NECHAMA REIZL TOPPER

About the Artist

Born in Lake Wales, Florida, Nechama Topper lived in Hollywood, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; and she currently lives and works in Baltimore City. She attended Florida State University, earned her BFA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and her MA from Towson University. Having worked at the Aside Gallery Studios in the Station North Arts District, she now works in a private studio in northwest Baltimore City.

Artist's Statement

The idea of art as a division of the two-dimensional surface into areas of shape and color, along with an acquired personal iconography, became the underpinning of my paintings for the next twenty years. The often brightly-colored paintings began to reference the hard-edged, geometric look of the artwork of the 1950s and 1960s, while the iconography continued the feminist story that began in my earlier paintings and drawings. My use of repeated iconic images tells personal stories; I therefore consider myself a narrative artist. Recent work considers issues of aging, loss, and mortality; I am always exploring evolving stories about my relationship with my inner self and with the world around me.