http://www.izzienixon.com/south-america daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576412176-EITW51LB9HH708UTPME1/landscape3.jpg South America http://www.izzienixon.com/couples daily 0.75 2014-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452225343-K5C43HKOOZZO2Q0OBN9W/Christine+and+Ricky+3.jpg Couples - Christine and Ricky A painter and a musician, Christine and Ricky are a creative and playful couple who are always gracious hosts! After years his mother's complaints about not having pictures of the pair, they asked if I could help them out with mom's 2013 Christmas present: a tasteful, authentic portrait that would satisfy persistent parents. The location was their backyard on a sunny Sunnyvale afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452225343-K5C43HKOOZZO2Q0OBN9W/Christine+and+Ricky+3.jpg Couples - Christine and Ricky A painter and a musician, Christine and Ricky are a creative and playful couple who are always gracious hosts! After years his mother's complaints about not having pictures of the pair, they asked if I could help them out with mom's 2013 Christmas present: a tasteful, authentic portrait that would satisfy persistent parents. The location was their backyard on a sunny Sunnyvale afternoon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452243907-7RIRHLPMNP8ET8ZKNDMX/Christine+and+Ricky+2.jpg Couples - Under the Mandarin Tree It took a bit of time to get Christine comfortable in front of the camera (as a fellow artist, I understand the preference for producing rather than posing). A very silly Ricky helped her out with some tickling, and we ran with that jovial atmosphere to get the genuine smiles you see here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452257482-6KO0OMJEWDRIWYLIM2ZR/Christine+and+Ricky.jpg Couples - Traditional I harkened back to more conventional engagement photos for this composition early in the shoot. While it isn't as evocative of their special connection as the other pictures, they look good and it made Ricky's mom happy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452273141-QM7KS5YLPRE05T3LXLK4/Christine+and+Ricky4.jpg Couples - Off in the distance... Christine just radiates in this photo, despite having to crouch for 15 minutes (to get the right lighting and background). I was very pleased with the results of this short, casual shoot, as was Ricky's mom. But most importantly, both Christine and Ricky were happy with how they looked in the images. While some of the poses were physically uncomfortable, they both felt at ease in the intimate setting, and with each other. I think that makes for the best couple photos.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452282383-AT3U0RF8Y0N9EHAE5YUF/Dankomarked.jpg Couples - Dana and Franko These are my good friends Dana and Franco, who have been married for a little over a year. This was an impromptu shot on New Years Eve 2013 by their home in Newport Beach. I love the subtle heart in the rock, it adds to the magic and beauty I have always experienced with this wonderfully whimsical pair! http://www.izzienixon.com/protests daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393456147047-TBH4QL9R5RIN9B8CI9UQ/protest1.jpg Protests - Penguin with Molotov Cocktail This political cartoon was a collaboration between my Turkish brother-in-law (concept) and myself (art). The concept came from episodes of police brutality towards peaceful environmental protesters last year in Istanbul. When the conservative news (think FOX) aired later that evening, instead of covering the day's conflicts, the network showed a special documentary on the majestic penguin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393456147047-TBH4QL9R5RIN9B8CI9UQ/protest1.jpg Protests - Penguin with Molotov Cocktail This political cartoon was a collaboration between my Turkish brother-in-law (concept) and myself (art). The concept came from episodes of police brutality towards peaceful environmental protesters last year in Istanbul. When the conservative news (think FOX) aired later that evening, instead of covering the day's conflicts, the network showed a special documentary on the majestic penguin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152262340-3DK6ZKWI7JOG3T5X5K3K/bow+down.jpg Protests - Bow Down This multimedia piece is about personal relationships to tragedy, and was informed by my life experiences living in Ukraine. I struggled during my two years in the village of Sudylkiv, not least of all because of the daily confrontation with death. In the vestiges of the Jewish cemetery there lies a living memory of the dead. