Nancy Kozikowski
Encyclopedia
Nancy Kozikowski is a contemporary American artist specializing in tapestry
and painting
known for creating large woven
art displayed in public places.
woman who was spinning yarn and weaving in a near by Indian trading post. Nancy convinced the woman to teach her to spin and was soon creating skeins of yarn. At the same time, she noticed a Navajo loom
in the nearby Fred Harvey Museum at the Alvarado hotel at the Albuquerque Train Station. Sketching the device in complete detail, she then built one herself. Her painting talents were now joined by a new passion: she had discovered weaving
.
. Her teacher was appalled at such a plan. Nancy did it anyway; her first public, one man show took place in the Albuquerque High School Library.
movie star Witold Conti. According to Janusz: "We worked for nearly a year weaving a complete exhibit before approaching a gallery. Then, rolling up the pieces into a grand bundle, we picked what we thought was the best gallery in Portland
, walked in cold and asked for a one-man exhibition. The following year we got our show."
Nancy and her husband Janusz were invited by the Polish government to exhibit new works in Warsaw
1979. Janusz felt honored to return to the very place he had fled as a child. While in Poland
, Nancy debuted her woven interpretation of the “Black Madonna
,” amid concerns that the image may be censored from the show because of its religious content. Pope John Paul II
was gifted with the piece because of his personal devotion to the icon. The tapestry is now in the Vatican
Collection.
Nancy and Janusz's artistic collaboration ended along with their marriage in early 1987. Janusz then focused on painting while Nancy followed her passion for tapestry. Late that year, Nancy met noted art dealer John Cacciatore and a new relationship followed. They became a couple and married ten years later.
announced that Nancy and Janusz had influenced the direction of weaving in northern New Mexico
as well as nationally. They received the annual governors award for excellence and achievements in the arts.
The following year a reporter for The Today Show
introduced them to a mass audience in a profile story about their work and lifestyle. Soon after that, the couple was featured in the National Geographic Society
Book series.
designs are created in Suzhou
, China. Chinese embroidery artists developed the Su style of embroidery over 2000 years ago. The technique has been highly prized by the Imperial Court
for its extraordinary detail and extensive range of subtle silk thread colors. During the Song Dynasty
(960-1270 AD) the Suzhou
embroiderers began to collaborate with artists and calligraphers, and it became fashionable to translate their work into silk embroideries. Nancy is currently working with the master Su embroiderers to interpret her designs in silk.
in a new garb. The well known weaver’s thoughts measure about 60 feet by 100 feet. That’s the size of the Indian chief blanket she’d like to drape around of the statue. It’s an idea sure to make Christo writhe with envy. 'It would be representative of all the tribes,' Kozikowski said. 'I think it’s time Native Americans
were included in her (the statues) ideals.'"
Because of an Albuquerque artist's dream, lady liberty has a Navajo blanket birthday gift. A new “chief’s” blanket is draped in the statue of liberty museum, which reopens today. Millions of people will gaze upon the red, white and blue blanket this year alone. More than 2000 anniversary guests were offered to the museum, but only a painting of the statue and the Navajo blanket were accepted.
died. The Presley she knew was a young man, a rising star. The Presley she remembers, will always remember, kissed her outside the Albuquerque Armory late in the evening of April 12, 1956. "Singer's Kiss Leaves Girl, 13, Real Shook," read the front-page headline of April 13, 1956, in The Albuquerque Tribune. The girl in the headline was not Kozikowski but her childhood pal Carla Singer. Singer told The Tribune how Presley kissed her and her friend Nancy as he was leaving the Armory after a performance.
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
and painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
known for creating large woven
Woven
A woven is a cloth formed by weaving. It only stretches in the bias directions , unless the threads are elastic. Woven cloth usually frays at the edges, unless measures are taken to counter this, such as the use of pinking shears or hemming.Woven fabrics are worked on a loom and made of many...
art displayed in public places.
Early life
As a child, Kozikowski always showed a penchant for art. An incident when she was 15 set the course of her life in a new direction. While at an Albuquerque bus stop Kozikowski met a NavajoNavajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
woman who was spinning yarn and weaving in a near by Indian trading post. Nancy convinced the woman to teach her to spin and was soon creating skeins of yarn. At the same time, she noticed a Navajo loom
Loom
A loom is a device used to weave cloth. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads...
in the nearby Fred Harvey Museum at the Alvarado hotel at the Albuquerque Train Station. Sketching the device in complete detail, she then built one herself. Her painting talents were now joined by a new passion: she had discovered weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
.
Training
Nancy studied painting under the strict Austrian University of New Mexico professor John Tatschl who moved her to tears on more than one occasion, yet grounded her in the basics. Her talents continued to be recognized and encouraged, leading her, at 17, to announce her intentions to stage her first exhibitionExhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and exhibition halls, and World's Fairs...
. Her teacher was appalled at such a plan. Nancy did it anyway; her first public, one man show took place in the Albuquerque High School Library.
Marriage
Nancy Married a young writer, Holocaust refugee and son of the late PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
movie star Witold Conti. According to Janusz: "We worked for nearly a year weaving a complete exhibit before approaching a gallery. Then, rolling up the pieces into a grand bundle, we picked what we thought was the best gallery in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, walked in cold and asked for a one-man exhibition. The following year we got our show."
