Nala's Art

Artist Statement

             I am an artist working with the shapes of land masses in painting, drawing, photography, and printmaking.  My sources stem from the Minnesota and northern landscapes. Ice, water, and aerial views of the earth provide complex forms to respond to both visually and conceptually. While I reflect on natural world around me, I find myself in a relaxed state of mind. I then use that relaxation in creating my work. I take a minimalist approach; lots of white, bold color if any, and simple meandering lines.  With photography, I take the same approach by zooming in to obscure the landscape and transform it into something more mysterious. My photography reflects a time-based observation showing changes that have occurred in the environment by using the camera; I can stop time that you cannot go back to otherwise. My painting and drawing focuses on the physical forms, the land masses as shapes and my printmaking is about elevation and topographies.  I have been working with a smaller scale with my printmaking; it gives it a strong depth perception on a smaller scale, and I am using a medium and small scale in my photography; the medium scale captures more of a map look to the work while the small scale makes you focus on the changes that accrue.

The core of my work stems from experiences at my family’s cabin in the heart of what I call heaven on earth in Grand Marais, Minnesota. I feel a deep connection to the land and desire to preserve it. I have been noticing and learning that the water quality of the lake our cabin is on is worsening. I want to use my art as a tool to help bring more information about things that are changing. In my recent work I have been thinking of time and how to map the changes it brings. In my last few works in photography, I mapped the rapid change of bubbles that form in the river. I sit watching the river and thinking of how I can’t truly follow the change and remember it. When I use my camera to capture the rivers change I can look back and reflect on it. I’m taking small accuracies such as the bubbles in the river to reflect on the subject of changes on a bigger scale. I want my art to connect with people and get them to think about what changes have been going on around them every day. I feel that trying to bring awareness to the people about these changes there will be more action from the community to want to preserve what they have as well.