We were proud to announce a solo show featuring Nina Mickelsen, a versatile 2D artist grounded in Pop Art. Nina is a resident of Lewes and a repeat exhibitor at the gallery. This event was particularly exciting because of the diverse body of work, as well as the artist's personal story.

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    This exhibition was a fantastic look at contemporary art and design. As a native of Finland, Nina has been inspired by Nordic and Scandinavian design elements like bright colors and crisp lines. In a recent review, the Washington Post described her work as “latter-day Pop Art.” The artist’s choice of medium immediately sets her apart from the crowd. She works heavily in silk screen printing and epoxy resin, typically combined with many layers of materials like plaster, acrylic paint, and rocks. Mickelsen’s most powerful conceptual tool is contrast. Her use of juxtaposition is the unifying component. Some groupings pack a punch of electrifying color in bold geometric shapes and chaotic compositions, while others offer soothing sensations in melting hues of blue and white. The pieces made specifically for this display, present the evolution from abstract and nonrepresentational art to realism, or perhaps the other way around. The artist says, “The coast, both Scandinavian and mid-Atlantic, is my happy place.” In one piece this is apparent through a meticulous depiction of a larger-than-life lobster. In another, she only alludes to the ocean through fluid shapes and undulating surfaces that your mind interprets as water and sand. Nina’s range is so expansive, some may even find themselves shocked that the entire exhibition is by one artist.

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    Mickelsen’s journey to becoming an artist is unconventional. She has always been an art lover but didn’t find her own talent until late in life. Unlike many whose art careers flourish in retirement, she never daydreamed of an artists’ life while working in business. Nina earned an MBA and a secondary Ph.D. degree in Business Administration and found happiness and success in her international business career. Finally, at age 50, she was ready to take on a new chapter in life and attended the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design in Washington, DC. She remembers feeling intimidated, working with students 20 or 30 years her junior, but It didn’t take long for her to discover the excitement of this new environment and the value of learning from her classmates. For the past ten years, Nina has engrossed herself in her art-making, developing an exceptionally contemporary and progressive style.