Artist & Designer.

Nakia Matthewson is a multidisciplinary artist & designer based in Joshua Tree, California.

Her work explores the modern West through iconic desert figures, repeated forms, and architectural framing. Drawing inspiration from high-desert culture, anonymity, and ritual, her pieces sit between abstraction and portraiture—grounded, restrained and quietly powerful.

Working in both minimal black-and-white and layered color, Nakia often revisits works, allowing each piece to explore a distinct colorway, texture, and emotional register. The recurring arch motif acts as both structure and threshold—a visual language that speaks to place, passage and presence.

Australian-born, shaped by 8 years of living in London and now 10 years in the United States, Nakia now calls the Mojave Desert her home. With over 21 years of experience as a creative director, art director and designer, her fine art practice reflects a disciplined eye, editorial clarity, and deep respect for form.

She currently lives and works in Joshua Tree, California.