Nyssa Collins nyssacollins (at) gmail (dot) com
Education
2026 MFA Time Based Art The University of Tennessee Knoxville (expected)
2016 BA Piano Performance Humboldt State University
Sculpture and Mural Commissions
2024 Town of Chapel Hill: “Rubbish the Raccoon” - Chapel Hill NC
2023 Raleigh Arts: “The Time Machine”, through SEEK:Raleigh - Raleigh, NC
2022 Arts Everywhere: “Galapagos Marine Iguana” - Chapel Hill NC
Raleigh Arts: Dune Film Screening at the North Carolina Museum of Art - Raleigh, NC
Town of Chapel Hill: “Red Salamander” - Chapel Hill NC
2020 Raleigh Arts: “Carolina Madtom” - Raleigh NC
Downtown Durham Inc: “Pet Cemetery” - Durham, NC
2019 Downtown Durham Inc: “Yes You Can Touch” - Durham NC
Art Installations
2024 Gallery 1010: “Walkie Talkie” - Knoxville, TN (Solo Show)
Gallery 1010: “Hot August” - Knoxville, TN (Group Show)
Gallery 1010: “This Page Intentionally Left Blank” - Knoxville, TN (Curation)
2023 Uproar Festival of Public Art: “Ambassador of the Eons Mammoth” - Chapel Hill NC
2022 1708 Gallery, for Inlight: “Megalonyx” - Richmond, VA
2018 The Carrack: “Bull Meets Bayou” - Durham, NC
Grants and Awards
2024 Graduate Merit Scholarship - University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Handheld Festival Winner (Spring) - University of Tennessee
Handheld Festival Winner (Fall) - University of Tennessee
Big Ears Artist Fellowship
2023 Town of Chapel Hill Commission Award (Uproar Festival of Public Art)
GSS Travel Award - University of Tennessee, Knoxville
CAS AI Educational Campaign Fellowship - University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Dorothy N. Dille Art Scholarship - University of Tennessee Knoxville
2021 Artist Recovery Grant - Durham Arts Council
2020 New York Jazz Record! Best of 2020 Original Album Artwork
Artist Recovery Grant - Durham Arts Council
2019 Project Specific Grant: Shadows and Sound - The Awesome Foundation
Residencies
2024 Shadowbox Studios; Durham, NC
2023 Winter Residency - Penland; Spruce Pine, NC
2022 Tamarack Land Cooperative; Hovland, MN (with Fox and Beggar Theater)
Performance
2025 Electri-City, The Knoxville Museum of Art; Knoxville, TN *
Monument to the Promise of Tomorrow, Black Mountain College and Art Center; Asheville, NC *
The University of Tennessee: York Plays, The University of Toronto; Toronto, Canada
2024 Cosmic Gorilla, Shadowbox Studios; Durham, NC *
Trash Angel, Raleigh Fringe Festival; Raleigh, NC *
2023 The Time Machine, Bread and Puppet (Glover, VT), Artspace (Raleigh, NC), Open Eye Theater (Minneapolis, MN) *
2022 Fox and Beggar Theater: The Lonesome Spectacular, Midwest Tour **
2021 Paperhand: Unfolding Seeds, Forest Theater; Chapel Hill, NC **
The Unexpected Guest, Northgate Park; Durham NC *
2020 Pet Cemetery, Downtown Durham Inc. and Northgate Park; Durham NC *
2019 Durham Cinematheque:On Time, In Time, Living Arts Collective; Durham, NC **
Little Green Pig: Songs for Drella, Living Arts Collective; Durham NC **
Paperhand: We Are Here, Forest Theater; Chapel Hill, NC **
Jeghetto: Just Another Lynching, Chicago International Puppetry Fest; Chicago, IL
2018 Paperhand: In the Heart of the Fire, Forest Theater; Chapel Hill, NC **
Jeghetto: Just Another Lynching, The ArtsCenter; Chapel Hill, NC
2017 Paperhand: Of Wings and Feet, Forest Theater; Chapel Hill, NC **
Company: Project Title, venue; city, state
*as director/co-director and performer
**devised collaborative project or contributor and performer
Teaching
2024 Graduate Teaching Associate, The University of Tennessee - ART 102: Introduction to Time
Graduate Teaching Assistant - ART 499: Community Arts
Workshop - Stilt Building Making and Walking
2023 Graduate Teaching Assistant, The University of Tennessee - ART 102: Introduction to Time
Non-University Teaching
2024 University of Tennessee: High School Art Academy (Giant Puppet Sculpture Workshop)
Carolina Friends School Summer Camp: (Animation, Mask, Art)
University of Tennessee: Public School Teacher Workshop (Animation)
2023 Bethel Elementary School: Long Term Art Sub - Gloucester VA
2022 Spring Break Art Camp (independently run) - Durham NC
2020 Arts Together: Art Camp Counselor - Raleigh NC
Durham Academy: Art Camp Counselor - Durham NC
2019 Durham Academy: Afterschool Art Instructor - Durham NC
2019-2020 Durham Arts Council: Creative Artists in Public Schools - Durham NC
2018-2022 The Expedition School: Enrichment Clubs - Hillsborough NC
2018-2020 Kidznotes: Music Theory, Piano, General Music - Durham NC
2017-2022 Nyssa Collins Piano Studio - Chapel Hill and Durham NC
Piano Accompanying
2023 Unto Us - Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg VA
2018-23 Worship Accompanist - Yates Baptist Church, Durham NC
2015-16 Worship Accompanist - Eureka First United Methodist Church, Eureka CA
2016 Chicago - Arcata High School, Arcata CA
Other work
2024-present Graduate Intern - Loghaven Artist Residency and the Aslan Foundation
2024-25 Media Pool (School of Art Equipment Library)
2023 University of Tennessee: SmArt Lab Tech (Fabrication Lab)
2023 Stilt Walker, Pianist - Busch Gardens Williamsburg Entertainment
2017-21 Studio Artist, Performer - Paperhand Puppet Intervention
2014-16 Recording Tech and Usher - Humboldt State University Music Department
Press
2024 Indy Week: 15 Minutes with the Artist Nyssa Collins https://indyweek.com/news/15-minutes/15-minutes-artist-nyssa-collins/
2023 UNC Center for Galapagos Studies and Arts Everywhere Collaboration - Video about Galapagos Marine Iguana, with Carson Whitmore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7xx6W5lu9s