about christina
Christina Narwicz bases much of her work on the natural world. Although often abstracted, the painter’s organic themes clearly reference botany, the Caribbean Islands, the constantly changing environment as well as her own garden. Narwicz has exhibited nationally and internationally in both solo and group shows. Her paintings have been featured in publications such as Metropolitan Home, Omaha Magazine, Florida Design Magazine, The Palm Beacher, the World Herald and Vail Luxury Real Estate. Awarded an Artist-in-Residence at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, she has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mid America Arts Alliance as well two Individual Artist Fellowship awards. Most recently Narwicz has been nominated for the Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant.
ABOUT HER WORK
Scientists and artists are distant cousins at the very least. Like a scientist my work is driven by curiosity that feels like what I imagine that kernel that is the first step of scientific exploration must feel like.
My work has always had a spontaneous and multi-streamed direction. Memory and the natural world are the starting points for my image making. My methods are very different and only a few are remotely of the “Scientific” variety none- the -less, I am continually searching and chasing my own intuitive experiments and theories. My findings fall into the poetic rather than that of the Journal Scientific.
Natural phenomenon like the physicality of water or the reciprocal qualities of honey and bees that create it fascinate me with their perfunctory and yet abstract qualities. The beginnings are the same as the endings and yet nothing is ever done (finished). These new works are another step in my exploration of collective memory in the context of our place in the cyclical nature of nature and the fluid nature of the mind.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Christina Narwicz
Born: Huntington, New York
EDUCATION:
1982-1985: Alfred University, New York College of Ceramics, Alfred, New York Bachelor of Fine Arts
1980-1982: Green Mountain College, Poultney, Vermont. Associate degree in Art with Honors
AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS & PUBLIC ART:
2021: Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Artwork Commission, Omaha, NE
2019: 1% Public Art commission University of Nebraska Medical Center Healing Arts program- Davis Global Center, Omaha NE
2013: Nominee: Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant
2012: Zen Mountain Monastery, Tremper NY, Pat Steir workshop
2009: Creative Capital and Nebraska Arts Council Grant Professional Development Workshop, Omaha, NE
1996: National Endowment for the Arts/Mid America Arts Alliance Individual Fellowship Grant
1995: Nebraska Arts Council, Individual Artists’ Fellowship Grant
1993: Nebraska Arts Council, Individual Artists’ Fellowship Grant
1991: Nebraska Arts Council, Individual Artists’ Fellowship Grant
RESIDENCIES:
1990-1991: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Artist-in-Residence
GALLERY REPRESENTATION:
ONESSIMO Fine Art, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Omaha, NE
INTERNET/ VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION:
UpKlose app
Superchief Gallery, NYC, https://www.superchiefgallery.com/
CORPORATE COLLECTIONS:
Marriott Hotels
Tenaska
Davis Global Center @UNMC, Omaha NE
University of Nebraska Medical Center – Nursing
University of Nebraska Medical Center – Public Health
University of Nebraska, Kearney, NE
Fidelity Investments
Lockwood Development
National Indemnity Insurance
Strategic Air Command Federal Credit Union
Farm Credit Services of America
Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
Noddle Development
Enterprise Inc
Streck Laboratories
Omaha Steaks
Green Plains Inc.
