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Nell Koopman is a Alabama-based painter whose work explores texture, movement, and the emotional pull of place. With a background in graphic design, advertising, and art education, Nell brings both structure and spontaneity to her studio practice. Her early work reflected a more linear and graphic sensibility, but over years of experimentation her style has evolved into a layered, gestural approach that embraces intuition and material exploration.

Working primarily in acrylic, often combined with gel, oil pastel, and graphite, Nell builds her surfaces through repeated layering—asking with each mark, “what happens if?” This sense of curiosity drives her process and gives her paintings their depth and quiet energy. Inspired by travel, music, the natural landscape, and her Texas roots, Nell’s work reflects a balance between refinement and freedom. Whether depicting wildlife, open fields, or expressive forms, she resists being confined to a single subject or style, allowing each piece to evolve organically.

Nell began signing her work “Nellie”—a name used by family and close friends—after becoming a grandmother. The name is a quiet nod to legacy, connection, and the joy that continues to shape her creative life. She lives and works in Birmingham with her husband Ben.

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