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.

Artist Statement

I work in every contemporary art medium I can get my hands on.
Painting in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and encaustic, hand-building
with clay, wood, glass and stone, collage-making with colorful papers,
gold and silver leaf, wood, and fabric arts, all allow me to express
my ideas and images through my multimedia creations.

The three strongest influences on the content of my artwork have been
travels and pilgrimages throughout the US, Russia, India, Israel,
Europe and Turkey; camping and hiking extensively in various natural
settings; and the connection I feel with people, my models. My
personal love for intense color and powerful forms brings dynamic
energy and movement to my works.

The narrative for my work speaks of the spiritual:  Pilgrimages,
Possibilities and Transformations. This journey describes both my
creations and my life as an artist. I explore color and shape as a
way of vibrating with the holy. My subjects include iconic forms;
interior emotions and states; holy sites and gatherings; images,
symbols and words taken from religious traditions; and the texture of
relationship between myself and the people and places I depict.

My life in community and family frames my art and transforms my
art-making into a constant stream of communication with others. From
collaborating in the creation of art shows and projects to building
with clay in my kitchen to teaching various art forms to raising
children to happily play in my studio, I constantly find ways to
include others in my creative life. This process spills into a
two-way communication:  as my art touches those around me, they
in turn touch and impact my art, so that the end result is (hopefully) greater
than all of us.