Atmospheric Delights by Margot Nimiroski

I have lived and boated on Long Island Sound for most of my adult life. I wake up each morning to a view of Branford Harbor and enjoy interpreting my love of the water into my paintings.

Margot Nimiroski.

“Quest”...acrylic on canvas...w 52”x h 80”...2021 © Margot Nimiroski

Margot Nimiroski’s works are characterized by fluid pigments engaging in dialogue with earthy representations of land. Her seascapes are emotive transfigurations that are either classified as a violent storm or as a source of serenity.

Nimiroski was born in in Pittsburg, Kansas and currently resides in Branford, Connecticut. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Montclair State College, and her Master’s from Southern Connecticut State University in Special Education.

She has held two solo exhibitions at Reynolds Fine Art and Gallery DePaul respectively, and numerous group shows. Her works are in several prominent collections all over the globe, including Intercontinental Hotel (Boston), San Rafael Hotel in Antigua, Guatemala), Museum of American Crafts and Setai Hotel in New York, Smilow Cancer Center and Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Hyatt Hotel (Philadelphia), and at the American Embassy in Nicosia, Cyrus (from 2019- 2022, as a part of a federal program started by JFK in 1963).

“Gentle Waves”...acrylic on canvas...w 60”x h 60”...2021 © Margot Nimiroski

She re-articulates water bodies through washes of mixed pigments that are poured onto the canvas, the subsequent formations of drops are then manipulated and re contextualized to form the seascape. The natural process of evaporation that affects the waterbodies are imitated with the coloured paints, left to make a mark on the canvas as the process dictates the position of these pigments.

Nimiroiski says that “I have never had formal training with painting but have always been involved in the arts. I have an undergraduate degree in theatre, which evolved into a love of set design and eventually, painting.”

The forms of the water- bodies are only hinted at, the drips dissolve into the backgrounds, creating a sense of harmony. The elusive nature of water is marked by soft screens. Resultantly, a unified image appears that is sublime, arresting, and emotive in nature. The waves of the water bodies are modulated and transformed to gain an effervescent quality. The multi-layered works are large in scale, providing an immersive experience to its viewers.

“A Different View”...acrylic on wood...w 96”x h 72”...2018 © Margot Nimiroski

Inspired by artists who practiced Romanticism, Nimiroiski’s works share the same aesthetics. In A Perfect Storm Nimiroski has depicted a landscape that captures the powerful, flushing waves of water in a turbulent sea. The all- engulfing waves are described through grays, blacks, browns and white, mimicking the muddy colors of a storm in nature. The terrifying subject of the storm is shown through a calm, serene amalgamation of these colours, allowing it to be viewed with a sense of ease.

Abstract depictions of water exude a sense of tranquility through their atmospheric character. The waves and the sky seem to gain a soft, cloud like quality. The contrasting, bold strokes of the paint brush prove to be a juxtaposition between these two attributes of the painting.

“Beyond the Harbor”... acrylic on canvas ... w 84”x h 20” ...2021 © Margot Nimiroski

You can't get along without a knowledge of the principles and rules governing the influence of one color upon another. A mechanic might as well try to get along without tools.

Winslow Homer

In a brief interview with the artist, here is what she had to say-

How would you define the aesthetics of your work?

I describe my paintings as atmospheric seascapes, easily identifiable as paintings of water but very soft and cloud like.

“Waves on the Harbor”... acrylic on canvas... w 96”x h 24”... 2018 © Margot Nimiroski

Which are some of the artists that have inspired you?

Winslow Homer, William Turner, and ancient Chinese artists.

What does the liquidity in the pigments signify in your work?

Water, always water! Calm or raging, it is always beautiful!

“Blue Waves” ... acrylic on canvas ...w 96”x h 24”... 2019 © Margot Nimiroski

Is the execution of the layers calculated? Elaborate your creative strategy.

I refer to my painting as planned serendipity. I have control of 95% of my process, but it’s the 5% that I can’t control (evaporation, flow, and color mixing) that creates the “magic”. I complete the painting in one session. I really don’t plan a painting other then it’s size. I prefer to let it speak to me as I’m working. I also only use basic natural colors- blue, black, brown, and white with hints of gold, green, and beige.

What do you wish for the viewer to experience when they come across your work?

A sense of calm, energy, and beauty.