About Lauren Marie Nitka

Lauren Adeniyi (née Nitka) is a Milwaukee based artist and art educator, originally from Greendale, Wisconsin. She attended Wisconsin Lutheran College for K-12 Art Education, and currently teaches elementary level art.

In 2023 through 2024, Lauren was a mentee in the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network’s Mentorship Program, under the mentorship of Artdose publisher, award winning artist and art educator, Frank Juaréz. Her studio work has since centered on documenting testimonies and painting portraits of followers of Jesus.

As a professional artist and art educator, Lauren has not only enjoyed participating in the Milwaukee area art scene, she has collaborated with and led a number of community art projects teaching young artists, and working on murals with both students and other professional artists.

Lauren has curated pop-up gallery nights at small businesses, notably Glassnote Candle Bar in the Walker’s Point neighborhood. Several years ago, she launched a short series The Podcast for Artists as Entrepreneurs filmed by her now husband, Adedamola Adeniyi, catered towards artists who want to take their first steps into selling their art professionally.

About Lauren’s most recent body of work:

Dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty centers my work. Through Him, my artistic process finds actualization. 

Working primarily in oil paint, I utilize a wide palette that explores the spectrum of color in direct light and shadow. The viewer cannot see the veil that casts the shadow, but rather they see its effect. The hand of God operates much like this in our lives. Because oil paint breathes as it dries, I find it most suitable to paint people, who each have their own breath of life. 

I've begun documenting the testimonies of Christians of various backgrounds through portrait painting and videography. These are stories of people who have encountered Jesus and no longer conform to the patterns of this world. Each testimony has been carefully edited to preserve the thoughts and ideas of each participant.

My hope is to get these portraits in front of viewers who do not know Jesus. I want viewers to examine spiritual questions they have, to question truths they hold, and ultimately to hear the Good News.

Lauren Marie Nitka was a mentee in the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network’s 2023-2024 Mentorship program.

She is continuing beyond the program to be under the mentorship of Frank Juarez, publisher of Artdose.

Lauren Marie Nitka's CV

Affiliate artist inside Material Studios + Gallery
207 E Buffalo St #600, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Open Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm

Logo for Milwaukee artist and curator, Lauren Marie Nitka

Help fund my work:

Please consider donating to my testimony series to fund the purchase of supplies, shipping, and exhibition entry fees.

Thank you for your support.

Donate