Lorna Nakell
BIO

Originally born in Grenada, WI, Lorna Nakell has been a professional exhibiting artist for over twelve years. She received her BFA from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA, in 1994. Most recently, she was awarded a RACC Project grant and an artist residency at Weir Farm Art Center in Wilton, CT. Currently she is represented by Beppu Wiarda Gallery, Portland, OR and Fetherston Gallery in Seattle, WA.

For the past several years, Nakell has been creating non-representational paintings using mixed media. These works were originally inspired by her then-toddler-son’s finger paintings. Although most of these pieces have been primarily abstract to only subtly figurative, she has now embarked on a new series which relies more heavily on figurative imagery allowing for a more concrete narrative.

Subject matter and titles for Nakell’s paintings often come from poems and literature. Though she doesn’t claim to be an expert on either, she often finds in them poignant content that works to reflect her personal experiences. Other inspiration includes nature, music, myths and childhood.

The current exhibition presents Nakell’s paintings from the last three years. Works run the gamut from her abstract impressionist-inspired explorations into color and form to her most recent, figurative and stark works on paper from her ’08 residency at Weir Farm Art center.