Nelson exhibit opens with reception Monday

Nelson, in her artist’s statement, said written, oral, and graphic narratives influence her works. She borrows heavily from historical narratives used to explain where humans come from, how they should behave while here, and where they are going.

“However, my drawings intentionally negate a clear progression of storyline by reducing the visual information to a small section or single moment of the narrative. The presentation of a single-scene disrupts the chronology of a story, but it also allows us to examine the importance of a specific point in time. Although I do not present known stories, I do borrow heavily from the body of existing narratives.

She purposefully reduces depicted events to a minimum amount of subject matter in an isolated composition.

“The drawings are intentionally spare, often consisting of one or two objects rendered in ink wash with large amounts of white space remaining. The location or setting is unassuming, creating a focus on the event and characters. The openness causes one to become acutely aware of space, and the things that are present take on greater significance because of the isolation.

Nelson, an Iowa native, graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a bachelor’s degree in biology, and later a master’s degree in painting. Nelson graduated from the University of North Dakota with an Master of Fine Arts in painting and drawing in 2002.

Her work has been included in solo and group exhibitions throughout the country. Nelson was an Artist-in-Residence at the Jentel Artist’s Residency in Banner, Wyoming, in 2003. Her works are included in numerous private collections and the collections of Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, McNeese State University in Louisiana, and the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo. Nelson currently lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where she maintains a studio.