Daily Inspiration: Meet Elena Niermann

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elena Niermann.

Hi Elena, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I have been creating for as long as I can remember. Somewhere, there is a photo of me drawing on an easel shortly after learning to walk. I grew up in rural Colorado, and while we didn’t always have a lot, I am eternally grateful to my parents for exposing me to arts, music, and culture from a young age.

My parents did their best to support my artistic and musical endeavors, yet I was always deeply aware of the lack of resources and education for the arts in the poor, rural areas where we lived. After working very hard to save up and secure numerous scholarships, I attended the University of Northern Colorado for Studio Painting and Psychology. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree and certificate in Arts Entrepreneurship in 2021. I took a brief sabbatical post-college, and I was able to live abroad and take time to delve into my artistic practice, refine my style, and discover just what I wanted to say with my art.

In the spring of 2022, I moved to Denver and dove into the amazing art community that resides and thrives here. I began working with the outstanding local nonprofit Art Garage where we work to share the gift of visual arts with the community. Working with these amazing artists and educators has opened my eyes to the healing and giving power of art, particularly the impact it can have on children and youth.

In my spare time, I create my own work out of my apartment in East Denver. I have recently had work shown in Core Gallery and at a pop-up gallery in Larimer Square. While I occasionally take on commissions, I have been focusing on developing my body of work and creating original pieces.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been a smooth road, but I would be lying to say I’m not grateful for all of the challenges anyway because they have not only shaped who I am but also have directly inspired the content of my art.

I have dealt with mental health problems since my early teens. Issues such as depression, anxiety, and addiction can be devastating, but creating art has saved my life many times over. Painting allows me to sit with my intrusive thoughts, give them a physical form, and accept them as they are: just thoughts. Art has also allowed me to explore the complex relationship between mental health, capitalism, and poverty.

Growing up in poor, rural communities allowed me to be close to nature as a child, but I also had to witness the effects of industrialization coming into these small towns and forcing its way into fragile eco-systems without regard for the locals that are often without the resources to stand up for themselves and the landscape.

Painting about my struggles allows me to speak on these issues from my own experience. I think art can be a great lens for examining and bringing attention to our obstacles as individuals, but more importantly our challenges as a society.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am primarily a painter, though I occasionally like to explore other forms of media such as photography, printmaking, and mixed media! My work has been described as dreamlike, surreal, and dualistic. I love to use bright colors and psychedelic, metaphysical motifs. I specialize in figurative art, landscapes, and vibrant color and light studies.

My work is largely inspired by my own experiences and also our collective experiences. I paint about navigating life as a young person in the face of very real issues such as the rising risk of environmental disasters and more and more frequent attacks on human rights. I sometimes paint about very heavy things like addiction and depression, but I also paint about the beautiful little moments in our time on earth as humans and even the spaces where these things intertwine.

My work is forever evolving as I do, but it will always be true to me, my own experiences, and my unique aesthetic.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Get out into the community! The online landscape is so vast and extensive, and it can be overwhelming trying to pin down resources and opportunities without having experienced members of the arts community to guide you.

My favorite part of showing and vending my work at events is meeting all of the amazing and kind local artists. Just attending events is a great way to network and make connections. Start by asking about someone’s work, most artists love to chat about their process and will often clue you into great resources.

Contact Info:

• Email: lenagn99@gmail.com
• Instagram: @elena.niermann.art