Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nina Boodhansingh. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nina , appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

As humans, it’s easy for us to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We are absorbed in everything except dedicating time for ourselves. Time for reflection and taking care of our mental health is essential in today’s world. Work the overtime, run the dog to the vet, take the kids to soccer practice, hit the gym, stay at work to perfect a project, scroll through social media until we are numb. Rinse. Repeat. Yes, a lot of these things are our responsibilities and need to be done, but when was the last time we stopped to think about our passions?
Since I was a child, I had a love for art and being creative. My mother painted beautiful designs on flower pots and sold them at a local craft shop. I admired her for this. She made coin pouches that I would show off in grade school and say “Look what my mom made!” I knew I wanted to follow in her creative footsteps. Time passed and I went to college. I studied Communications, which eventually led to Communications in the Arts. After receiving an A.A. in Communications, I shifted my focus to Fine Arts and graduated with a B.F.A. concentrated in painting from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.

Entering the working world, I landed my first “real” job in podiatry. This was not ideal, but at 22, it was fine. For roughly eleven years I bounced between several positions in health care and compliance, while expanding my professional artist portfolio on the side. Even though I had residencies, exhibitions and community studio space, something was eating away at me and I was forever unsatisfied. Often asking myself, “When will I find a job I truly enjoy?” I was looking in all of the wrong places. I was afraid to take a leap and move out of my comfort zone. The answer had always been within myself.

Rewind to 2020 when the pandemic hit. Businesses closed, workers were furloughed, hours were cut, people started working from home and the country went into lock down. During this time, I experienced a huge shift in my mental health. I questioned my life goals, my career path and took a deep dive into my passion for the arts. I decided to focus more on my art career and cut down to part-time work. Eventually, another curve ball was tossed my way and I pushed to go back to work full-time. At that point, things began to plummet; I started to sink. I was not following my gut and I was trying to stuff myself into a box that wasn’t fit for me. I persevered, yet I was mentally deteriorating. Something had to change. Then along came “The Great Resignation.” In November of 2021, after many trying times, I opted to resign from my position in health care compliance and completely leave the organization in which I was employed. It was time to grow my personal career. Terrified of what would come next, I knew it was for the best. I finally found the courage to take a risk.

Over several months I began to expand my personal business. I had never felt so liberated and happy. I was creating and exhibiting more art, collaborating with the community, mentoring, painting murals in homes, offices, and local businesses. Sure enough, through persistence, the creative stars aligned and I partnered with a local business owner to open an art gallery. Running an art gallery was always a dream. A dream I thought was far out of reach. My business partner put trust in my creative process and ideas, making that dream a reality. Midnight Gallery was established in spring of 2022 in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania. Midnight Gallery is unique in that it sits inside of an auto showroom, Vollux Autowerks. Our gallery is where the creativity and design of art and cars merge. Vollux Autowerks specializes in European auto repairs and diagnostics. It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to see a Lamborghini in the middle of contemporary art gallery!

My father always told me “Everything is temporary. You don’t have to stay in a career that makes you unhappy. You control your future.” Dad is right. We control our future and our happiness. We can achieve more than we think. Have confidence in yourself and in your future. Network, create a personal brand, and market your business. Take advantage of seminars and workshops in your field. Stay educated on current events. You will hit roadblocks; people will doubt and discourage you. Be persistent. A seed does not sprout without water and sunlight. That sprout will not bloom into a flower without continuous care. Be kind to yourself. It is a world of possibilities. Take the leap.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi! I’m Nina Boodhansingh and I’m an Artist/Muralist based in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. I received my BFA from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2010 and I am a former Resident Artist at Kutztown University (Kutztown, PA), The Cigar Factory (Allentown, PA), and The Banana Factory (Bethlehem, PA). Most recently, I joined forces with my new business partner to establish Midnight Gallery in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, where I am Director and Curator.

My work can be described as ethereal. It is inspired by nature, skyscapes, landscapes, microscopic images, and the cosmos. Each painting represents familiar elements within an abstract world. The surface of the work has a tangible texture built with paint, various gel mediums, sand, and/or gold leaf. Modeling layers, dimensions, and illusions of space in the painting, the finished pieces suggest parallel, yet distant, worlds. Evoking a dream-like quality, there is a mood of calmness in each piece.

I also work with collage, mixed media, and drawing. In my free time I love gardening, tending to my plethora of house plants, hiking, exploring nature, roller skating, spending time with family & friends and my pup. Oh, let’s not forget eating; I love food.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is sharing my gifts and creativity with others. It’s not about making the sale or brining in the money. Heck yes, it is needed to pay the bills and survive, but simply seeing the excitement or comfort in people’s eyes when they experience my work is fulfilling. A lot of my work tells a story. It speaks a differently to each viewer. It’s about sharing the experience with others and making the arts accessible to the community. “Richness” comes from sharing, learning, and growing with each other.

When I decided to start up the gallery, I didn’t do it for myself, I did it for the artists and our community. I find so much joy in connecting with artists and hearing their stories. I love their reactions when they are notified that their work has been selected for an exhibit or when they make a sale. Creatives do happy dances when they make a sale, exhibit work, acquire new client, etc. Guess what, I am right there dancing along with them!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I put together a lovely mission statement and a list of goals for Midnight Gallery when we opened our doors in 2022. I feel that this sums up my creative drive and goals as an independent artists and as a business owner. Our mission at Midnight Gallery is to explore, engage with, and continue to build the growing arts community. We exhibit artwork from a diverse group of established and emerging artists. Our goal is to offer the community opportunities to interact and conversate with the visual and performing arts, while cultivating an atmosphere that fosters creativity and growth.

Vision and Goals:
CREAT a welcoming space for all humans.
EXHIBIT artworks of various concepts, styles, media, and artists whose work inspires, educates and challenges our community to see the world in a different light.
SUPPORT the arts and art education in the community.
DEVELOP meaningful connections between artists, students, and community audiences through exhibitions, workshops, educational opportunities, and experiences driven by arts professionals.
SERVE as a resource for the arts community.

This is my passion. I am here to root for all artists to take on their creative vision and kick ass!     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ninabood.com and https://www.midnightgallerypa.com
• Instagram: @nina_bood and @midnightgallerypa
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ninaboodart and https://www.facebook.com/midnightgallerypa
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/midnight-gallery

Image Credits
Orange Lamborghini photo was taken by @philwalterscars