Every Sunday, NEPA Creative turns the spotlight on some awesome creatives. This week, we have HW Yorkonis!
Growing up in Scranton PA, HW has always been interested in art and continues to frequent the museums, galleries and theaters. She finds joy in the arts; when produced strongly she can get lost in a painting or performance.
HW’s childhood was unstable, moving through the foster care system, changing schools yearly and dealing with a stressful home life; she used art as a way of expression and stability in her life. Everywhere she went she held onto art supplies. In moving you lose things, but HW never lost her art supplies.
In addition to moving and trying not to be a product of the system, HW had a variety of medical issues. At the age of twelve, she experienced open-heart surgery. According to her doctors, she was born with a closed aorta, but they had trouble discovering it since her body tried to heal/compensate by growing extra capillary veins and transferring blood around the blockage. Prior to the surgery, she had many misdiagnoses and hospitalizations. Currently, she keeps up to date with checkups, has healed physically and continually finds growth emotionally.
Despite everything, HW always found art to keep her grounded. When people visited her when she was sick, they would bring her art supplies. HW would color every page of a book, and try new materials. Some say this is where her love of art started. She finds this ironic because historically many artists have learned to paint when ill.
As for HW, she discovered paint and canvas during high school. It was then she started to create meaningful pieces of art, not just projects. Her technique needed development, but her voice was already strong. During the early-mid 2000’s she painted and did collage work representing positive body image for girls. Later, she started to create art representing the modern woman, her equality, sexuality and the idea of creating a matriarch for our future.
Now as a professional artist, HW Yorkonis strives to make art engaging to the viewer. She wants onlookers to have open, honest conversations about her intended themes. One day she hopes to create an artwork so provocative that it will cause an effect for social change.
Her recent collection of “Women Warriors” is a direct reflection of what she stands for. These women represent fighting for social change, issues such as the glass ceiling, rapeculture, victim blaming, patriarch systems, body image and current events.
HW works from her home studio located in Avoca, PA. She lives with her wonderfully supportive husband Matt and their little fur baby Pablo. They enjoy traveling, museums, art receptions, dinner theater and spending time with family and friends.
To see more of her work, follow HW’s Facebook.
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