ARTIST STATEMENT I grew up on the threshold of the Information Age, straddling the divide between analogue and digital worlds. As a member of contemporary, post-pandemic culture, I watch as we move collectively into increasingly virtual and screen-focused existences. Yet, I continue artmaking with traditional media in an era when my extremely detailed and labor-intensive artwork might easily be made in Photoshop with a single keyboard click. Especially in digital image, a viewer might assume my work to be computer-generated whereas in person, the physical artworks are undeniably handmade. The idiosyncratic, human qualities of objects made by hand with physical media convey the poignancy—and impossibility—of trying to achieve machine-like perfection with inherently imperfect tools.
My main focus is painting, but I have recently begun pursuing printmaking as a compliment to my studio practice of 20 years. With all of my artwork, I develop my compositions organically, using the framework of a specific formal vocabulary: botanical and architectural references, lights, geological strata, and patterning. These references inform the overlapping layers of organic shapes that define this body of monotypes.
Compositional dualities—light/dark, hard/soft, fast/ slow, dense /open—are an important element in the monotypes. Within those juxtapositions, I densely layer organic forms, incorporating shadow drawings, hand drawn lines, stencils, and physical objects such as plants and weeds. My working process is a continuous, dynamic act of engagement until each monotype achieves a sense of flow and balance. Simultaneously improvisational and structured, these works become records of duration and experience.
BIOGRAPHY Nina Tichava was raised in both rural northern New Mexico and the Bay Area in California. She was influenced by her father, a construction worker and mathematician and by her mother, who was an artist and designer. The reflections of these dualities—country to city, pragmatist to artist, nature to technology—are essential to and evident in her paintings. Nina is a recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award Grant in 2007 and has exhibited nationally since 2008. She received her BFA from California College of the Arts [+ Crafts] in San Francisco/Oakland.
RESUME
Born: Vallecitos, New Mexico, 1973 Currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico
EDUCATION 2003 California College of the Arts [and Crafts], San Francisco/Oakland, California, BFA in Painting and Drawing
RESIDENCIES AND AWARDS 2023 Flatbed Press Artist in Residence, Austin TX, January-April 2023 2022 Flatbed Press Monotype Intensive, Terni, Italy 2012 Vermont Studio Center, Artist in Residence, Artist Grant 2007 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant Award 2003 All College Honors, California College of the Arts [and Crafts]
MUSEUM AND UNIVERSITY EXHIBITIONS 2022 Art in the West, High Desert Art Museum, Bend, Oregon Expressions West 2022, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon De-Generate, SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico National Exhibition, Masur Museum of Art, Monroe, Louisiana 2019-20Seven State Biennial, University of Science and Arts Museum, Chickasha, Oklahoma Seven State Biennial, Museum of the Red River, Idabel, Oklahoma Seven State Biennial, Charles B. Goddard Center, Ardmore, Oklahoma 2019 Winter Solstice Juried National Exhibition, Marin MOCA, Novato, California 2005 Originals 2005, New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico
SOLO AND TWO-PERSON SHOWS 2023 Thresholds and Dawns, Gallery Wild, Jackson, Wyoming 2022 Mirage, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Houston Texas Movement Patterns, Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah Lyrical Moments, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas New Works, Gallery Wild, Jackson, Wyoming 2021 Borrowed Landscapes, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado 2020 You Color the Sky, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado Brilliant Refraction, Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah 2019 Beyond Boundaries, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas Mapping the Grid, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington Glitched, Turner Carroll Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2018 Same As It Ever Was, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado Parallel, Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah Project: Borrowed Landscapes [Erected], K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado Layered, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado 2017 Marine, Chase Young Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts New, New Mexico Abstraction, Turner Carroll Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2016 Ever Since Happiness Heard Your Name, Nüart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico It Is All Just a Love Contest, Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah Nina Tichava / New Paintings, Gilman Contemporary, Ketchum, Idaho Weavings, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California Flourishes, Seattle Art Museum Gallery, in conjunction with Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic exhibition, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington 2015 Weave, Float, Flow, Chase