Cammi Nelson
Member Since March 2025
Born and raised in small town Atlantic, Iowa. From an early age, I was always creating - whether it was drawing, sculpting with Model Magic, or immersing myself in every art class my school offered. Being from a small town, there were minimal options for certain classes so I was very grateful for how incredible my high school art teacher was. Throughout those years I took every art class possible alongside welding and AP Art. I enjoy all mediums and thrive to never stop learning when it comes to working with different materials. After high school, I studied fine arts at the Kansas City Art Institute for over two years. After leaving college, I continued my career as a professional bartender. I have been in the service industry for over 12 years now and still love it more than anything. It’s the same with my artwork - I’ll never allow myself to stop growing, evolving, and seeking new ways to challenge myself. Currently, I work in the Old Market at the historic Dubliner Pub and bartend the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally every fall.
Outside of bartending, I find my inner happiness and true purpose when creating art. I’m forever a night owl that finds creating in the stillness of the night, makes the perfect environment for me to let go of the world. I can be anyone I want to be, turn on my music and let my thoughts run free. My recent work is focused on painting these moody kinds of settings - working with darkness and light along with textures and bold markings. I start to learn a little more about myself throughout each painting and uncover different deep emotions within that I try to hide away. I want the viewers to be able to have their own feelings and interpretations with each piece, letting them decide how it makes them feel. I’m inspired with love and loss - how my thoughts can be so dark but always trying to keep my mind towards finding the light in every situation. Artists like Stevie Nicks, The Cure etc.. shape my mood to create a vision on building ideas for color palettes and settings with what emotions I’m feeling. My other work lately has been focused on wood burning. I draw up these symmetrical ornamental black work designs inspired by tattoo artists. My process is creating hundreds-thousands of dot work burns (other known as stippling) to fill in the ornamental designs drawn on different types of wood panel - creating this unique intriguing texture complimented by light source and composition. These artworks are completed with being assembled and framed with repurposed antique frames.
Cammi Nelson
712 - 249 - 5944