About Nikki

As a native Southern Californian and artist, third generation to both, the creative spirit is in my blood – and I like to think the saltwater is as well.  I hold a BFA with a Studio Art emphasis from UCSD. I’ve always had my hand in something creative so while this led me from jobs in advertising, to teaching at a private arts school, to illustrating pet portraits (us Californians are mildly obsessed with our pets), and every craft under the sun, it eventually led me back to the original dream of becoming an artist.

I have three amazing kiddos — the oldest two who are in college, and one in High School who used to think I was part mermaid…. oh and two crazy rescue pups who most days can be found snuggled down by my feet. 

When I’m not in the art studio you can find me teaching yoga just down the street. Lover of the water, naps, good reads, and coffee! 

“I believe you should surround yourself with images that evoke feelings of peaceful thought, and emotions that awaken your heart and soul. Work that feels breathable. You should love where you live”.

Instant Room to Breathe...

You know that feeling when you experience something and it breathes new life into your whole body literally giving you a visceral reaction leading to calm and peace? There’s a breathtaking stretch along PCH in Southern California as you leave Newport and enter Laguna Beach. I’m talking about the kind of breathtaking that makes you feel free and gives your lungs instant room to breathe! It’s like you can feel them expand as you drive. Exhaling the heavy and inhaling the soothing salty air. As a child coming upon this stretch along the ocean and seeing that beautiful pristine cove of pale sand and unreal palette of blues in the water, I would feel my whole body relax. All the anxiety I carried as a child would melt away because it meant we were close – close to my Grandparents house. I learned to swim in the waters at Bluebird Canyon on my Dad’s shoulders and my Grandparents and their friends would line up their umbrellas in one long row year after year sharing books, stories, swimming and playing rummy tile. Years later I would make the drive up from college for a respite and would work on studio projects on my Grandfathers drafting table with views of the ocean.

My approach…

As a quiet child (those who know me as an adult just went huh?!) I turned to art as a way to self express and at the same time safely seek introspection. It was always a part of my childhood as my Father and Grandfather were artists as well. While I initially connected to the details and intricacies of realistic representation through drawing and illustrating, sometime after my third child a shift took place requiring my technique to to take on a new way of expression. Something more free and out of my body, and that’s when I discovered Abstract art! What I once didn’t connect to or allow myself to appreciate was now going to set me free. You know that awe feeling I mentioned earlier when your body and soul relaxes? I seek to create abstract impressionistic works full of spirit, movement and texture that will make you feel exactly like that. I approach the canvas with a desire to achieve a calming flow while creating from an intuitive heart and head space. Much of my work is inspired by my love of the ocean & the natural landscape around me. Anyone else drive and see endless paint palettes?  I work mostly in acrylics, because lets just be honest they are fast drying and I don’t have the patience to watch paint dry! But I still love to go back to my roots in pencil drawing and watercolor. I’m genuinely driven by the simple intention to create something soothing and serene  brought forth by introspect and emotion and sometimes pure influence from the music always on in the background. It’s most definitely a process of thought, layering, letting go of expectations and self induced time outs for those frustrating moments you want to throw paint and brushes across the studio – admittedly done but not advised.

Thanks for dropping in, and don’t hesitate to reach out and say hi –

Best,

Nikki