Young Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts 2014 The Place Where I Started, Art and Soul, Seattle, Washington Flow + Drift, NüArt Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico Nina Tichava & Pamela Murphy, Chase Young Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts 2013 Surface and Strata, Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah Float, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2012 Paper, Pattern and Ink/Oil and Mixed Media, Nüart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2011 Introductions 2011, Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, Washington Constructed Environments: Plant, Pixel & Grid, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California Slat, Lantern, Glass and Water/New Works, Nüart Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico Pop/Folk Fusion, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, Washington 2010 Introducing Nina Tichava, Schilling Studio Gallery, Telluride, Colorado 2009 Foundations: Plant/Animal/Mineral, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California 2008 Textile, Fabric & Paint: Function Inspires Fine, TMFA Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2007 Weavings, TMFA Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2006 South to West/East, The Flying Goat, Healdsburg, California 2003 Prom, BFA Exhibition, CCAC North/South Galleries, Oakland, California 2002 New Paintings, Murray Iron Works / Design Center, San Francisco, California
GROUP SHOWS 2023 Art of Paper, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas Recalling La Romita, Flatbed Press, Austin, Texas Fucking Flowers, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado Flatheads, Flatbed Press, Austin, Texas Decade, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas As of Now III, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado 2022 Santa Fe Artists’ Medical Fund Invitational Show, SITE Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2021 The Little Things, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas The Wildflower Show, all female exhibition, Gallery MAR, Park City, Utah Resilience, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas 2020 As of Now II, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado Seeing 2020, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas LA Art Show with K Contemporary, Los Angeles, California 2019 New Artists, Kelsey Michaels Fine Art, Laguna Beach, California Ta!Da! Anniversary Group Show, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Houston, Texas Jackson Hole Fine Art Fair with K Contemporary, Jackson, Wyoming Dallas Art Fair with Turner Carroll Gallery, Dallas, Texas Here and Now, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, Texas As of Now, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado 2018 LA Art Show with K Contemporary, Los Angeles, California SOFA Chicago with George Billis Gallery, Chicago, Illinois SHINE ON, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Houston, Texas A Life Creative, Slate Gray Gallery, Telluride, Colorado Dream Weaver, Laura Rathe Fine Art, Houston, Texas Art Market San Francisco with George Billis Gallery, San Francisco, California Art Palm Springs with George Billis Gallery, Palm Springs, California Under Construction, Terminal Creek Contemporary, Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada 2017 Introductions, K Contemporary, Denver, Colorado Dallas Art Fair with Turner Carroll Gallery, Dallas, Texas Cityscapes, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California Women’s Voices in Art, Turner Carroll Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico Winter Selections, Vickers Collection, Aspen, Colorado Western Spirit, Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona Form Art Fair with George Billis Gallery, Miami, Florida 2016 Syrian Children’s Benefit Exhibition and Auction, Turner Carroll Gallery, Santa Fe, NM Palm Springs Art Fair with George Billis Gallery, Palm Springs, California Summer Group Show, Vickers Collection, Aspen, Colorado New Artists, Calvin Charles Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona 2015 Black&White&, Chase Young Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts New Gallery Artists, Vickers Collection, Aspen, Colorado 2014 The Place Where I Started, Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, Washington FRESH at S.A.M. Gallery, Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2013 Pattern and Process, Chase Young Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts Five, Gallery Mar, Park City, Utah 2012 Affordable Art Fair with PLACE Contemporary, New York, New York Contemplating Nature, Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, Washington 2011 New Works by Gallery Artists, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, Washington Newcomers 2011, Fresh Paint Art Advisors, Los Angeles, California Affordable Art Fair, Spring & Fall Fairs with PLACE Contemporary, New York, NY 2010 Small Works, Davidson Galleries, Seattle, Washington Red Dot Art Fair with EA Gallery, Miami, Florida New Gallery Artists, EA Gallery, Port Chester, New York Gallery Artists, Selected Works, George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California LA Art Show with George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California Affordable Art Fair with