Nina Klein: Committing To A Vision

Dec 23

Dec 23 Nina Klein: Committing To A Vision

Nina Klein first became interested in art while growing up in Thousand Oaks, California. Like many kids, she spent time in drawing and painting classes; however, for Nina, learning to create was much more than an extracurricular. She became especially interested in figure drawing, and began honing in on her work and aesthetic early on. Now, at 31, Klein has fine-tuned her style and identified a balance between realism and abstract creation. Read ahead for her full story.

Screen Shot 2018-12-23 at 7.20.47 PM.png

How did you get started as an artist?

Nina Klein: I’ve been drawing as far back as I can remember. I’ve always created art in my free time, and growing up I took ballet classes at a studio located inside of an art institute. One day, while I was rushing through the hallway to a ballet class, one of the drawing instructors from the institute stopped me and asked if he could use me as his model for a series of work. His series of paintings was incredibly captivating, which inspired me to start taking drawing classes there. I’ve continued drawing and painting since.

Why do you create?

Nina Klein: For me, creativity is as innate as breathing. It’s looking at the world through a different lens. I feel fulfilled by creating things that have never existed. I love sharing a piece and hearing someone tell me that it resonates with something deep in his or her core. Creating art is sort of my way of opening doors and connecting with the vulnerability and emotional parts within myself and others.

Screen Shot 2018-12-23 at 7.21.22 PM.png

What was a challenging moment in your career, and how did you overcome it?

Nina Klein: When I first started producing artwork, I primarily painted realistic figures and portraits as that was my foundation from the art institute. After some years of painting in a traditional style, I lost inspiration in representational art — even when it looked contemporary. There was a point in time when I realized that I wanted to deconstruct all of my classical learning and focus on rudimentary shapes and lines. It was challenging for me to accept that the abstract direction I wanted to follow was vastly different from the work I’d spent years creating. Ultimately, my work became more minimal and abstract, which is more representative of who I am.

What are you most inspired by?

Nina Klein: I’m inspired by people who aren’t afraid to take risks in their work, and are open to creating things that have never existed before. I love exchanging creative ideas with others that seem ridiculous or impossible. Those conversations fuel me creatively immensely. Most of all, I’m in awe of anyone who commits to a vision over the long haul, despite the many challenges along the way.

Screen Shot 2018-12-23 at 7.22.05 PM.png

What are you most proud of?

Nina Klein: I’m glad that I’ve developed an authentic voice that binds my work together and persists as I continually evolve. It can be difficult for artists to maintain creative integrity in their work as social media over-saturates us with rapidly changing art trends. I’m proud that I’m devoted to my own vision because that commitment, rather than the whims of the market, stands the test of time.