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152219811-U5AFP00TA0R53MDDV45Z/IMG_2068.jpg Protests - Summer Dreams This is a portrait I painted from a black and white I took of my sister and dog napping on a Summer afternoon in 2008. This painting challenged my relationship to “real” color, and pushed my exploration of texture in acrylic paint. Bridget has now settled 10,000 miles away, and Apollo passed away this past St. Patrick’s Day. In addition to being a testament to the leaps I made in skill, this painting preserves a precious moment between my two favorite curly-haired people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152230488-SDQ2NWSQ35I0XOGB0JXC/IMG_0906.jpg Protests - Sto Lat I drew this colored pencil piece for my sister’s 23rd birthday. In Poland, we say “Sto Lat,” or “100 years” rather than happy birthday. This fantastical future portrait of us two and my great-great granddaughter the acrobat includes references to astrology, Soviet attitudes of aging, and inside jokes aplenty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152234503-L4RKP9U4IWYJQLLCP993/IMG_9367.jpg Protests - Winter in Ukraine I undertook a grand adventure for love, and moved to a Ukrainian village for two years. That first winter, without family, without paved roads, without language skills, without internet, I found my strongest connection to be with the beauty of Sudylkiv in ice. This tryptych photograph (a format you’ll see in my photography, too) attempts to illustrate the life and beauty of the village in the dead of winter; from the bold chickens to the folksy flowers painted on houses to the blossoming compote berry trees, the village had plenty to offer if only I kept my eyes open. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152243424-MLPAWZRZF8GRDGKF3M7G/IMG_9853.jpg Protests - To Shepetivka Most of the buildings in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast of Ukraine were constructed before the fall of the Soviet Union. I’m not sure why this backdoor to a random apartment building was so appealing, but I just found the architecture and satellite dishes to have beautiful lines and shapes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152250074-66XQY8S8STKFGUX4DWOL/IMG_9818.jpg Protests - Dabbling in Toy Design For two years I managed a children’s store called Baby Hugs. After I moved to Eastern Europe, my boss informed me that she was starting her own toy company, Lil’ Starz, and asked if I would design toys for them since I knew the market well. New sanctions on Chinese-American manufacturing relationships put this project on hold, but I still dream about adding products to this collection someday! My ultimate dream as a toy designer would be to create a line of affordabl plush dolls that represent the demographics of the Bay Area. http://www.izzienixon.com/family daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455199504-NGA5Q9R1BM0D1O0O915A/family1.jpg Family - Three Generations My mom (Nana) is clipping the sleeping babe's fingernails after he falls asleep in his mom's arms. My focus here is on the hands of three generations, and the maternal tenderness with which these women care for the first-born son. http://www.izzienixon.com/campo daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576316180-URUVHOF8PR0T1FEKH767/campo1.jpg Campo http://www.izzienixon.com/the-edge-of-western-civilization daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576459976-HA2PU4PAZU3K835QNG70/landscape1.jpg The Edge of Western Civilization - Santa Barbara sea http://www.izzienixon.com/rebel-bikes daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576567291-TXNLNMJ1GUGEMON2OGM2/Rebelbikes1.jpg Rebel Bikes http://www.izzienixon.com/work daily 0.75 2018-05-01 http://www.izzienixon.com/child-space daily 0.75 2018-05-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576369196-MM2ASQONSJYEA4OLYQ2D/intimidatinganddisruptive.jpg Documentary Photography - Intimidating and Destructive During statewide university protests in 2010, UC Santa Cruz graduate students march with their children to protect funding for family student housing. A statement from the provost the next day labeled the protesters as “intimidating and destructive,” which we can see here with mothers and toddlers armed with teddy bears. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576369196-MM2ASQONSJYEA4OLYQ2D/intimidatinganddisruptive.jpg Documentary Photography - Intimidating and Destructive During statewide university protests in 2010, UC Santa Cruz graduate students march with their children to protect funding for family student housing. A statement from the provost the next day labeled the protesters as “intimidating and destructive,” which we can see here with mothers and toddlers armed with teddy bears. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455383237-IZRNIK13PEMB0QWXVEZY/family5.jpg Documentary Photography - Party On The fun doesn't stop when the balloon pops! This diptych demonstrates effective inter-generational play. Something as simple as a seemingly useless as ripped pieces of rubber become the impetus for creative play, where boundaries are explored in a safe space: the boundaries between "me" and "you," "me" and the rest of the word, trash and treasure, reality and fantasy, "child" and "adult."   