TMFA Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2009 Red Dot Art Fair with EA Gallery, Miami, Florida Affordable Art Fair with EA Gallery, New York, New York LA Art Show with George Billis Gallery, Los Angeles, California 2007 Fabulous Fusion, 3-person show, Dezart One Gallery, Palm Springs, California Suddenly This Summer, Shy Rabbit Contemporary Arts, Pagosa Springs, Colorado 2006 Catching the Blues, Hang Art and Hang Art Annex, San Francisco, California Untitled: Los Angeles Invitational Pop-Up, Hangar 1018, Los Angeles, California New Artists, Dezart One Gallery, Palm Springs, California Gallery Artists Group Show, Victoria Boyce Galleries, Scottsdale, Arizona 2005 New Artists, Hang Art and Hang Art Annex, San Francisco, California 2003 Ameri-con, American Icons, Centipede Project Pop-Up Exhibition Collective, San Francisco, California Four, Centipede Project Pop-Up Exhibition Collective, San Francisco, California 2002 Take Flight, Centipede Project Pop-Up Exhibition Collective, San Francisco, California
ARTS RELATED/PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES 2014 Guest Curator, Small Pleasures, Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, Kansas 2011 Selected Artist/Print Editions, Art We Love, New York, New York 2009 Invitational Juror, Bird’s Nest, Brandon Michael Fine Art, Santa Fe, New Mexico 2005 Arts in Education Teaching Projects, Santa Fe, New Mexico
BIBLIOGRAPHY 2022 “Nina Tichava Paintings,” Artist Responding To…, April 2022 “Dreaming Of Colors That Won’t Wash Out,” Chestnut Review, Spring 2022 “Nina Tichava,” LandEscape Art Review, Spring 2022 “The Works of Nina Tichava,” The Woven Tale Press, Spring 2022 “Let Me Tell You About Love,” Cold Mountain Review, Spring 2022 “You Don't Even Know How Breathtaking You Are,” 805 Lit + Art, February 2022 “Featuring Nina Tichava,” Art Dose Magazine, January 2022 2021 “I Hope This Song Will Guide You Home,” Blue Mesa Review, December 2021 “A Flower Of The Fields Of Air,” The Café Review, Winter 2021 “Laura Rathe Fine Art presents "The Little Things" opening reception,” Culture Map Dallas, November 2021 “The Little Things Group Holiday Exhibition,” Texas Highways, November 12, 2021 “The Little Things,” Glasstire/Texas Visual Art, November 2021 “The Little Things - Group Holiday Exhibition LRFA Dallas,” Eventbrite, November 2021 "The Little Things’ Group Holiday Exhibition Laura Rathe Fine Art Dallas,” Art News DFW, October 20, 2021 "The Little Things' - holiday group exhibition LRFA Dallas,” Dallas Design District/Events, October 2021 "The Little Things’ Holiday Group Exhibition Laura Rathe Fine Art Dallas,” Dallas Art Dealers Association, October 2021 “THE LITTLE THINGS/Holiday Group Exhibition,” moderndallas, October 2021 “Laura Rathe Fine Art presents "Resilience" opening days,” Culture Map Dallas, February 2021 “Opening Reception for RESILIENCE//Group Anniversary Exhibition,” Dallas Art Dealers Association, February 2021 “Opening Reception for RESILIENCE,” Dallas Design District/Events, February 2021 “RESILIENCE//Group Anniversary Exhibition,” Art & Seek, February 2021 2020 “Myth of the Starving Artist,” interview on Art Bound Podcast, Artists Network, October 2020 “Laura Rathe Fine Art presents Seeing 2020,” Culture Map Dallas, January 2020 “Seeing 2020,” Glasstire/Texas Visual Art, January 2020 “Opening Reception for SEEING 2020//Group Anniversary Exhibition,” Dallas Design District/Events, January 2020 2019 “As of Now II: Group Exhibition,” Westword, December 18, 2019 “Glitched,” Alibi, May 2019 2016 “Spring into SAM Gallery for Flourishes,” SAMBlog, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, April 5, 2016 “Artist Spotlight: Nina Tichava,” K|S Arts Marketing & Writing, December 14, 2016 “Features: Nina Tichava,” Visual Art Source, June 10, 2016 ”Visual Splendor: Nina Tichava at Gallery Mar,” 15 Bytes / Exhibition Reviews, April 4, 2016 “Emerging New Mexico Women Artists: Nina Tichava, Santa Fe,” New Mexico State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, February 2016 “Wander / Opposite Elements At Play,” Sun Valley, 2016 2015 “Nina Tichava of Nüart Gallery,” New Mexico Women in the Arts, January 15, 2015 2013 ”Seen: Nina Tichava @ George Billis Gallery,” Daily Du Jour / Art + Culture Exchange, October 23, 2013 ”Your Guide To L.A.’s Top Art Shows Opening This Week,” Nancy Yeang, Guest of a Guest, October 17, 2013 “George Billis Gallery opening/Nina Tichava,” LA Solo, October 2013 2011 “Selected Artist/Limited Print Editions,” Art We Love, New York, New York 2010 “Who’s Who in American Art,” 30th Edition, pub. Marquis Who’s Who 2009 “Who’s Who in American Art,” 29th Edition, pub. Marquis Who’s Who
SELECTED COLLECTIONS University of Texas Medical Campus, Galveston, Texas City of Seattle Permanent Collection, Seattle, Washington Coen & Columbia Luxury Apartments, Vancouver, Washington Delta Airlines Delta Club, Seattle, Washington Fenwick and West LLP, Silicon Valley, California Harcos-Huneke Collection, Miramonte, California InterContinental Hotel, Minneapolis, Minnesota Jewish Community Center and Foundation, Denver, Colorado Oppenheimer Family Collection, Santa Fe, New Mexico Seattle City Light Public Utility Collection, Seattle, Washington Swedish Hospital, Seattle, Washington True North Luxury Apartments, Seattle, Washington Ocean Club International Hotel, Panama City, Panama University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington