A Rock and a Hard Place Painting

Irene Nelson is a painter, printmaker and ceramicist based in the San Francisco East Bay. Born in in New York City in 1951, Nelson moved to the Bay Area in the 1970’s where she initially pursued interests in photography, documentary filmmaking, and acting. After returning to art school, Nelson went on to establish a successful 30 year career as the founder of a boutique graphic design firm. The firm specialized in producing Annual Reports. Since 2012, Nelson has engaged in a dedicated painting practice. Highlights include showing at the competitive San Francisco DeYoung Museum Open 2020, featured shows at Gearbox Gallery, and dozens of curated group shows. Publications include Crocker Kingsley 2022, 48 Pillars, Arc Gallery 2022, Artists of the Bay Area 2021, Spaces Between, Gearbox Gallery 2019, Hariban Awards 2015. Her paintings, photo etchings and monoprints convey inquisitiveness, a sense of adventure, and the promise of something better ahead. Nelson’s zesty color palette and pared down shapes tumbling confidently through an easeful space combine to create a dynamic, hopeful environment. Nelson’s more recent ceramic work has begun an exploration of her shapes in three dimensional form. www.irenenelson.com