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393454419401-2GR30LRA0WAZ78YXSOYK/childspace1.jpg Documentary Photography - The Tool Bench A re-purposed antique sewing machine provides the perfect workspace for a five-year-old's tools. Here, Kaya shows off a vintage hand drill. Though in a playful mood at the time of the shoot, this kid is very serious about his work. Since this picture was taken, he has upgraded to an outside workshop, complete with old computer parts, survival gear, and bonafide power tools. He has constructed countless contraptions, many outdoor forts, and will probably end up at NASA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393454693634-1PSSHV1EIA1BAEPM1X2V/childspace3.jpg Documentary Photography - The Feminine Mystique Though her brother's tools are available to her as well, Mina has always gravitated more towards make up and play food. She finds serving "food" (sand, chalk, toys, air, whatever) an important social function, and the make up is not for the male gaze, but rather for expression. The last make-up we did together was giving her a purple beard. These girlier tools allow Mina to not only imitate, but also elaborate on the rituals she sees the adult women in her life performing.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455003388-BN9MPTCEOQ81K0TQ0A7K/childspace2.jpg Documentary Photography - Reflection It's not just adults who clear their heads in the shower. Children are often at ease in warm water with a trusted adult looking over them, and their incessant curiosity has no porcelain barriers. I can't help but wonder, "What is she thinking?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574890423-P0GLVF2988845JUPSK75/brasil4.jpg Documentary Photography - Paz This photograph is of Flexa near a family home in São Paulo, Brazil. Amidst towering apartment complexes, in a hard cityscape, he finds peace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452869362-5YO89V626EETI5ZATSMA/BA1marked.jpg Documentary Photography - Retiro I passed through this station most days first as a tourist, then as a traveling English teacher working with businesspeople. Transportation strikes were frequent, and the portenos saw traffic delays as a way of life. You can easily see the European influence on Buenos Aires in the architecture of this central station.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576412176-EITW51LB9HH708UTPME1/landscape3.jpg Documentary Photography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574850083-T7B7QC8XSCM4XU96GVI8/brasil1.jpg Documentary Photography - Favela This image was taken while on a three hour bus ride that went through just some of São Paolo's multitude of mountains. It shows just one part of the many, many dense favelas located within city limits. Transportation within these neighborhoods is on foot, bicycle, or motorbike, as most of the streets are too narrow for cars to pass through. While this creates logistical issues for ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles, the density greatly contributes to the feeling of neighborhood-as-home rather than an individual family's dwelling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574885408-SQ6S28K02EVIKC3XGDXH/brasil3.jpg Documentary Photography - Oh Senhor! Outside of the wealthy areas of Rio, this photo represents the general spread of urban neighborhoods in the city--highways, dense multi-story dwellings (of questionable architectural integrity), power structures, and churches. And trees. This is the rainforest, after all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574875250-PZHTV4GTEEFDZ3P1U7EZ/brasil2.jpg Documentary Photography - Rio Brazil is in the middle of an industrial and economic boom, so construction is constant. With the World Cup and Summer Olympics coming in the next couple of years, this host city is aiming high in its development goals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574899031-MVVJNJITTDHZEAXPJ2MU/brasil5.jpg Documentary Photography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576567291-TXNLNMJ1GUGEMON2OGM2/Rebelbikes1.jpg Documentary Photography - Rebel Bikes For a minute back in 2012, I was the personal photographer of Rebel Bikes, a team of revolutionary bicyclists led by Brian Simmons (crouching on the left) who customize their bikes with creativity, motor power, and stank! The crew often ride together around Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. See Brian in action here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576573949-D72HNTSOD7KL3V0RG2HN/Rebelbikes2.jpg Documentary Photography - Crew Between Takes The guys had such a wonderful camaraderie that extended beyond business; they were a team, friends making change and making money. It was a joy to photograph such a dynamic crew! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576579213-FLINZWUK93JKJN8ITRUK/Rebelbikes3.jpg Documentary Photography - More Than A Product While my main aim for this shoot was to document the crew, I couldn’t leave without taking some close-ups of the righteous wheels. Brian was incredible happy with this shot, as it subtly highlighted his faith and spiritual connection to Oakland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455250638-1R86PZNVOF4ENDV4EC4L/family2.jpg Documentary Photography - Artist Self-Portrait When I was 19, I was exploring issues of identity, family, and adulthood in this digital photography series called, “Mommy/Daddy.” I wanted to deconstruct and examine the imitation games that children play in learning how to be “grown up,” and how those activities manifest in learning how to be an adult. It was a cheeky undertaking, and one that allowed me to process the death of my grandfather that year. I still have that tie, and remember Roger fondly. When this photograph was on display UCSC Open Studios, I printed a tag with the following to accompany this image: “Dress up always was my favorite game! I borrowed my father's suit and grandfather's tie. Dad's shoes didn't fit quite right, but the briefcase I'm sure will come in handy when I grow up.” Since this photo was take, I’ve learned to iron a backdrop and manipulate lighting to avoid harsh shadows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455199504-NGA5Q9R1BM0D1O0O915A/family1.jpg Documentary Photography - Three Generations My mom (Nana) is clipping the sleeping babe's fingernails after he falls asleep in his mom's arms. My focus here is on the hands of three generations, and the maternal tenderness with which these women care for the first-born son. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455688674-4AGCYZ5Z1GVMEYB94PE8/family6.jpg Documentary Photography - Beauty is Pain? This triptych explores a girl's initial introduction to the world of beauty. Girls experience unique tensions surrounding rituals of beauty, and their loving caregivers struggle to conceal life's harsher truths until the appropriate time. How can an aunt, a grandmother, a mother satiate the girl's curiosity without scarring her? I believe we can create a healthy, confident girl by introducing her to these tools of expression, and by not taking the skin-deep beauty too seriously ourselves. The last time Mina and I played with make up, we gave ourselves purple beards to look like pretty men. Who would want to deprive a four-year-old of that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455324964-RV846US6YMPVGLEF4WVN/family4.jpg Documentary Photography - Go Forward, Come Back I think this is how all parents, grandparents, etc. feel--younger generations effortlessly ascend, while they struggle to keep up, both physically and metaphorically. The rounded-yet-angular rocks provided an alternative horizon line that makes for a compelling image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455294802-UZULYVKPPHCKATE1XIRF/family3.jpg Documentary Photography - Little Adventurer A clear, sunny winter day in Joshua Tree National Park at a preserved Native American structure. Three-year-old Mina collects mysterious detritus to fuel her imaginative play. This desert is no barren wasteland, it is fertile ground for inspiring a lifelong engagement with history, nature, and self. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576362355-6TK6P9SWUQ31IOUL11HU/scprotest.jpg Documentary Photography - Spirit of Students “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” reads the tattoo of UCSC Political Science student J. This student protest against tuition hikes to support vanity projects brought students to the streets, even if the streets were just surrounded by forest. This occupation of the West Entrance to the campus was very peaceful, and clearly, fun for many. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576459976-HA2PU4PAZU3K835QNG70/landscape1.jpg Documentary Photography - Santa Barbara Sea Birds Travel photography was one of the original genres of photography that popularized the medium. Photographs of faraway places allowed people to be “armchair travelers,” and ignited a wanderlust unparalleled by reading stories and admiring drawings alone. This photograph was taken in Santa Barbara, on a beach just one mile away from polluting oil refineries. The wildlife have so far adapted to changes in their environment, but this may not be true the next time I drive through Santa Barbara. http://www.izzienixon.com/profession daily 0.75 2018-05-01 http://www.izzienixon.com/new-cover-page daily 0.75 2018-04-29 http://www.izzienixon.com/about daily 0.75 2015-08-06 http://www.izzienixon.com/contact daily 0.75 2015-08-06 http://www.izzienixon.com/education-1 daily 0.75 2018-04-29 http://www.izzienixon.com/experience daily 0.75 2018-04-29 http://www.izzienixon.com/teaching-philosophy daily 0.75 2018-04-29 http://www.izzienixon.com/home daily 0.75 2016-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/573a04372fe131630fd25157/1469729752911-UFETSG39XPIFRSHOM0XH/hero_pattern.png Harris Ingram LLP http://www.izzienixon.com/home-1 daily 1.0 2018-06-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525063466566-PM7NX4M79H6VF868LPNL/IMG_7661.jpg Home - Philosophy   The purpose of public education in America is to prepare future