Women’s Center for Advancement
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2021: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Christina Narwicz Paintings, Omaha, NE
2020: 64th Avenue - Terra Mantra, Better Homes and Gardens, Omaha, NE
2019: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art – From the mind of an artist’s drawings, Omaha, NE
2018: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, a-z+light, Omaha, NE
2017: Nebraska Arts Council, Momento, Omaha, NE
2016: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Treasure Island, Omaha, NE
2014: Creighton University, Lied Center for Arts, Still Looking, Omaha, NE
2013: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Accidently on Purpose, Omaha, NE
2013: Wayne State College, Narwicz Paintings and Drawings, Wayne, NE
2011: Norfolk Arts Center, Christina Narwicz: Paintings, Norfolk, NE
2011: College of St Mary’s, Christina Narwicz, Omaha, NE
2010: Nebraska Arts Council, Christina Narwicz: New Work, Omaha, NE
2010: Lauritzen Gardens Botanical Center, Christina Narwicz: Touch the Sky Omaha, NE
2010: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Fluid Omaha, NE
2009: Museum of Nebraska Art: Nebraska Now: Christina Narwicz Kearney, NE
2008: Anderson O’Brien Fine Art, Omaha, NE
2003: Fluxion Gallery, Christina Narwicz: Paintings, Omaha, NE
2002: Gallery 1011, Christina Narwicz: Paintings, Omaha, NE
2001: Gallery 1011, Christina Narwicz: Works on Paper, Omaha, NE
1999: Jackson Street Artworks, Omaha, NE
1996: Artemesia Gallery, Chicago, IL
1996: Galerie Schulgasse, Eibelstadt, Germany
1996: Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, IA
1993: Garden of the Zodiac Gallery, Small Works, Omaha, NE
1990: Garden of the Zodiac Gallery, Paintings, Omaha, NE
1985: Alfred University, Christina Narwicz: BFA Show, Alfred University College of Ceramics, Alfred, NE
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2021: Superchief, The Every Woman Biennial, NY
2020: World Collage Day, Celebrating the Masked One, Virtual
2020: Online Contemporary Art Gallery, Second Botanical Show, CT
2019: ONESSIMO Fine Art, Catalyst 2019, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
2019 Museum of Nebraska Art, ADORNMENT, Kearney, NE
2019: Gallery 1516, Nebraska Eight, Omaha NE (8 Women artists from Nebraska)
2018: ONESSIMO Fine Art, Natural Selection, Christina Narwicz and Steve Zaluski, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
2018: Omaha Healing Arts Center, Spirit of Ganesh, Omaha.NE
2015: Bemis Center For Contemporary Art, #BemisPainters 1982-2015, Omaha, NE
2015: ONESSIMO Fine Art, Catalyst 2015, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
2015: El Museo Latino, Maize, Omaha, NE, and Musei de Flatelia, Oaxaca, Mexico
2011: Sioux City Arts Center, Works from the Briar Cliff Review, Sioux City, IA
2010: Sioux City Arts Center, Works from the Briar Cliff Review, Sioux City, IA
2009: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Artists-in-Residency Group Show,
Omaha, NE
2009: RNG Gallery, Presence/presence, Omaha, NE
2003: University of Dallas, Stimulating the Senses, Dallas, TX
2003: Fluxion Gallery, Omaha, NE
2003: Sioux City Arts Center, 54th Juried Exhibition, Sioux City, IA
2002: Gallery 1011, Selected Works, Omaha, NE
1996: Museum of Nebraska Art, Two Views, Kearney, NE & Omaha, NE
1996: Saint Cecilia, Cathedral Arts Project, Omaha, NE
1996: Leedy Voulkos Gallery,10th Annual Summer Invitational, Kansas City, MO
1994: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Black and White, Omaha, NE
1994: Museum of Nebraska Art, Prairie Lights Showcase, Kearney, NE
1994: Northwest Missouri State University, 6th Annual National Art Competition,
Maryville, MO
1994: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, From the Studio, Omaha, NE
1993: Sioux City Art Center, 50th Juried Show, Sioux City, IA
1992: University of Nebraska at Omaha, Favorites, Kearney, NE
1992: Museum of Nebraska Art, Images of Nebraska, Traveling Exhibition to
American Express Corporate Offices & Metropolitan Arts Council, Kearney, NE
1993: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Seven Women That Happen to Be Artists. Omaha, NE
1991: Maryland Federation for the Arts, Contemporary Art on Canvas, Annapolis, MD
1991: Museum of Nebraska Art, Images of Nebraska, Traveling exhibition to American Express Corporate offices and Metropolitan Arts Council, Kearney, NE
