Today we’d like to introduce you to Anita Nelson.
Anita, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My educational background is a B.F.A. from the Cleveland Institute of Art in Enameling with a Painting minor and Masters of Art Education from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. I am currently living in the Houston Texas area with my wonderful artist-husband Mark A. Nelson. Currently I am working on a series of acrylic paintings wood panels in our home-based studio.
After teaching high school at Cleveland Central Catholic and Grand Valley H.S. in Ohio, I entered the world of free-lance illustration for over twenty years. Working for several publishers and a variety of businesses gave me the opportunity to work in a variety of media and subject matter. I dealt mainly with Children’s trade and text book illustrations for Scott Foresman, D.C. Heath, Harper-Collins, Cricket Magazine, Publications International, Wilton Corporation and many others. My studio at this time was based in DeKalb, Illinois area, where my husband taught at Northern Illinois University. Life has now placed us in the warmer climate of Texas after enjoying the wonderful winters of Illinois and Wisconsin for thirty-two years. Life has been an amazing journey and I hope this is reflected in my art.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
In 2004 after many years as a free-lance illustrator, I decided to rediscover my artistic roots and painting what I love. This is not art for art’s sake, it’s art for this artist’s sake.
In 2004 after many years as a free-lance illustrator, I decided to rediscover my artistic roots and painting what I love. This is not art for art’s sake, it’s art for this artist’s sake.
My work is more involved with whimsical images and the creation of my childhood memories. Using a range of materials in “old master” and “contemporary” approaches to create my images; they always show my love of animals. Oil paints, acrylics, colored pencil, ink make up the majority of the material I have worked with. In the last few years my primary focus is using acrylics.
My philosophy about what I do involves wanting the viewer to create their own story about what they see. The art should be used as a “visual bookmark” for remembering not where one has stopped but where one continues or the place in the visual story you revisit. I always try to create a sense or feeling of mystery. If there is a mystery to be solved, I do not want to be the one to solve it. The viewer should be part of the process so I am not the only creator in the artistic process. Part of that creative process continues and evolves as the viewer takes on the role and participates in that process.
The reason for what I do as an artist involves the 3 TO ‘s: To Learn, To Grow, To Foster—- This provides me with the desire to continue as an image maker.
How can artists connect with other artists?
The reason for what I do as an artist involves the 3 To ‘s: To Learn, To Grow, To Foster—- This provides me with the desire to continue as an image maker.
I’m lucky since I have been married to a fabulous artist. We feed off each other’s love of art. Being professionals for a long time we developed an understanding that the first companion you have a relationship with is your art. We have lunch and dinner with each other than return to our separate studios. Valentine’s Day is spent at the Art Museum. The glue in our marriage is art.
Yes, we meet with other artists by having a “drink and draw night”. Not that much drinking as there is drawing and great conversations.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
2018 : Visual Arts Alliance, 35th Juried Exhibition ,First Place Award, Houston ,Tx
2017 : 2 Person Exhibition, “Paint Meets Metal” St. Luke’s United Methodist Art Gallery,
Houston , Tx 40 works presente2017 : Ninth Annual Juried Exhibition, Archway Gallery, Houston, Tx
2016 : 2 Person Exhibition “ Wonderland” Sugar Land Auditorium Gallery, Sugar Land, Tx
12 works presented
2016 : Eighth Annual Juried Exhibition, Archway Gallery, Houston Tx
2016 : Marilyn Dickey Juried Exhibition ,2nd Place Award, Sugar Land, Tx
2016 : Solo Exhibition “Stories” Sugar Land Art Center and Gallery, Sugar Land , Tx
2015 : Visual Arts Alliance 33nd Juried Exhibition
2015 : Visual Arts Alliance 32nd Juried Exhibition
2015 : 2 Person Exhibition “ The Other Side of the Spectrum” Archway Gallery, Houston, Tx
2015 : Solo Exhibition “ Alternate Realities” Kam’s , Houston Tx
2014 : Solo Exhibition “Life’s Expected Vignettes” Total Plaza Gallery, Houston, Tx
2013 : 2 Person Exhibition” Dreams, Conversations & Separate Thoughts” Archway Gallery
Houston ,Tx
Contact Info:
- Website: grazingdinosaurpress.com
- Phone: 281 381 7212
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: anitanelsonart
- Facebook: Art of Anita Nelson
Image Credit:
Personal photo: Anita at age 5 holding turtle.
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