participants in our democracy. In my view, this means that we are preparing students to navigate the treacherous terrains of work, politics, language, technology, (mis)information, social relationships, culture, and all of the unpredictable and imminent shifts coming to our world. The next generations needs to develop skills that will make them more valuable than algorithms, and I believe those skills lie in creativity, communication, problem solving, and critical thinking. Art brings all of these skills together. It is my privilege as an arts educator to build on student assets--interests, skills, language, culture, curiosity, and life experiences--to create and carry out curricula that support critical thinking and technical skills in the arts. Students are not vessels into which teachers pour knowledge; they are seedlings who need the right resources and environment in order to thrive. Only when a student feels safe, validated, and engaged can they learn. My students know that I am invested in them as people first, and from that place of trust and respect I can teach. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525154427741-XGKTGYT1YINIY64RSK7G/IMG_6716.jpg Home - Visual Literacy Perspective: Google Slides A multi-modal explanation of my developing understanding of visual literacy and the role of the arts in every person's life https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525145179913-RJQKG1WL7UNT9YXYE8C2/IMG_5017.jpg Home - Language in the Art Room Street Art in Barcelona, photographed June 2015 http://www.izzienixon.com/the-facts daily 0.75 2018-07-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532037418610-3MTWYF9D329NE91W88KH/IMG_6810.jpg Bio - Family Time Día de los Muertos-inspired face paint, preparing for Halloween festivities with my nephew https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532037477223-9DAZC8RWZE5BP2W5P012/IMG_0906.jpg Bio - Personal Art Much of my personal work centers around celebrations of the ones I love and their cultural connections. This birthday card was for my sister, who lives 10,000 miles away in Poland. I reference the Polish traditional birthday song "Sto Lat," which wishes the birthday person 100 more years of life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525065332783-6LXITIZH2K1EQG5VW6EH/IMG_6537.jpg Bio - Women's March Marching with my mother and sister at the San Jose location of the January 2018 Women's March to advocate for amplifying women's voices in the political arena. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525065827065-9QZ44890OLMXCIKNETZP/IMG_5622.jpg Bio - Interacting with Art Sculpture park in Kiev, Ukraine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532037445141-37CD2PJ988VIQIFAK930/IMG_5324.jpg Bio - Halloween in High School This is a photo a student took of me during a Halloween portrait photo-shoot lesson. I dressed, and spoke, as a Ukrainian Babushka. This became my artistic alter-ego for the school year, occasionally giving students life advice from the perspective of an Eastern European village grandmother. http://www.izzienixon.com/team daily 0.75 2018-06-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576369196-MM2ASQONSJYEA4OLYQ2D/intimidatinganddisruptive.jpg Documentary Photography - Intimidating and Destructive During statewide university protests in 2010, UC Santa Cruz graduate students march with their children to protect funding for family student housing. A statement from the provost the next day labeled the protesters as “intimidating and destructive,” which we can see here with mothers and toddlers armed with teddy bears. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455383237-IZRNIK13PEMB0QWXVEZY/family5.jpg Documentary Photography - Party On The fun doesn't stop when the balloon pops! This diptych demonstrates effective inter-generational play. Something as simple as a seemingly useless as ripped pieces of rubber become the impetus for creative play, where boundaries are explored in a safe space: the boundaries between "me" and "you," "me" and the rest of the word, trash and treasure, reality and fantasy, "child" and "adult."   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393454419401-2GR30LRA0WAZ78YXSOYK/childspace1.jpg Documentary Photography - The Tool Bench A re-purposed antique sewing machine provides the perfect workspace for a five-year-old's tools. Here, Kaya shows off a vintage hand drill. Though in a playful mood at the time of the shoot, this kid is very serious about his work. Since this picture was taken, he has upgraded to an outside workshop, complete with old computer parts, survival gear, and bonafide power tools. He has constructed countless contraptions, many outdoor forts, and will probably end up at NASA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393454693634-1PSSHV1EIA1BAEPM1X2V/childspace3.jpg Documentary Photography - The Feminine Mystique Though her brother's tools are available to her as well, Mina has always gravitated more towards make up and play food. She finds serving "food" (sand, chalk, toys, air, whatever) an important social function, and the make up is not for the male gaze, but rather for expression. The last make-up we did together was giving her a purple beard. These girlier tools allow Mina to not only imitate, but also elaborate on the rituals she sees the adult women in her life performing.