1990: Kansas City Artists’ Coalition, Seven in Residence, Kansas City, MO
1990: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Introductions, Omaha, NE
1990: Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, RAW, Omaha, NE
1988: Anderson & Anderson Gallery, Bemis Artists, Minneapolis, MN
1986: Joslyn Art Museum, 19th Joslyn Biennial, Omaha, NE
1986: CW Post College, Art League Group Show, Syosset, NY
1986: Fosdick Nelson Gallery, Group Show, Alfred, NY
1985: Huntington Township Art League, Member Show, Huntington, NY
1983: Memorial Art Gallery, Finger Lakes Exhibition, Rochester, NY
1983: Huntington Township Art League, Salon des Refuses, Huntington, NY
ARTICLES, PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA:
2018: Grey Matters, Melinda Kozel, The Reader, Omaha NE
2018: Scout, Palm Beach, FL
2015: Nebraskans For the Arts, Blog interview
2015: Thirty Six Views of O, published by Kevin Lawlor and The National Institute for the Lost
2013: The Reader, Accidents Happen… May, written by Mary Day, Omaha,NE
2012: Cerise Press, Fall Winter 2012-2013 issue
2010: Briar Cliff Review, Volume 22, Cover, Sioux City, IA
2009: Metropolitan Home, On the Waterfront, Volume 41, No. 4
2009: Omaha Magazine, Natural Evocations: Painter Christina Narwicz, Sept/Oct, Omaha, NE
2009: Kearney Hub, Growing Up By Water Inspires Artist To Create Dialogue With Paintings, Kearney, NE
2009: Briar Cliff Review, Volume 21, Sioux City Iowa
2003: The Reader, Sea Paintings, Omaha, NE
2003: Small Works Essay, Dr. James Sulhany, Omaha, NE
2001: The Reader, Rogue Galleries, Omaha, NE
2000: Omaha World Herald, Critics Corner, Omaha, NE
2000: Renovation Style, City Living, April 2000
1999: The Reader, Geometries of Language and Music, Omaha , NE
1997: The Encounter, Traditional Abstractions Emerge from a Magic Garden, Omaha, NE
1996: Eibelstadt Zeitung, Werke von Christina Narwicz in Eibelstadt, Eibelstadt, Germany
1996: Omaha World Herald, Christina Narwicz Entertains with Abstract Art, Omaha, NE
1993: Omaha World Herald, From the Studios: An Exhibition in Contrasts, Omaha, NE
1992: Omaha World Herald, An Adventure in 3-D, Omaha, NE
1991: Omaha World Herald, Who Needs NYC? Omaha, NE
1984: New York Times, League Exhibition, December 8th, New York, NY
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
2015-present: Member: Women Environmental Artists Directory
2015-present: Advisory Board, Gallery 1516 a new center for Nebraska Arts, Omaha, Nebraska
2009: Creative Capital, Professional Development Workshop Alumna, New York, NY
1993-Present: Board Member, Middlebrook Center for Art, Three Oaks, MI
1993 - 1997: Board Member, Mayor’s Commission for Public Art, Omaha, NE
1996: Juror, artists’ residency program Bemis Center for Contemporary Art
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2015: Lecturer, El Museo Latino, Omaha, NE
2010-2013: Gallery Director, Anderson O'Brien Fine Art, Omaha, NE
2013: Lecturer, Midlands University, Fremont NE
2010: Mentor, Kent Bellow Foundation, Omaha, NE
2008-2010: Gallery Curator/Director, Jackson Artworks, Omaha NE
2007-2008: Studio & Office Assistant to Therman Statom, Omaha, NE
1997-2006: Chief Cook and Bottle Washer. Extensive sailing on a 53 foot Sloop to Cuba delivering donated medical supplies to Havana Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Skills include managing crew, meal preparation and scheduling, provisioning, documentation and safe boat handling. Navigation skills including chart reading, plotting, dead reckoning and weather person. Extensive sailing throughout the Caribbean including: Trinidad, Venezuela, Bonaire, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Leeward & Windward Islands; Engaged in study of local arts & the natural world.
2000-2003 Curator/Gallery owner 1011 Gallery pop up gallery, Omaha NE
1990-1994: Grants Writer & Manager, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE.
Developed new grant resources, managed current grants both nationally and locally. Lead manager for John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation grant for purchase of new warehouse facility.
1988: Set Painter, National Theatre, London, England
1989-90 Office Manager, Paul Hyett Architects, London, England
1985-1987: Assistant to the Director, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE.
1985: Faux & Mural Painter, Caryl Hall Studios, Cold Spring Harbor, NY.
1985: Restoration Project Assistant, Vanderbilt Museum, Centerport, NY.
