Nicole's Story Behind The Painting:

Before I dove into abstract painting, I put a lot of effort into developing my portrait drawing skills and watercolor techniques. These skills are crucial to the artwork I make today, including when I make abstract works with acrylic paints. While putting in all that time and practice into observational drawing, for example, I was learning to really see what’s there and find a spirit in the whole composition, with the details working toward the heart and soul of the artwork.

Sometimes, it’s harder than you’d expect to really see what’s there. We have pre-conceived notions about what a tree or flower or face or hair looks like and though our eyes take in lots of visual information, these schemas can get in the way of conscious observation. Instead of looking to draw facial features, I learned to look for shapes, lines, gradations of light and dark, etc. What follows is the realization that the differences, even just between two similarly sized Granny Smith apples, are infinite. When I am able to cultivate this openness to see what's really there, the simple act of looking becomes magical and exhilarating.

What may first seem like a minute detail has the power to unlock a depth you didn't even realize was right there all along. This idea extends to how we view others, how we view ourselves, and how we view the world around us. Openness to seeing reality with curiosity, depth, and nuance is important to me as a person and an artist.