Artist Interview: Nina Tisara

Interview by Joshua Williams

This morning I had the opportunity to sit down with our current gallery artist Nina Tisara about her Intricacies. Nina is a longstanding fixture of the Alexandria art community, and it was a real pleasure to speak with her and learn a little about what motivates such a talented artist.

Convergence: So what really inspired you to do this specific show, Intricacies?

Nina: It’s a new time in my life, I have, this last year, transitioned out of the leadership of Living Legends of Alexandria, and this is a part of me that’s been growing almost underground for the last six or seven years. And now its spring, and I approached Lisa and Convergence about the possibilities of three different exhibitions, one being Living Legend portraits, one being photographs from Converging Paths, and one being the mosaics, and we decided on the mosaics.

Looking at that photograph up there on the bookcase, (Nina points out a framed picture on the wall in the library where we are having our interview, it features a man and two children in the sanctuary of Convergence, the man was the pastor of then named Fairpark Baptist Church, and he was giving a message during Advent on how Jesus was born in a manger and you couldn’t judge a package by its wrapping) that was 30 years ago, that’s longer than you are old (We share a laugh, she was right) I’m a whole different person but the part of me that’s the same is the part that wants a sense of control over what im doing.

What I loved about photography was the dark room and being able to create something that was my own, and when photography got to be digitalized so that almost anybody could take a good enough picture, I didn’t want to do it anymore. So I searched for a medium that would be exacting and I think I was having coffee with a friend at a coffee shop and there was a mosaic on the wall and I said I really like that and she said “do it, go take a class”, and I did, and immediately was caught up again by the sense that I could make something exactly the way I wanted it.

On a little piece of paper, or in this case a backing board we have so little control over our lives, to do something that’s 8×10 or 20×30 and be able to make it the way that you want it’s a good feeling. And to create something that you think is beautiful is also exciting, its pleasurable, and for me its meditative. The whole process of making mosaics is a meditative experience. When I went to school a long time ago I majored in sculpture, and I liked clay, because I could form it as I went as opposed to stone where you cut out a shape, clay sculpture is organic it grows with your hands, and for me the mosaic technique is similar in that if I put something down and I don’t really like it I can take it up again and again and again until it is the way I like it and gets cemented into place. So that is what inspires me to do mosaics, the quietness, contemplativeness, meditation. Theres nothing else that gets into your mind when you’re breaking those pieces and laying them down.

Convergence: Yeah its very much a focusing activity, it draws you right in there. I like that, its really interesting

So what do you see is next for you after this show, you said you’ve now stepped down from Living Legends and you’re not focusing on that but now focusing on personal projects. What do you see yourself doing after this? I know there’s still a lot of art left for you to make.

Nina: There are a lot of mosaics left to make, so for the time being, for the foreseeable future that’s what I want to work on, that and my garden. And I might meld the two. One of the pieces there, Palomino Prancer, is done on a board that will withstand weather and the cement is outdoor cement and it fits into a sign frame. So I had that made to order for the sign frame, so at least in theory I can take that piece and put it in my garden, and wouldn’t that be a cool thing?

Convergence: That would be really beautiful, I’ve taken a look at Palomino Prancer a few times, its one of the ones we’ve been using mostly for the press, and I think its one of the prettiest. The intricacy of the way the horse is moving,

Nina: Yes, and the air is also moving

Convergence: Theres a lot of movement, which is something you would not expect out of a mosaic, a mosaic you kind of picture as static, but you really capture the movement there and its quite beautiful.

Nina: Thank you. That’s a direction that I think would be good to explore, to have outdoor mosaics, because if people have a little bit of space in a garden, it could work for them very well, and them might not have wall space. So that’s something I’m going to try to do more of, things that will live outside.

Convergence: I like that Idea, and it really will draw more attention, with your neighbors, to appreciate the art as well, more of a sharing experience.

Nina: So that’s where I think I’m going.

Nina’s exhibit is running in the gallery at Convergence until May 22nd, with an artists reception On April 22nd in conjunction with the Spring2ACTion reception. You can find more information about the event here.