Nik Penny

Nik Penny is an interdisciplinary visual artist based in Central Washington, working at the intersection of data visualization and digital fabrication.

After years of painting, he fell in love with textile design while earning his AA degree. Using digital dobby looms and V-bed knitting machines, he spent three years designing and fabricating textile products. His interest in the relationship between digital information and physical material led him to study data analytics at Washington State University and computer science at Oregon State University before returning to art making.

Today, he combines his knowledge of programming, CAD software, and digital fabrication technologies to create works that translate data into emotionally resonant experiences, including recent works that explore astronomical data. Penny and his collaborator Scotty Broberg are currently developing a public art project commissioned through the Washington State Public Artist Roster.