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455003388-BN9MPTCEOQ81K0TQ0A7K/childspace2.jpg Documentary Photography - Reflection It's not just adults who clear their heads in the shower. Children are often at ease in warm water with a trusted adult looking over them, and their incessant curiosity has no porcelain barriers. I can't help but wonder, "What is she thinking?" https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574890423-P0GLVF2988845JUPSK75/brasil4.jpg Documentary Photography - Paz This photograph is of Flexa near a family home in São Paulo, Brazil. Amidst towering apartment complexes, in a hard cityscape, he finds peace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393452869362-5YO89V626EETI5ZATSMA/BA1marked.jpg Documentary Photography - Retiro I passed through this station most days first as a tourist, then as a traveling English teacher working with businesspeople. Transportation strikes were frequent, and the portenos saw traffic delays as a way of life. You can easily see the European influence on Buenos Aires in the architecture of this central station.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574850083-T7B7QC8XSCM4XU96GVI8/brasil1.jpg Documentary Photography - Favela This image was taken while on a three hour bus ride that went through just some of São Paolo's multitude of mountains. It shows just one part of the many, many dense favelas located within city limits. Transportation within these neighborhoods is on foot, bicycle, or motorbike, as most of the streets are too narrow for cars to pass through. While this creates logistical issues for ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles, the density greatly contributes to the feeling of neighborhood-as-home rather than an individual family's dwelling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574885408-SQ6S28K02EVIKC3XGDXH/brasil3.jpg Documentary Photography - Oh Senhor! Outside of the wealthy areas of Rio, this photo represents the general spread of urban neighborhoods in the city--highways, dense multi-story dwellings (of questionable architectural integrity), power structures, and churches. And trees. This is the rainforest, after all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574875250-PZHTV4GTEEFDZ3P1U7EZ/brasil2.jpg Documentary Photography - Rio Brazil is in the middle of an industrial and economic boom, so construction is constant. With the World Cup and Summer Olympics coming in the next couple of years, this host city is aiming high in its development goals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394574899031-MVVJNJITTDHZEAXPJ2MU/brasil5.jpg Documentary Photography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576567291-TXNLNMJ1GUGEMON2OGM2/Rebelbikes1.jpg Documentary Photography - Rebel Bikes For a minute back in 2012, I was the personal photographer of Rebel Bikes, a team of revolutionary bicyclists led by Brian Simmons (crouching on the left) who customize their bikes with creativity, motor power, and stank! The crew often ride together around Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. See Brian in action here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576573949-D72HNTSOD7KL3V0RG2HN/Rebelbikes2.jpg Documentary Photography - Crew Between Takes The guys had such a wonderful camaraderie that extended beyond business; they were a team, friends making change and making money. It was a joy to photograph such a dynamic crew! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576579213-FLINZWUK93JKJN8ITRUK/Rebelbikes3.jpg Documentary Photography - More Than A Product While my main aim for this shoot was to document the crew, I couldn’t leave without taking some close-ups of the righteous wheels. Brian was incredible happy with this shot, as it subtly highlighted his faith and spiritual connection to Oakland. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455250638-1R86PZNVOF4ENDV4EC4L/family2.jpg Documentary Photography - Artist Self-Portrait When I was 19, I was exploring issues of identity, family, and adulthood in this digital photography series called, “Mommy/Daddy.” I wanted to deconstruct and examine the imitation games that children play in learning how to be “grown up,” and how those activities manifest in learning how to be an adult. It was a cheeky undertaking, and one that allowed me to process the death of my grandfather that year. I still have that tie, and remember Roger fondly. When this photograph was on display UCSC Open Studios, I printed a tag with the following to accompany this image: “Dress up always was my favorite game! I borrowed my father's suit and grandfather's tie. Dad's shoes didn't fit quite right, but the briefcase I'm sure will come in handy when I grow up.” Since this photo was take, I’ve learned to iron a backdrop and manipulate lighting to avoid harsh shadows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455199504-NGA5Q9R1BM0D1O0O915A/family1.jpg Documentary Photography - Three Generations My mom (Nana) is clipping the sleeping babe's fingernails after he falls asleep in his mom's arms. My focus here is on the hands of three generations, and the maternal tenderness with which these women care for the first-born son. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455688674-4AGCYZ5Z1GVMEYB94PE8/family6.jpg Documentary Photography - Beauty is Pain? This triptych explores a girl's initial introduction to the world of beauty. Girls experience unique tensions surrounding rituals of beauty, and their loving caregivers struggle to conceal life's harsher truths until the appropriate time. How can an aunt, a grandmother, a mother satiate the girl's curiosity without scarring her? I believe we can create a healthy, confident girl by introducing her to these tools of expression, and by not taking the skin-deep beauty too seriously ourselves. The last time Mina and I played with make up, we gave ourselves purple beards to look like pretty men. Who would want to deprive a four-year-old of that? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455324964-RV846US6YMPVGLEF4WVN/family4.jpg Documentary Photography - Go Forward, Come Back I think this is how all parents, grandparents, etc. feel--younger generations effortlessly ascend, while they struggle to keep up, both physically and metaphorically. The rounded-yet-angular rocks provided an alternative horizon line that makes for a compelling image. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393455294802-UZULYVKPPHCKATE1XIRF/family3.jpg Documentary Photography - Little Adventurer A clear, sunny winter day in Joshua Tree National Park at a preserved Native American structure. Three-year-old Mina collects mysterious detritus to fuel her imaginative play. This desert is no barren wasteland, it is fertile ground for inspiring a lifelong engagement with history, nature, and self. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576362355-6TK6P9SWUQ31IOUL11HU/scprotest.jpg Documentary Photography - Spirit of Students “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” reads the tattoo of UCSC Political Science student J. This student protest against tuition hikes to support vanity projects brought students to the streets, even if the streets were just surrounded by forest. This occupation of the West Entrance to the campus was very peaceful, and clearly, fun for many. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1394576459976-HA2PU4PAZU3K835QNG70/landscape1.jpg Documentary Photography - Santa Barbara Sea Birds Travel photography was one of the original genres of photography that popularized the medium. Photographs of faraway places allowed people to be “armchair travelers,” and ignited a wanderlust unparalleled by reading stories and admiring drawings alone. This photograph was taken in Santa Barbara, on a beach just one mile away from polluting oil refineries. The wildlife have so far adapted to changes in their environment, but this may not be true the next time I drive through Santa Barbara. http://www.izzienixon.com/sample-unit-immigration daily 0.75 2018-06-30 http://www.izzienixon.com/sample-lesson-acrylic-paint-clean-up daily 0.75 2018-05-01 http://www.izzienixon.com/2d-work daily 0.75 2018-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1393456147047-TBH4QL9R5RIN9B8CI9UQ/protest1.jpg 2-D Work - Penguin with Molotov Cocktail This political cartoon was a collaboration between my Turkish brother-in-law (concept) and myself (art). The concept came from episodes of police brutality towards peaceful environmental protesters last year in Istanbul. When the conservative news (think FOX) aired later that evening, instead of covering the day's conflicts, the network showed a special documentary on the majestic penguin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152262340-3DK6ZKWI7JOG3T5X5K3K/bow+down.jpg 2-D Work - Bow Down This multimedia piece is about personal relationships to tragedy, and was informed by my life experiences living in Ukraine. I struggled during my two years in the village of Sudylkiv, not least of all because of the daily confrontation with death. In the vestiges of the Jewish cemetery there lies a living memory of the dead. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152219811-U5AFP00TA0R53MDDV45Z/IMG_2068.jpg 2-D Work - Summer Dreams This is a portrait I painted from a black and white I took of my sister and dog napping on a Summer afternoon in 2008. This painting challenged my relationship to “real” color, and pushed my exploration of texture in acrylic paint. Bridget has now settled 10,000 miles away, and Apollo passed away this past St. Patrick’s Day. In addition to being a testament to the leaps I made in skill, this painting preserves a precious moment between my two favorite curly-haired people. