Biography
Nina Muys was born in Vorderstoder, Upper Austria in 1945. She immigrated to America in 1961 and settled in the Bethesda, Maryland area. She soon started to develop her interest in art and attended the Corcoran School of Art, the University of Maryland and the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, Italy.
It was in Rome that Nina Muys found her affection for printmaking. Under the guidance of Professore Barriviera, who introduced her to etching, Ms. Muys discovered how exiting and gratifying the medium can be. The fact that etching combined line and elements of surface manipulation truly intrigued her. After returning to America she focused fully on printmaking. She is a founding member of the Washington Printmakers Gallery where she has been active since 1984 and where she has had several successful solo shows.
Intaglio has been Ms. Muys’ principle form of expression but due to health concerns, she has focused on producing prints that use non-toxic materials. She has invented a method that uses acrylic and carborundum to imitate all the qualities of an etching without its dangerous substances such as acid and solvents.
Nina Muys has a deep and spiritual connection to nature. Her botanical prints express her views that flowers are miracles. The serene landscapes of her present second home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore offer Nina another perspective in which to view and appreciate the natural world.
Many of her works evoke the spirit of Albrecht Duerer who was interested in the inner life of plants, even the humblest in design. What goes on below the surface, such as the mystery of the flowering bulb, is what interests Ms. Muys.
Nina Muys’ prints are in many national and international collections, including the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Library of Congress and the Museum of Modern Art in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has won numerous awards for her work.
An art educator for the past 24 years, Ms. Muys divides her time between her home in Silver Spring, Maryland, her second home on Taylors Island, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
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| Background | ||
| Born in Austria, February 21, 1945. Raised in Brazil and Munich, Germany. Immigrated to U.S. in 1961. Settled in Maryland. Married, two sons. Co-founder of the Washington Printmaker’s Gallery | ||
| Education | ||
| B.A. University of Maryland (Cum Laude) 1969 | ||
| Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, Italy 1967-68 | ||
| Corcoran School of Art, 1963-64 | ||
| Postgraduate Courses and Workshops | ||
| Dennis O’Neil, 1977 | ||
| Printmaker’s Workshop with Ann Zahn, 1977-1988 | ||
| Montgomery College, Mike Pierce 1979, Z. Sikora 1984 | ||
| Graphics Workshop member since 1988 | ||
| Invitational Group Shows | ||
| 1981 | Printmakers IV, WWAC, juror Robert D’Artista | |
| 1982 | Montgomery County Juried Art Exhibition, Diane Brown | |
| Printmakers V, WWAC, juror Sheila Isham | ||
| 1983 | Maryland Artists Exhibition, Baltimore, MD | |
| Invitational Graphics Exhibition, George Meany Center | ||
| 1986 | Montgomery County Juried Art Exhibition | |
| International Biennial Print Exhibition, Somerstown Gallery, NY | ||
| Printmakers VIII | ||
| National Women’s Conference, Washington, DC | ||
| Printmakers IX, juror Ted Lapinski | ||
| 1988 | International Prints I, the Art Society of the International Monetary Fund, juror Jane Haslem | |
| A Tribute to Washington Area Artists, Freddie Mac, Arlington, VA | ||
| 1989 | Graphics Workshop Group Show, Asman Gallery, NBC Studio, Washington, DC | |
| 3 Artist Print Show, Bell Atlantic NSI Gallery | ||
| Capitol Hill Art League Flower Show, juror Patricia Forrester | ||
| 1990 | Montgomery County Juried Show, juror Jane Haslem | |
| 1992 | Montgomery County Juried Exhibition, Strathmore Hall, juror Jane Haslem | |
| 1995 | Printmakers X6, Creative Partners Gallery, Bethesda, MD | |
| 1996 | National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC | |
| Collections | ||
| Permanent Collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts | ||
| Permanent Art Collection of Montgomery County | ||
| University of Maryland | ||
| Museum of Modern Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Private collections in Holland, Belgium, Germany and the USA | ||
| Morgan Library, NYC | ||
| White House | ||
| International Exhibitons | ||
| 1987 | Prints U.S.A., Museum of Modern Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| 1988 | DB&C Gallery, Brussels, Belgium | |
| 1990 | Pushkin Museum, Russia | |
| 2005 | Pyramid Gallery, Cairo and Luxor, Egypt | |
| Solo Shows | ||
| 2010 | Dorchester Center for the Arts | |
| 2009 | Embassy of Austria | |
| 2006 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| 1982 | Makart International Gallery, Washington, DC | |
| 1987 | Washington Printmakers Gallery, Washington | |
| 1988 | Clinical Gallery, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD | |
| 1990 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| 1992 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| 1992 | Takoma Traders, Takoma Park, Maryland | |
| 1990 | Montgomery County Juried Show | |
| 1993 | Audubon Society, Kensington, Maryland | |
| 1994 | Garrett Park Cafe | |
| 1995 | European Cafe | |
| 1995 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| 1997 | Horticultural Society | |
| 1998 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| 1999 | Strathmore Invitational | |
| 2000 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| 2002 | Dorchester Arts Center | |
| 2003 | Washington Printmakers Gallery | |
| Awards | ||
| 1977 | 1st prize, Montgomery County Show, jurors Ben Forgey, Jo-Ann Lewis | |
| 1980 | Award of Merit, Maryland Federation of Art, juror, Barbara Fendrick | |
| 1987 | 1st prize, Printmakers IX, juror Ted Lapinski | |
| 1989 | Honorable Mention, Capitol Hill Art League | |
| 1990 | 1st prize, Montgomery County Juried Show, juror Jane Haslem | |
| 1992 | 2nd prize, Montgomery County Juried Exhibition, Strathmore Hall, juror Jane Haslem | |
| 1998 | Juror’s Award, David Tannous Montgomery County Juried Exhibition | |
| 1999 | Featured artist, Studio Tours/Montgomery County Arts Council | |
| Publications | ||
| Cover of Corcoran School of Art catalogue | ||
| Book cover of Women’s Alliance for Theology | ||
| Technique | ||
| Colored etching using the select wiping process á là pupée on one plate and carborundum intaglio, an innovative, non-toxic method using carborundum grit and acrylic. | ||
| 2000 – Founder of Chapel Cove Studio and Gallery, Taylors Island, Maryland |
