Mia Risberg
Mia Risberg, 'Swift as This Night', 2024, Acrylic, oil, cold wax, and oil pastels on wood panel, 30.5 x 40.5cm
In her paintings and drawings, Mia investigates symbolic imagery, magical realism, and narratives of people in nature. She strives to capture spiritual moments of stillness either observed in her life, or inspired by imagination. Some works depict quiet landscapes or hint at a human presence, while others portray a communion between humans and nature. Her oil and cold wax paintings have many applications of colors, resulting in a rich and textured surface that is either matte, or with a sheen if the pieces are buffed. In her colored pencil drawings on paper she layers subtle colors and often incorporates other mediums such as pastels to achieve varied effects. She is interested in ways to distill what she perceives into something that is not only new, but something that also feels calmer and more orderly than the chaotic external world. The natural world appears as a place of solace. Regardless of where she finds herself, or what state of mind she is in, nature is a familiar constant she can return to. As someone who spent her childhood frequently moving and adapting to life in various countries, this feeling of familiarity is especially important to her.
Born in Sweden, Mia grew up in various countries before immigrating to the U.S as a young adult. She attended Pratt Institute and Hunter College in NYC, graduating from the latter with a BA in Fine Arts. She worked as a book designer for many years before returning to making art full time. Past solo exhibitions venues include Soft Projects in Ypsilanti, MI, and Studio Break Gallery in West Chicago, IL. She has participated in various group exhibits in the U.S, such as Summer Brew, at Field Projects, in New York City, In the Middle with You, at Middle Room Gallery in Los Angeles, and benefits in the UK such as Art on a Postcard Summer Auction. She has been a resident at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, and the Vermont Studio Center. Mia’s work and artistic practice has been featured in several publications such as ArtMaze Magazine, Create!, Friend of the Artist, as well as on podcasts such as Studio Break, and Create!. She is the founder and curator of 813 Microgallery, a minute freestanding gallery space in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she showcases on a small scale, the work of a different artist each month.