“Our identities have been so restricted by outside forces and I am looking to break boundaries around what a black woman/girl can be.”
It all started when…
SOULDEGA: Who are you? Where are you from and How did your journey with art begin?
NICHOLE: I'm a black woman from Roseville, Minnesota. I've been an artist for as long as I can remember but my practice became more focused when I moved to NYC 10 years ago.
SOULDEGA: We love how colorful, abstract, and organic your pieces feel. What led you to create this way?
NICHOLE: I’ve always loved color and my process of creating is very intuitive. There are some parts that I will plan out before beginning but I often re-work as I go. For me, making art is very meditative and healing.
SOULDEGA: Your mixed media work often depicts portraits of Black Women as the focal point. What messages do you strive to portray with your theme of Black Identity and representation?
NICHOLE: I'm very interested in depicting black women and girls in fantasy or mythological settings. Our identities have been so restricted by outside forces and I am looking to break boundaries around what a black woman/girl can be.
SOULDEGA: You recently had your very first solo exhibition entitled “Rebellious Black Girl” at Untitled Space. Can you explain how that experience was for you to share your work to the public?
NICHOLE: It was really amazing to have my first solo show in downtown Manhattan because I am so inspired by NYC and greatly influenced by the artist who walked the city streets before me. It was also meaningful because the show came at a point where I was feeling very confident in what I had to say as an artist. I was no longer going to be boxed in by other peoples limited definitions of my idenity and I was able to express that feeling in a very public way. It felt like I claimed my identity as a black woman and a New York artist on my own terms. It was very liberating!
SOULDEGA: Other than your amazing first solo show, what are some of your most memorable accomplishments as an artist thus far?
NICHOLE: Creating a mural for the office headquarters of Black Girls Code in San Fransisco was one of my most memorable accomplishments. It means so much to me to share my creativity with black women and girls.
SOULDEGA: Lastly, can you share what positive effects the quarantine has had on your creative process?
NICHOLE: I'm taking more time to reflect and meditate. I don't feel as much pressure to keep up or be in the know about what's going on in the art world. I feel very thankful to have the time and space to connect with my inner universe.
