Feminine Nature

Women of the Ozarks is a collaborative show at Ozark Beer Company featuring female artists from the Ozark Mountain region of Arkansas. Our mission is to spotlight local, female-identifying artists, to bring Northwest Arkansas meaningful art in various media, and to provide an opportunity for our community to engage with local artists, and one another. Women of the Ozarks was founded by Tram Colwin and Claire Pongonis, who are visual artists, art educators, and advocates for sharing art with Northwest Arkansas.

Our 2024 inaugural exhibition will present a collection of art from 6 incredibly talented artists working in various media, as they express their unique interpretation of the show’s theme, “Feminine Nature”.
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Nanette is a multidisciplinary artist who gravitates to mixed media and installation work. Since earning her undergraduate degree in illustration and studio art from John Brown University in 2012 she has worked on a variety of projects spanning digital and traditional mediums. She explores a variety of topics in her work, ranging from discussions on mental health, somatic experiencing, and embodied spirituality. She currently lives and works in Siloam Springs with her husband, 2-year-old daughter, and daughter #2 on the way in Spring 2024. Nanette loves to cook and loves to nerd out about the health benefits of Nordic sauna bathing and cold plunging.
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The deep, earthy, subconscious side of “feminine nature” is what really spoke to me as I approached works for this collection. These pieces were developed late into my pregnancy with my second child, and the depth of exhaustion and introspection informed the direction of the work. I wanted to highlight elements and feelings that are often overlooked or minimized in the archetypal feminine being as it overlaps and draws similarities from our natural origins. My mixed media approach juxtaposes organic materials with human-made chemical components. Imagery and symbolism are meant to evoke non-verbal felt reactions.