NITA'S BIO

Nita's Biography

Nita Winter, a Marin City based award winning photographer, was born in 1954 in Glen Cove New York. Nita's fascination with photography was kindled as young girl by her father with whom she spent hours in the darkroom. Her own photographic passion began during her senior year at Clark University where she earned a degree in biology. After graduation she was awarded a three month fellowship at the Maine Photographic Workshop.

In 1976 Nita moved to San Francisco and began to document her work fighting fires and leading tours on Alcatraz Island while working for the National Parks Service. In 1982 she began working for non-profit agencies photographing what has become her passion: people. Her client list has grown to include local businesses, national and international corporations and publications, including the New York Times, SF Examiner, SF Chronicle, Marin Independent Journal, Ladies' Home Journal, Sesame and Parenting magazines. Nita has remained closely associated with community organizations and continues to dedicate her time and talent to improve the quality of life of those they represent.

In her words: "I thoroughly enjoy recording candid moments in people's lives, especially those of children. In 1986, I was commissioned to illustrate the book The Children of the Tenderloin. It gave me a unique and very challenging opportunity to portray a community unfamiliar to me. Little did I know how involved I'd become. The more I photographed the more compassion I felt for the children who faced such harsh and stressful conditions in the Tenderloin. I was able to capture the vitality and hope in their faces...the hope that they would someday have the opportunities in life that they deserved."

Nita continues to photograph children throughout the United States. Her later projects have included the book Changing the Odds, Middle School Reform in Progress, 1991-93, and her annual illustration of six Children's Defense Fund Calendars.

Her 1997 exhibit, "In the Soup" is a series of 61 black and white images (up to 40 x 60”) of portraits of over 125 people of St. Vincent's Dining Room.

In 1998, Nita received a Marin Arts Council Community Arts Grant for her first "Faces" project, "The Faces of Marin City", a color series illustrating the wonderful diversity of the Marin City residents. Displayed as 135 images on 24 - 94” vinyl banners which hung outdoors, 50” x 50” outdoor digital prints, 79 mural prints and photo transfers incorporated into four hand-sewn quilts by Marin City elders.

Nita received a commission from the Utah Arts Council in 1999 to create 8 large hand colored images of children for the Salt Lake City Children's Special Needs Health Clinic.

In early 2000, Nita was commissioned by the County of Marin Dep't of Health & Human Services to illustrate the Marin City Cookbook. An HIV/AIDS teaching tool highlighting recipes by Marin City elders.

In 2001 Nita completed "The Faces of Novato" commissioned by Novato's Multicultural Oversight Committee in response to Novato's high rate of hate crimes. The 40 outdoor banners (80 images) highlight and celebrate the diversity found in this Northern Marin community.

In 2002 she completed "The Faces of the Canal" (50 banners with 100 photographs of over 250 residences) commissioned by the San Rafael Canal Ministry to celebrate the variety of people living in this very vibrant and largely Hispanic community.

In 2003 Nita completed her four "Faces" project with 25 banners hanging in downtown Vallejo. "The Faces of Vallejo" project was commissioned by the Arts Foundation of Vallejo, Downtown Merchants' Association and the City of Vallejo. Vallejo is one of the most diverse citites in the country.

Nita’s current project, commissioned by the Marin Community Foundation, focuses on the need for affordable housing in Marin County.

Nita's fine art images (black and white, color, hand colored and iris prints) have been purchased by hospitals, corporations, and foundations and found in private collections locally and nationally. They have also appeared in fine art galleries and corporate and public exhibits.

For further information, print sales or commissions please call Nita at 415-339-1310.