Rooted Reflections: The Fabric of Self Exhibition with Nija Woods

My work creates immersive, material-based environments that invite reflection, grounding, and emotional presence. Rooted in therapeutic art practices and designed with accessibility in mind, my work explores how color, texture, and space can support moments of pause allowing viewers to slow down and engage with their inner landscapes in ways that feel intuitive and welcoming.

Color plays a central role in my practice and is used intentionally as both language and guide. I combine textiles, sculptural frameworks, wire, and natural materials to build environments that hold softness and tension at the same time. These materials reflect lived experience and cultural memory, drawing from Black cultural traditions while emphasizing joy, celebration, and emotional expansiveness rather than pain.

My process is rooted in introspection and storytelling. Each piece often begins with a written word, phrase, or internal reflection that gradually evolves into form. Rather than offering fixed meanings, I create open spaces that encourage viewers to slow down, move intentionally, and find personal resonance within the work through moments of rest, pleasure, and connection.

At its core, my practice is an offering of care. I view art as a space for restoration and connection; where presence, material, and color come together to support emotional clarity, accessibility, and collective reflection.

Nija Woods is a multidisciplinary artist and art therapy practitioner whose work centers on immersive installation, textile-based practices, and therapeutic art experiences that support emotional well-being and collective healing. Her practice integrates color psychology, mindfulness, and participatory design to create spaces that invite reflection, restoration, and connection.

Growing up influenced by her grandmother, a watercolor painter who nurtured her creativity and ability to observe, Woods fell in love with painting at a young age. She continued exploring the relationship between art, emotion, and identity as her practice evolved beyond traditional painting.

Woods has been creating art for over 20 years and began exhibiting publicly in 2022. Her work expanded into mixed media as she explored the expressive potential of combining materials. Today, she creates sculptures, paintings, and textile-based works, frequently incorporating Ankara fabric imported from Nigeria alongside wire, natural forms, and layered surfaces.

Woods’ process is rooted in storytelling and introspection. Each piece often begins with a written word, phrase, or internal reflection that develops into a visual composition. She approaches art as a form of color-based emotional inquiry, using texture and repetition to encourage grounding, self-awareness, and emotional clarity.

She is currently expanding her practice into papermaking and the use of natural elements, further exploring themes of renewal, presence, and material transformation.

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Host or Publisher Vanderbilt Divinity School