About Nishima

I was born in 1969 to parents who had recently immigrated from England
and India to raise me and my sister in San Antonio, Texas. I left home
at 19 to explore the world, then recently came home to live near my
primary family.  Along the way I was blessed with three daughters who
inspire me continually with their vitality, fresh insights, and loving
hearts.
"Where does the name 'Nishima' come from?"
My father gave me the name
'Nishi,' or a "good night"
in Hindi, with a full name of 'Nishima'.
When I converted to Judaism,
I reclaimed my birth name Nishima after
my 'Neshama,' or "Soul" in Hebrew.

I graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania
in 1992 with degrees
in Russian studies
and Multinational
Management from the
Wharton School of business. 

Yet my “extra” figure drawing and sculpting classes brought me a
taste for my deepest passion and destiny—to spend
my days making art.  I turned away from the professional path and
continued my studies for the next four years in Philadelphia at the
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, receiving a classical training at
the oldest, most traditional art school in the US.  Carving marble,
limestone and wood, studying anatomy, and mixing oil paints to capture
light on a figure created a foundational structure that continues
today to grant me freedom to experiment and grow in my studio.

Since 1998 I have also created over 2600 ketubahs for weddings and other
forms of Jewish art through my successful business, Artketubah.com, Inc.
My art studio today is at the Blue Star Arts Complex in San Antonio,
where I am surrounded by contemporary artists and immersing myself
in local arts community.