Kristina Woods (alias), born in 1986 in Zagreb, grew up in rural northwestern Croatia. Her father’s continuous incarceration, the aftermath of the Croatian War for Independence, and the lack of psychological support created a challenging environment. From an early age, she faced social isolation and the absence of a supportive peer network. A pivotal incident in elementary school, where a dispute with a peer led to social ostracism, became a defining moment. This event deeply affected Kristina, and she channeled her emotions into her art, eventually gaining acceptance into the esteemed School of Applied Art and Design in Zagreb.
After graduating in 2005 with a specialization in textile design, Kristina continued her education in fashion design at the Faculty of Textile Technology. However, the tragic death of her mother and considerable financial difficulties caused her to abandon her studies after two years. Determined to reach her full potential, she enrolled in a double major in Art History and Philosophy at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2010. Despite persistent mental health struggles leading to a prolonged study break starting in 2014, Kristina never ceased her informal education.
Her resilience and continuous effort to improve her mental health have been a significant part of her life. Since she was 16, she has viewed her mental health as a personal project, striving for growth in every aspect of her life. After a significant hiatus from creating art, a traumatic event in June 2023 forced her to confront her childhood traumas. Equipped with twenty years of psychotherapy, she turned to art as a catalyst for her artistic revival. Initially experimenting with color field painting, she soon discovered neurographic art, a style reminiscent of her high school work. This discovery led her to integrate her knowledge of the human psyche into her art, producing figurative pieces that reveal her inner world in a raw expression. In 2023, she joined the 7 Keys course by United ArtSpace, a pivotal decision that reignited her passion for pursuing art full-time.
Kristina’s unique style, which she calls “neuro-expressionism,” combines watercolor, black ink pens, and acrylic markers to depict psychological pain and suffering through the lens of neurographic visual language and anthropomorphic figurative subjects. Each piece is a deeply personal self-portrait, exploring themes of trauma, isolation, and inner turmoil. Her work is profoundly influenced by her emotional inner world and her long-term psychotherapy. Through her art, Kristina expresses feelings of alienation, depression, anxiety, and the pre-war atmosphere she perceives around her, using her creativity as a form of shadow work. By bringing her negative emotions to light, she aims to translate pain into a growth process.
Her inspirations include artists such as Francisco Goya, Francis Bacon, Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh, Seth Siro Anton, Oliver de Sazagan, and Greg Dunn, yet her neuro-expressionist style remains uniquely her own. Kristina’s audience on social media describes her work as extremely powerful, raw, expressive, beautiful, deep, emotional, intense, and moving. Comments have highlighted her art as haunting, tender, filled with ancestral trauma, and extraordinarily moving.
Kristina’s mission is to use her art to address trauma and mental health issues, both personally and collectively. She believes that by confronting and integrating the shadow aspects of ourselves, we can achieve individual growth and collective peace. Her work seeks to inspire others to recognize and embrace their own shadow, understanding that these parts of ourselves hold the key to resolving internal and external conflicts.
Currently, Kristina is working on a collection that encapsulates this artistic philosophy. Her ultimate goal is for her work to have a profound impact on humanity, encouraging it to embrace, understand, and transform its shadow to strive for a more harmonious world. Through her neuro-expressionist creations, she invites us to confront our inner darkness, paving the way for a brighter, more peaceful future within and outside ourselves.
Quote from Kristina: “Through years of personal struggle and dedication to self-improvement, I’ve learned to channel my experiences and emotions into my art. Through my work, I hope to shed light on the darkest parts of ourselves, turning pain into a powerful catalyst for growth and healing.”
Her story exemplifies the strength and perseverance that fundamentally empower the transformation of life’s hindrances into a timeless artistic legacy.
Read Kristina’s ARTIST STATEMENT HERE.