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152230488-SDQ2NWSQ35I0XOGB0JXC/IMG_0906.jpg 2-D Work - Sto Lat I drew this colored pencil piece for my sister’s 23rd birthday. In Poland, we say “Sto Lat,” or “100 years” rather than happy birthday. This fantastical future portrait of us two and my great-great granddaughter the acrobat includes references to astrology, Soviet attitudes of aging, and inside jokes aplenty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152234503-L4RKP9U4IWYJQLLCP993/IMG_9367.jpg 2-D Work - Winter in Ukraine I undertook a grand adventure for love, and moved to a Ukrainian village for two years. That first winter, without family, without paved roads, without language skills, without internet, I found my strongest connection to be with the beauty of Sudylkiv in ice. This tryptych photograph (a format you’ll see in my photography, too) attempts to illustrate the life and beauty of the village in the dead of winter; from the bold chickens to the folksy flowers painted on houses to the blossoming compote berry trees, the village had plenty to offer if only I kept my eyes open. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152243424-MLPAWZRZF8GRDGKF3M7G/IMG_9853.jpg 2-D Work - To Shepetivka Most of the buildings in the Khmelnytskyi Oblast of Ukraine were constructed before the fall of the Soviet Union. I’m not sure why this backdoor to a random apartment building was so appealing, but I just found the architecture and satellite dishes to have beautiful lines and shapes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525152250074-66XQY8S8STKFGUX4DWOL/IMG_9818.jpg 2-D Work - Dabbling in Toy Design For two years I managed a children’s store called Baby Hugs. After I moved to Eastern Europe, my boss informed me that she was starting her own toy company, Lil’ Starz, and asked if I would design toys for them since I knew the market well. New sanctions on Chinese-American manufacturing relationships put this project on hold, but I still dream about adding products to this collection someday! My ultimate dream as a toy designer would be to create a line of affordabl plush dolls that represent the demographics of the Bay Area. http://www.izzienixon.com/resum daily 0.75 2019-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1525155665176-0FBI4E75M0PNGY5UKGED/IMG_7344+%281%29.jpg Resumé - Middle/High School Visual Arts Educator Bay Area, CA e: nixon.christina@gmail.com http://www.izzienixon.com/new-page daily 0.75 2018-05-01 http://www.izzienixon.com/new-page-1 daily 0.75 2018-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086397093-CV8SPHUORVZBX0JWNCPT/IMG_5324.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086404711-I7FIAV1H8LVGA6JJC3GH/IMG_8146.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086414351-C4K4COKD6ZXBRFUPEIF2/IMG_8209.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086424944-KDVB5WM4KA4SAPF9QLEN/sculpture1.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086681130-AHJBADXLX12UYZ9C0WK5/IMG_3045.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086431278-QP0ONTUWWULV99OGUCQD/sculpture4.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086495970-OXW4XGKJ4XF5XMTGCCOS/IMG_0260.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086526367-JP7CVO7IU8AC6FTO406Y/Father%27s+Day2015.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532086534051-HWUU3XAMRJCX8JS56IYF/IMG_0299.jpg Performance/3-D https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/530e4ab3e4b04f4bcdf7d3f6/1532382554121-IJZ4DJZ57EQ793KAI010/Daddy.jpg Performance/3-D http://www.izzienixon.com/student-letters daily 0.75 2018-05-01 http://www.izzienixon.com/contact-1 daily 0.75 2018-05-01 http://www.izzienixon.com/references daily 0.75 2018-07-19 http://www.izzienixon.com/contact-project daily 0.75 2025-05-12 http://www.izzienixon.com/all-styles daily 0.75 2025-05-12 http://www.izzienixon.com/project-1-project daily 0.75 2025-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/569fdefb1115e0973544f708/1456335193800-08Q7Y6JAXIJVI3I9AJI4/SQS_RYAN-HENRY_DK_0865-cropped-v2.jpg Main St. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/569fdefb1115e0973544f708/1454969290191-588ICX4J2DH15NXNW9X7/SQS_RYAN-HENRY_DK_0339-cropped.jpg Main St. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/569fdefb1115e0973544f708/1454969373636-CO77SOJOF2741Y71YZVD/SQS_RYAN-HENRY_DK_0260-edited.jpg Main St. http://www.izzienixon.com/project-2-project daily 0.75 2025-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/569fdefb1115e0973544f708/1456270414395-AQKLJWLO82BBJ1AK3455/SQS_RYAN-HENRY_DK_0457-edited.jpg Potowski Av. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/569fdefb1115e0973544f708/1455208175347-SHSYN2CSA0QXAVUH5OE2/SQS_RYAN-HENRY_DK_1485-edited-cropped.jpg Potowski Av. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/569fdefb1115e0973544f708/1456270613196-UOO18V3FY5V9H3M5FYJG/SQS_RYAN-HENRY_DK_0003-cropped-square.jpg Potowski Av.