Nelson, Annika M., Artist, UC San Diego Instructor since 2004; illustrated seven published books.
Annika Nelson is an artist and instructor who currently teaches the "Teaching English through Art" workshop for UC San Diego Extension's TEFL program. Her artwork crosses cultural borders, stimulates dialogue between generations and portrays images of everyday life and the environment through her colorful prints and illustrations.
Nelson has illustrated a number of books including "Folk Wisdom of Mexico "(Chronicle Books, 1994), "Canto Familiar" (Harcourt Brace, 1995), "Pumpkin Prize" (Macmillan, 1996), "Dancing with Dziadziu" (Harcourt Brace, 1997), "Child of God" (Liturgy Training Publications, 1997), "Dominga’s Wonderful Year" (Liturgical Press, 2003) and "Colors of Me" (Sleeping Bear Press, 2011). Her illustrations have also appeared in numerous publications. Nelson also produces images for companies, organizations and institutions such as Patagonia, Elite Racing, McMillan Companies, Aesthetics Inc. and the Arthritis Foundation - San Diego Chapter.
Nelson received her degree in studio art from UC Santa Cruz and studied printmaking for a year at the Hochschule fur Angewandete Kunst in Vienna, Austria. After graduating, she focused much of her creative efforts towards illustration and arts education. For nearly five years, Nelson worked at the Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños in San Diego as the studio program curator and art director, developing and coordinating art making activities and classes for its youth audience. She also has been instrumental in the development and organization of a collaborative project between Rady Children’s Hospital and Art Partners in Healing. In addition to Nelson’s published work, she has received commissions for a number of public art installations ranging from interactive murals at Rady Children's Hospital Clinics to a sculpture series at the Tidelands Park in Coronado.