Anna Nizhoni: Valuing Connection to Humanity and Heritage Through Arts & Culture
Anna Nizhoni may be the artist recently selected to create the 2025 Cindy Matsumoto Historic Preservation Award public artwork, but her artistic journey began many years ago. “I have been making art for as long as I can remember. My mother is a talented artist, so I grew up being surrounded by all sorts of art supplies, visiting galleries and museums, and learning about art history. I mostly made art of animals and Pokémon as a child. I suppose you could say that I have been a working artist since elementary school, since I would sell my Pokémon paintings to buy Pokémon cards and Gameboy games! When I was 14, I got a mohawk, jumped into a mosh pit and began attempting to draw charcoal portraits of my punk rock heroes such as Joe Strummer and Johnny Rotten. I also loved painting my favorite bands’ logos and would paint leather jackets and make patches for others in the Salt Lake punk scene. The do-it-yourself ethos of punk has always been integral to my art and inspired me to try my hand at all sorts of mediums.”
Nizhoni was also attracted to hyper realism, and became determined to hone her charcoal drawing skills. “I remember seeing a PBS art history piece on trompe l’oeil (to deceive the eye, i.e., hyper realistic paintings) as a child and this always fascinated me. I think it has a lot to do with my chaotic and painful upbringing, surrounded by violence and addiction. Through the power of art I could create my own worlds that felt so real and within them find a sense of control and safety. I derive a lot of solace in obsessing over the fine, intricate details of a piece; it makes the rest of the world disappear.”
Generosity, community, and her Navajo ancestry has been deeply important to Nizhoni’s creativity. “A significant part of my journey as an artist has also been my work for non-profits and using my art to fundraise for and uplift causes that are close to my heart. I have created pieces for Utah Diné Bikéyah (protecting Bears Ears National Monument), Utah PANDOS (an advocacy group for missing and murdered Indigenous women), Buffalo Blessings (assistance for the Navajo and Hopi Nations), Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake (health and cultural services for Salt Lake’s Indigenous community), Keep Kanab Unspoiled (protecting Kanab’s natural beauty from fracking), and the Standing Rock Sioux water protectors. My Navajo heritage is an integral part of my work. I often integrate traditional patterns into my drawings and beadwork to honor my tribe and my grandmother who was a rug weaver.”
Nizhoni is also an artist in residence at CREATE PC Local Artist Collective, where her work is displayed in the gallery and she has a studio space shared with several other Summit County artists.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to be an artist in residence at Create PC. My art career has flourished ever since I moved into my studio space. Makers' spaces are vital to creatives and community; I truly believe that community thrives wherever art lives. I have grown not only as an artist, but a person as well and have had opportunities like never before. We are always made aware of calls for art and upcoming shows/events to participate in. I have also met so many wonderful and talented people. My colleagues in the studio are some of the kindest, most supportive and inspiring individuals. Getting to know them and being surrounded by their work has been such a blessing in my life.” As an active member of the Summit County creative community, Nizhoni participates in many annual local events. “Participating in the Monster Drawing Rally last August at Kimball sparked a whole new era in my art journey. I also loved participating in my first Miners9 show recently. The building is beautiful and it was far more intimate than having a booth in a large festival. I felt like I could really connect with my fellow artists and the attendees.”
Nizhoni describes herself as someone who can make an impact on the local creative community. “I want to do as much as I can to help this community grow, as it has given me so much. With my background in computer science, work with non-profits, and a burgeoning interest in project management, I bring a wide array of skills as well as a unique perspective to future Arts & Culture initiatives.” Nizhoni also knows the importance of supporting the creative scene in Utah. “Access to Arts & Culture events means humanity and heritage. When people—locals and visitors alike—experience powerful art, it sparks conversation, connection, and pride. High-quality arts events can help shape the identity and preserve the history of a place while making people feel like they belong to something larger. For Indigenous artists such as myself, it’s also an opportunity to be seen and to share stories that are deeply tied to the land.”
As if Nizhoni didn’t have enough going on she also plays the “old-timey clawhammer banjo and used to be a busking hobo. I also started DJ’ing at KPCW last month.” When asked what other creative endeavors have piqued her excitement, she replied “I’m very excited about my piece for the Cindy Matsumoto award as it is multimedia and combines realism with abstract pinstriping. I am also learning jazz piano and preparing for a performance at the next Miners9 art show on May 23rd. I have been solely playing classical piano since I was 6, so it is a lot of fun learning a different style. I am also learning about brain computer interfaces during my down time and how I can create art with this technology.”
As for her most recent public artwork commission, Nizhoni says the Cindy Matsumoto Historic Preservation Award will be a mixed media piece combining realism with abstraction. The artist was inspired to add silverleaf to the design as a nod to local history, as well as to the history of the house that has been the recipient of this year’s Historic Preservation Award. “I came up with the idea by researching the home’s history and its registration form for the National Register of Historic Places. I learned that the home was built during the mining boom and later inhabited by multiple doctors. This part of the Dr. William Bardsley house’s story was of particular interest to me, as I was pursuing nursing when I first went to the University of Utah and I also took an EMT course several years ago. So, I wanted to incorporate the mining history without being overt (like adding pickaxes into the drawing!) and I thought the silver leafing could also represent the gleam of surgical tools. I also wanted the piece to have technical, surgical precision, so I am attempting to make the home appear as realistic as possible. The brush used for pinstriping is called a swordstriper, so my fine lines will be cutting through the silver sky. Having a sense of place was also prioritized, but again, I didn’t want this to be overt. I thought a slice of a topographical map of the area would be an interesting, abstract, and contrasting background without being too obvious that it’s a map of historic Park City.”
If you just can’t wait until the Cindy Matsumoto piece is finished to see more of Nizhoni’s work, check out her website and stop by CREATE PC Local Artist Collective.