The Art of Anita and Mark Nelson: The Other Side of the Spectrum

Archway Gallery is pleased to present The Art of Anita and Mark Nelson: The Other Side of the Spectrum. Husband and wife, Mark and Anita Nelson, present a dual show September 5 through October 1, 2015 at Archway Gallery. The artists will be present at the opening reception from 5 – 8 p.m. Saturday, September 12, 2015, to visit with guests and provide insight into their work.

Meeting Anita and Mark Nelson for the first time, one could be forgiven for assessing them as everyone’s favorite apple-cheeked senescent individuals. However, view their art or speak to either of them for 10 seconds and find that under that white hair are fiercely active and unpredictable imaginations.

These two perfectly compliment the other’s genius. How do they come up with this stuff—this off-the-chain mix of fantasy and accomplished technique?

While they both dip into the worlds of narrative and fantasy, their impressive show is not a collaboration, but a juxtaposition of two collections of whimsy, fantasy and oddities, drifting through a world filled with Anita’s anthropomorphized period-garbed animals in narrative situations and  Mark’s world which digs deep into a fantasy driven marketplace utilizing symbols, history and storytelling.

Only seeing these larger than life talents in one room can do justice to their huge talents and their lives shared.

ANITA NELSON:
Anita’s work is inspired by classical painters of the Renaissance and transposing human nature onto animals. Her powers of observation and projection of human psychology onto creatures depict allegory or metaphor with her narratives playing out on the picture plane like a stage. She is the puppet master, placing the characters under her direction so they can tell their hidden story through cues of costume, pose, and props.

Her work highlights stages of history, yet Anita eschews the brutal side of nature in favor of light-hearted humor and a healthy dose of irony by replacing the cast of chronicled portraits and events with her own vision of “What if?” She borrows from history with both abandon and complete respect.

Anita earned a B.F.A. from the Cleveland Institute of Art along with a Masters of Art Education from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and she subsequently taught both high school and community college. As a freelance illustrator she worked for many notable publishers including Cricket Magazine, Macmillan, and Harper Collins as well as packaging and product advertising for Enesco, Tonka Toys and the Wilton Corporation. In 2004 she began working on her surrealistic animal paintings in oil, acrylics, colored pencil, and ink on composite board, clay board or birch wood. Anita’s art is in private and corporate art collections.

MARK NELSON:
Mark is notable in the fantasy, comic and gaming world and this show is a culmination of the range of work he has produced during his artistic career. He taught printmaking, drawing, sequential art, fantasy illustration, concept art and computer gaming. His work is widely exhibited and published.

Mark is currently producing a compilation of illustrations depicting the world of writer H. P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft’s stories depict dark fantasy, but Mark’s illustrations take on a whimsical slant with his interpretations of the people of Innsmouth. Other themes from Mark’s career and included in the show are “Broken Angels” and “Thunder Hunters.” “Broken Angels” speaks to the development of female goddesses, their symbols and stories. The “Thunder Hunters” series centers on an alien world of creatures that are brought to life by the central character — an artist — who is painting and drawing the characters during his travels through this world.

Mark studied at Moorhead State College and received his B.F.A. from the Cleveland Institute of Art. He earned his M.F.A. at the University of Michigan. Mark taught at the university and college level, and worked in the video game industry for Raven Software as Senior Artist and served as Art Director/Lead Concept Artist at Pi studios.

Throughout his career he freelanced in the comic book and fantasy industry, with a prestigious clientele, including: TSR, Wizards of the Coast, Marvel, DC and Dark Horse Comics. Mark illustrated the first Aliens series for Dark Horse Comics, nominated for the prestigious Harvey Award. Along with Texas writer, Joe Lansdale and publisher DC Comics, Mark was the co-creator of the Blood and Shadows series. Recently, Mark worked on Dave Peterson’s Mouse Guard for Boom Studios and completed work on an Abe Sapien story for Mike Mignola and Dark Horse Comics. He also illustrated series for Clive Barker and Mike Baron, George R. R. Martin limited edition books, stories for Stephen King, and numerous book covers.

Pictured above: Anita Nelson, Frida.