1617 W. Magnolia Avenue

San Antonio, Texas USA 78201

(210) 785-9915

lisa@drakaarts.org

lisa nigro

Achievements	2003-present Founder/Organizer: Annual Burnin’Bush — Fire & Metal Arts Festival Established: Sisterhood of the Burnin’Bush Coalition for Women in the Arts 2000-present Conceptual Designer / Director: Draka the Dragon Draka is a 112-ft long, mobile/kinetic sculpture built on a truck pulling 3 trailers. With the creation of this fire-breathing beast the mythological dragon now has new meaning. Originally built in the year of the dragon (2000) in the northern Nevada Desert, Draka is made of mostly recycled materials. 55-gallon steel drums were cut to make her scales and old cedar shingles form her belly. She is capable of blowing a 50-ft burst of flame, and inside she has a full bar, elegant décor, room for live music, plush seating, and the capacity to carry and entertain 75 to 100 people. Other Facts: The vision of Draka was inspired by the book Wicked - The Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and its description of a Dragon Clock Tower that roams from village to village, displaying twisted puppet theatre. On May 14, 2002 an accidental fire sparked by a welding machine sent Draka’s belly up in flames. From the ashes I was able to reconsider, then reconstruct, all that had been rushed in the dragon’s original construction two years prior. During the summer months of four consecutive years approximately 100 volunteers worked under my direction making repairs and improvements while learning metalworking skills.
Group Exhibitions	2005 Art Crawl Houston, TX 2005 Everyones Art Car Parade Draka the Dragon (1^st Place Best Art Car) Houston, TX 2004 Two Halves, One Whole: Exploring Gender Archetypes – SOMARTS Gallery San Francisco, CA 2004 Everyones Art Car Parade Draka the Dragon (participant) Houston, TX 2003 Beyond Belief – Burning Man Art Festival Draka the Dragon (rebuilt after fire) Black Rock Desert, NV 2002 The Floating World – Burning Man Art Festival Dahud-Ahes the Mermaid (Installation) Black Rock Desert, NV 2001 The Seven Ages – Burning Man Art Festival Draka as Public Transport (DPT) Black Rock City, NV 2000 The Body – Burning Man Art Festival Draka the Flaming Metal Dragon (as Spirit of "Man”) Black Rock Desert, NV 1999 The Wheel of Time – Burning Man Art Festival Diana: Fertility Goddess as Sundial (Installation & Performance) Black Rock Desert, NV 1998 The Whole Enchilada – Whole Gallery San Francisco, CA 1997 Eclectic New Works – Studio 402 San Diego, CA 1995 TX2CH: Works on Paper – Galerie Tumb Zurich, Switzerland 1994 Trends in Mutilation – ArtSpace curated by Linda Montano; presented by the Artists Coalition of Austin, TX 1993 A Show Without Walls – The Artist’s Cooperative of Austin TX 1993 Women and Sexuality – The Alternate Current Art Space Austin, TX 1991 The Mother of All Group Shows – Speedway Gallery Boston, MA 1990 Salon des Refusees – Fauve Gallery Amherst, MA 1990 27: An Exhibition of Twenty-Seven Grant Winners in the Visual Arts – Brickbottom Gallery Somerville, MA 1989 Figures and Faces – Wortzel Gallery Boston, MA 1988 Transforming the Narrative – Ariel Gallery New York, NY
Solo Exhibitions	1992 A Religious Experience The Trident Booksellers & Cafe, Boston, MA 1992 Works on Paper: 1984 to 1991 The MiddleEast Cafe, Cambridge, MA 1991 The Figure in Motion DV-8 Gallery at Axis, Boston, MA 1990 Eleven Heads Somerville Public Library, Somerville, MA 1989 The Figure in Color Barillari Books, Harvard Square Cambridge, MA
Reviews / Publications	• Marquis, N. Albert ; Who’sWho in America 60^th Diamond Edition 2006 • Vose, Kenneth E; Monster Nation: The Best Transformed Vehicles from Coast to Coast Meredith Books, May 2004 • Doherty, Brian; This is Burning Man: the Rise of a new American Underground Little, Brown & Co., July 2004, p.195 • Westbrook, Bruce; “Joy Rides – Wheeled Works of Wacky Art” cover story – Entertainment Guide, the Houston Chronicle, May 6, 2004, p.18F • Nigro, Lisa; “Draka, the Flaming Metal Dragon” published in Leonardo Journal — MIT Press, Nov. 5, 2003 Special Issue: The Art of Burning Man, p.351 • Pinchbeck, Daniel; “Heat of the Moment: the Art & Culture of Burning Man” mention - ARTFORUM November 2003, p.177 • Krueter, Holly; Drama in the Desert: The Sights & Sounds of Burning Man Raised Barn Press, 2003, p.60 & 138 • Marin, Rick; “The Least Likely Burning Man” photo - New York Times Sept 10, 2000, p.1 • Pinchbeck, Daniel; “The Fire This Time” mention - Rolling Stone Magazine 11/ 9/00,p.118 • Ranputa, Janaki; “Women Artists in Black Rock : Magical Collaboration” review - Black Rock Gazette The Art Edition, September 3, 1999 • Stofer, Judith; “Austin meets Zurich” review- Dienstag Zurich, Switzerland 4/11/1995 Nr.71 • Grant, William; “Art Goes Almost Anywhere” review - ArtSpeak NY, NY Oct 1, 1988 p. 17 * Draka has also appeared in the Reno Gazette Journal and the Nevada State Journal
Television	2005 Discovery Channel Draka the Dragon and Lisa air on Monster Nation February 2004 KPRC-Channel 2 Special Draka in Everyones Art Car Parade, May 8, Houston, TX 2003-4 Discovery Channel Draka and Lisa feature on Backyard Monsters – a special segment of Monster Garage, Aug 03 thru mid-year 04
Grants / Awards	2005 Orange Show Center for Visionary Art Grant Houston, TX 2004 Orange Show Center for Visionary Art Grant Houston, TX 2004 Houston Art Car Museum Grant Houston, TX 2001 Burning Man Art Installation Grant San Francisco, CA 2000 Burning Man Art Installation Grant San Francisco, CA 1999 Burning Man Art Installation Grant San Francisco, CA 1989 Massachusetts Arts Lottery Grant Somerville, MA 1988 The Basil H. Alkazzi Award in Painting for travel to London New York, NY
Education	1994 MFA Sculpture University of Texas at Austin 1990 Artist in Residence Vermont Studio Center 1985 BFA Painting University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Collections	1994 Private Collection “Catfish” pastel on paper; Daniel Derwelis - Brooklyn, NY 1993 Private Collection “Spermaid” bronze sculpture, “Hole” lithograph, and drawings; George McCall Seacrest - Houston, TX 1993 Private Collection “The Sword” pastel on paper; Lisa Rahon - New Orleans, LA
Internet	Serious Wheels • The Fund for Women Artists • Leonardo Journal • Steel Girl • Burning Man: Art Installation Image Gallery