Guest Artist | Barb Nicholson

I want to welcome my friend and fellow artist, Barb Nicholson. I met Barb last Summer at Jeanne Oliver's Creatively Made Business Workshop. Over the weekend, I got to know Barb, and we found out that we were practically neighbors - we both live in Michigan. She is an incredibly kind and compassionate soul, which you can see in her beautiful art. Artwork that is filled with glorious colors, sensitive portraits, gentle animals, and stunning abstracts.

I’m so excited to share my interview with Barb along with her beautiful artwork

Who or what inspired you to be an artist?

I wanted to paint, color, decorate or beautify everything for as long as I can remember. My parents were not as excited as my four-year-old self was when I used Crayola Crayons to decorate my freshly painted bedroom wall. In fact, I was urged to go to school for a practical degree so that I could make a living. My degree is in Business - Finance, with a minor in Economics.

It wasn’t until I did a lot of personal interior work that I was able to admit that art was my love, not business. In my 40’s, as a soon to be empty nester, I finally began to devote full-time hours to art.

What do you consider to be your most significant source of inspiration?

Hands down, my Faith is my largest source of inspiration. When I look at the beauty around us - nature, animals, humans - I can’t help but be inspired! The first verb in the Bible is create. When I became a student of the Bible and realized we were made to Create - my heart sang!

Is there an artist or artists who inspire you?

I am inspired by so many! I am most influenced by an artist when I know their story - who they are, why they create.

Some of my favorites are: Jackson Pollack and Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, Claude Monet, Cy Twombly, Marc Chagall and of course Michaelangelo, Botticelli, DaVinci, Picasso and Monet

You create beautiful, expressive portraits, florals, and colorful abstract work. Can you tell us a little about what draws you to these subjects? What types of materials do you use in your work?

Sometimes I feel like my art is all over the place!

I love the challenge of capturing emotion and line in a face or figure. I am drawn to the magic of a whimsical animal or fanciful creature. Flowers simply make me happy - I am constantly in awe of the variety in their architecture. These subjects all take a ‘close in’ approach to detail, which I enjoy so much! Until I don’t.

When I want to express myself in a free and colorful way I turn to abstract. They are actually much more complex than I thought before I started painting them. I am drawn to the emotion created by the width of a brush, the speed of paint laid down or thrown, the vibrancy of color and layers.

I use mostly acrylics in my work. Although I have experimented with oil, watercolor, and ink. I am a true mixed media artist as I get excited by the use of graphite, pastel, collage, mark-making with found objects and printmaking in my art. Finger painting will always be one of my favorites! I am pretty sure I will keep experimenting!

Do you have any words of wisdom that you can share with my readers about developing one’s own unique voice as an artist?

Take classes. Learn techniques and ‘how to’s.’ Then quit taking classes. Break some of the ‘rules’ you learned. Then do it all again.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or hire the help you need to advance your art. This year I am working with a mentor to develop a cohesive series of art to approach a gallery with.

My favorite advice to other artists is Make Some Ugly Art! I feel like when we give ourselves permission to be novices and experimenters, with no judgment or comparison, our personal voice as an artist has room to develop and grow. We have room to develop and grow.

My other advice is practice. Practice makes practice. Make a lot of ugly art! It frees your spirit. I am a daily artist. I make a lot of ugly art. I love the process!

Everyone is creative. Art is my personal therapy and happy place.

Thank you, Barb for sharing your art and story with us. If you want to view more of Barb’s beautiful artwork, you can find her on Instagram: @barbnicholsonart

xo

Renee