Bio.

Nikki is a Pacific Northwest contemporary realist oil painter, who seeks to capture the true beauty of her subjects.

Childhood

While growing up, art was encouraged with afterschool lessons. As with many introverted children, drawing was a pastime that allowed escape and joy. It was a quiet activity that could be brought with her anywhere. She drew her favorite animals, then eventually faces from magazines, and friends.

Educational Background

In college, Nikki became enamored with painting. She studied art at Western Washington University and SUNY, Stony Brook. Her professors varied in teaching style from classical art instruction, to modern, contemporary teaching that encouraged personal style and making bold moves. During those college years she was introduced to drawing and painting the human figure, which would become the biggest focus of her work for many years.

Building a Creative Life

Nikki’s art career paused when she had her children, but soon she longed for that connection to the art world again and began going to a figure drawing group. This eventually led her to starting and running her own figure drawing groups, joining Lowell Art Works, an art collective in Everett, WA and spending years curating art shows at the collective as well as other places around the area.

She met her husband, Michael, at her figure drawing group, and they rented neighboring studios at Lowell Art Works. Michael, an artist and tattooist, has had a significant influence in Nikki’s path as an artist. He provides constant encouragement and the space to make painting a priority, and unwittingly influenced her subject matter. Many of the skulls that are featured in Nikki’s paintings are part of a stash that he collected as reference material for his tattooing, long before they met.

Present Time

Aside from painting, Nikki also owns Art Spot Studio, a fine art school for youth. She has been teaching children art for over 16 years, has one awards for her teaching, and is heavily involved in her local art community.

In 2022 Nikki co-founded Snohomish Art Community, a local nonprofit in support of artists that works to integrate art into Snohomish.

Currently Nikki serves as President of S.A.C. She also co-leads the monthly Snohomish Art Walk, serves as model coordinator for the Snohomish Life Drawing Group, and co-produces the annual Snohomish Studio Tour- all groups that partner with S.A.C. for support and help strengthen the community of artists in Snohomish, and with creatives in neighboring communities.