd Helen Norris Open Art Show, Port Orchard, Washington

2002

• “Faces of America: A Celebration of Cultures” The Artreach Gallery Portland, Oregon

2001

• “The October International Competition” (juried) The Armory Art Center West Palm Beach, Florida
• “17th Biennial Exhibition Contemporary Works of Faith ‘01” (juried) The Schumacher Gallery, Capital University, Columbus, Ohio

2000

• “Virtue” (juried) College of Visual Arts St. Paul, Minnesota

1993

• Solo show“Featured Art Exhibit” Corvallis Arts Center Corvallis, Oregon

Award

• 2017 Merit Award, “SMILE: Humor & Whimsy” Juried Exhibit
• 2013 Honorable Mention, 43rd Helen Norris Open Art Show
• 1993 Purchase Award Liquitex Excellence in Art Student Grant Program

Collection

• Binney & Smith, Easton, PA
• Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend, WA