Biography

Nelly Peñuela was born in Caracas, Venezuela where she lived for 70 years in the heart of the dynamic city and artistic life. There she married and raised a family, all the while experimenting with art in different mediums as a way to enrich her life and fill her home with beautiful things.  She came to the United States with her family in the 2010s to escape the devastating conditions of post-Chavez Venezuela.

Nelly’s art is deeply rooted in her Venezuelan heritage and in the principle of repurposing old things.  Much of her work involves materials that might otherwise be thrown away such as jars, paper, plastic, cardboard,  nut, and eggshell, just to name a few.  She takes those humble materials and assembles them bringing beautiful creations into the world with the lively and spirited essence that is the signature of Venezuelan artistic culture.