Anna Nizhoni: Art, activism, and healing through CREATE PC

DiasporUtah. Photo: Anna Nizhoni

PARK CITY, Utah — For Anna Nizhoni, art is both a means of self-expression and a path toward healing and community. Since joining CREATE PC in September, she has found an artistic home that has deepened her commitment to her craft and connected her to a vibrant community. CREATE PC, a program of the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County, offers artists studio space, exhibition opportunities, and a network to foster their creative pursuits.

“Being here with CREATE PC has been such a joy and privilege,” said Nizhoni. A resident of Park City for just over a year, she arrived with a background not only in art but also in tech, having recently left a job with Tesla’s A.I. & Robotics department. Despite her success, she felt unfulfilled. “I became disillusioned,” she said. “I felt I was denying who I truly am: an artist.”

Nizhoni’s return to art was sparked by an unlikely inspiration—a young girl’s joy in sharing her work. “My friend’s daughter entered an art contest, won, and proudly shared her work with everyone,” Nizhoni recalled. “Her fearlessness and exuberance made me wonder, what if I were more like that with my art? ’” Soon after, she applied to CREATE PC, where she found not only a place to create but also a supportive community. “I’ve been so much happier pursuing my art again, and the support has been incredible,” she said.

Nizhoni’s art reflects her inner complexity, blending vibrant technicolor dreamscapes with grayscale realism. She also works in a wide variety of mediums, such as beadwork, charcoal, acrylic and oil paint, and pastel. Her work often draws on her Navajo heritage, incorporating traditional rug patterns as a tribute to her grandmother, a weaver. “My creativity has been my anchor,” she said, explaining how art helped her through difficult times growing up in a challenging environment marked by addiction and abuse.

Her cultural background also fuels her activism, a core part of her artistic journey. Nizhoni has collaborated with Indigenous and environmental organizations, including Utah PANDOS and Utah Diné Bikéyah, raising awareness through her work for causes such as missing and murdered Indigenous women and the preservation of Bears Ears National Monument. “Activism has always been part of my art,” she said. One of her images was transformed into T-shirts and posters supporting Standing Rock protests, while another banner advocating for missing Indigenous women was prominently displayed at a Utah powwow. “It felt really special to see my work used to support causes that matter deeply to me.”

Nizhoni’s next project, a series inspired by her encounters with animals in nature, will be titled “Be Like the Animals,” a phrase from her medicine man, an Apache Sundancer, who told her, “Animals don’t tell lies.” She plans to pair the images with stories or poems, capturing these encounters’ natural beauty and spiritual connection.

For Nizhoni, CREATE PC has provided more than a workspace; it’s a vital network that supports her creative vision. “As someone early in their career, having fellow artists to learn from and mentors to guide me is invaluable,” she said. “The directors keep us updated on opportunities, and sometimes I feel like there’s more available than I have time to pursue; it’s such a great problem to have!”

With CREATE PC’s encouragement, Nizhoni is optimistic about her future as an artist. “I used to think living as an artist was a dream I couldn’t achieve,” she said. “But now, I feel a tremendous honor to possess these skills and hope to make the world a little more beautiful every day.”

Learn more about Anna and her work here.