Nancy and her husband Janusz were invited by the Polish government to exhibit new works in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
1979. Janusz felt honored to return to the very place he had fled as a child. While in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Nancy debuted her woven interpretation of the “Black Madonna
Black Madonna
A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of the Virgin Mary in which the Virgin Mary is black. The term was especially applied to those created in Europe in the medieval period or earlier...
,” amid concerns that the image may be censored from the show because of its religious content. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
was gifted with the piece because of his personal devotion to the icon. The tapestry is now in the Vatican
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums , in Viale Vaticano in Rome, inside the Vatican City, are among the greatest museums in the world, since they display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries, including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and...
Collection.
Nancy and Janusz's artistic collaboration ended along with their marriage in early 1987. Janusz then focused on painting while Nancy followed her passion for tapestry. Late that year, Nancy met noted art dealer John Cacciatore and a new relationship followed. They became a couple and married ten years later.
Recognition
In 1982, New Mexico Governor Bruce KingBruce King
Bruce King was an American politician who served three terms as the governor of the state of New Mexico. He was a Democrat.King was born in 1924 in Stanley, New Mexico. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...
announced that Nancy and Janusz had influenced the direction of weaving in northern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
as well as nationally. They received the annual governors award for excellence and achievements in the arts.
The following year a reporter for The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
introduced them to a mass audience in a profile story about their work and lifestyle. Soon after that, the couple was featured in the National Geographic Society
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
Book series.
Public collections
- Mount Sinai Medical Center New York, New York
- UCLA Anderson School of Management Collins Building Los Angeles California
- American Society of Radiologic TechnologistsAmerican Society of Radiologic TechnologistsThe American Society of Radiologic Technologists is the world’s largest and oldest membership association for medical imaging technologists and radiation therapists....
Albuquerque, New Mexico - Grand HyattHyattHyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
at Oriental Plaza Beijing China - Albuquerque International SunportAlbuquerque International SunportAlbuquerque International Sunport is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is the largest commercial airport in the state, handling 5,888,811 passengers in 2009...
(International Airport) Albuquerque New Mexico - Sandia Casino Albuquerque New Mexico
- Block Distributing Company, San Antonio Texas
Carpets
Currently residing in the small arts village of Songzhaung . Nancy often frequents the small established studios. She is inspired by the craftsmen who's skills have been passed down from generation to generation and in a variety of ancient processes and techniques. Nancy continues designing hand tufted carpets, hand knotted, Persian style carpets, large flat tapestries for walls and floors in public places.Silk embroideries
Nancy’s embroideryEmbroidery
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
designs are created in Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, China. Chinese embroidery artists developed the Su style of embroidery over 2000 years ago. The technique has been highly prized by the Imperial Court
Imperial Court
An Imperial Court is the noble court of an empire .For example:*The noble court of an Emperor of China, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Ethiopia, Emperor of Austria, Emperor of India, Emperor of Persia, etc....
for its extraordinary detail and extensive range of subtle silk thread colors. During the Song Dynasty
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
(960-1270 AD) the Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
embroiderers began to collaborate with artists and calligraphers, and it became fashionable to translate their work into silk embroideries. Nancy is currently working with the master Su embroiderers to interpret her designs in silk.
Liberty project
In 1986 Dave Nordstrand wrote: "Albuquerque artist Nancy Kozikowski wants to outfit the Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
in a new garb. The well known weaver’s thoughts measure about 60 feet by 100 feet. That’s the size of the Indian chief blanket she’d like to drape around of the statue. It’s an idea sure to make Christo writhe with envy. 'It would be representative of all the tribes,' Kozikowski said. 'I think it’s time Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
were included in her (the statues) ideals.'"
Because of an Albuquerque artist's dream, lady liberty has a Navajo blanket birthday gift. A new “chief’s” blanket is draped in the statue of liberty museum, which reopens today. Millions of people will gaze upon the red, white and blue blanket this year alone. More than 2000 anniversary guests were offered to the museum, but only a painting of the statue and the Navajo blanket were accepted.
Trivia
In April 1956, an Albuquerque Tribune writer wrote: "They were sweet kisses, on the cheek, nothing over the top," she said. "Elvis was giving out autographs and the kisses were totally appropriate for the situation. Nancy Kozikowski can't remember where she was or what she was doing when Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
died. The Presley she knew was a young man, a rising star. The Presley she remembers, will always remember, kissed her outside the Albuquerque Armory late in the evening of April 12, 1956. "Singer's Kiss Leaves Girl, 13, Real Shook," read the front-page headline of April 13, 1956, in The Albuquerque Tribune. The girl in the headline was not Kozikowski but her childhood pal Carla Singer. Singer told The Tribune how Presley kissed her and her friend Nancy as he was leaving the Armory after a performance.
External links
- Link to Artist Exhibitions
- http://www.dsg-art.com/artists/nancy-kozikowski/
- http://www.matteucci.com/artists/nancy-kozikowski/NedraMatteucci Galleries - Embroidery by Nancy Kozikowski
- Nancy Kozikowski - The thread of New Mexico
- Scotty Moore - New Frontier Hotel Las Vegas Nancy Kozikowski with Elvis Presley
- (chinafiberart.com) FROM LAUSANNE TO BEIJING 5th INTERNATIONAL FIBER ART BIENNALE & INTERNATIONAL FIBER ART SYMPOSIUM
- 6th "From Luasanne to Beijing" International Fiber Art Exhibition
- Elvis' Kiss leaves Nuns all shook up