Mike Mackay Interviews...Nina Angelo
- Mike Mackay
- Feb 8, 2023
- 1 min read
I was honoured to talk to artist, storyteller, and OAM recipient Nina Angelo. A vibrant and moving conversation reflects on her extraordinary life, from her family’s survival of the Holocaust to her work across cultures and communities.
Nina Angelo was born in Athens, Greece, shortly after WW2 and migrated to Sydney, Australia in June 1949 with her parents, both survivors of the Nazi concentration camps.
In the early 60s, Nina nourished her passion as an artist at the National Art School, experimenting with many art forms before settling on her life-long journey with textiles. Her community work and artistic and cultural heritage led her on countless adventures across Australia, the Pacific Islands and ultimately, back to Europe.
While overcoming significant challenges from ‘frying pan to fire’; Nina has founded, coordinated, publicised, taught and work-shopped creative and community arts and festival events, for over thirty years. She is a colourful character with a gift for connection with people of all ages and cultures.
In 2009, Nina was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her ‘Service to the Arts and the (NSW) Central Coast community’. Her wider Australian contribution to community and culture has been recognised through a range of honours, awards and positions including Artist in Residence in Fiji through Australia Council for the Arts, two Australia Day Community Awards, the Governor of NSW Children’s Week Award for her work in remote locations, and an Edna Ryan Feminist Award for her life’s work empowering women and sharing their stories through the arts.
