Nisla

Born in the Republic of Panama' but raised in the United States Nisla had the military family upbringing that either fosters a love of travel or cures you of it. It provided fertile ground for adaptability but also left a yearning for lasting connections.

At the early age of 13 Nisla’s talent was recognized and she entered the rigors of college curriculum which included intense anatomical studies. Her love for the human figure was teased out into a full blown passion. At this same time her father retired from the military and she was cold-dunked into civilian life. Art became her refuge, the only place she felt she belonged.

Decades later, divorce left her a single parent with three small children in Hawaii. With no support system available she found herself in need of both income and childcare. Methodically and carefully she drove towards a career in art which would allow her to work out of the home. In a male dominated market place she fought for credibility as a female artist. There were many times when she had to make choices governed by her priorities of family first. Her male counterparts were not in a position to understand her path and she endured many conversations defending her decisions.

Despite those challenges her perseverance paid off.

Finding galleries throughout the Hawaiian islands, mainland and Japan, she enjoyed the spirited life of raising her children while pursuing her passion.

Once the children were grown she moved to the eastern seaboard. Further exercising her love of learning, she studied an entirely different approach to painting and added additional methods to her “tool belt”.

After returning to Hawaii Nisla found her unique voice mixing abstract with realism and testing boundaries. The result is fascinating. It gravitates away from the world outside us into the world that lives inside us. By embracing intuition and exploring her inner self she has ultimately found a stronger connection with others.

The Lahaina fire abruptly changed her life. She lost her home and her entire body of work. Her daughter and grand kids also lost their home and after months of moving from one place to another, they relocated to the Big Island of Hawaii.

The adventures continue as Nisla currently travels but returns to Hawaii, mostly the big island now, when she can. She continues to produce art that reflects her inner passion and path.

ARTIST STATEMENT 

I’ve tried different mediums over the years but keep coming back to the juiciness of oils.  The depth of color enthralls me, seduces me.  I love the feeling of pushing it around the canvas.  Experimenting and exploring the differences between transparent and opaque paint is forever fascinating to me.  The contrast of abstract and realism scratches an itch that I can’t seem to get to any other way.

Most recently I’ve been exploring explosions of color.  It feels like an emotional aura emanating from my subjects. I try to express that vibration on the canvas.

It is my hope that the viewer senses that spark of humanity when looking at my work.

Follow me on Instagram: @nislaart

or for a more robust experience; https://www.kaleido.art/card/nisla