3 minute read
STREET TONES: CAPTURING THE ESSENCE OF NYC THROUGH MIXED MEDIA
By Nivia Hernandez
Can you describe your art practice?
I combine my passion for design, painting, printmaking and graffiti to create unique mixed media works inspired by the urban and industrial landscapes of my hometown, NYC.
When I start a new painting, I organically build up color and texture to create an abstract design that has the feeling of an actual wall you might see outside in NYC, covered in graffiti, stickers, posters, signage and urban decay. I then integrate multiple screenprinted layers into each piece, based on photos that I’ve shot of NYC architecture, factories, trains, bridges, water towers, storefronts and people.
How has your art practice changed over time?
The scale and complexity have evolved significantly since I first started.
Nowadays I am doing much larger scale work and commissions. The amount of layering that goes into each piece is much more detailed as well. Last year, I also launched a new online store with products featuring my art including puzzles, apparel and prints.
When did you start drawing inspiration from NYC urban and industrial landscapes in your artwork? Why?
I started shooting photos of NYC in the late ‘90s and was always drawn to the more gritty, industrial architecture that is quickly disappearing throughout the five boroughs—buildings like the old Domino Factory in Williamsburg which closed in 2004. These buildings tell stories, they hold the memories of the past that people have long forgotten. These stories are told through the great brick facades, cracked foundations, peeling paint, signage, and messages printed and painted on their walls. NYC itself feels like a constantly evolving piece of art to me. There is so much color, texture and organic beauty on every block, and I strive to recreate that feeling in my art.
What aspects of your courses with Continuing Education did you find most helpful in developing your work as an artist?
I took a silkscreen printing course at SVA 15 years ago and absolutely fell in love with the process and the aesthetic. I have been taking classes and working out of the studio ever since. Being hands-on in the print shop is one of my favorite parts of the process. Learning alongside the experienced teachers at SVA has been invaluable and allowed me to grow from doing small, simple one to two–color prints to the large format 20 to 30–color mixed media pieces I create today. ◆
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