Interview

Dec 19

Nichole Wilhite

Nichole Wilhite's Art transforms ordinary moments into spaces of wonder, inviting you to pause, reflect, and see life’s deeper beauty with fresh eyes. Rooted in faith, she creates art that inspires hope, happiness, and emotional light by evoking nostalgia and meaningful connection. She believes true beauty reveals itself when we pause and look deeply, and she honors her creativity as a precious gift from God meant to be shared with intention and humility.

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“When I was in high school, art was my favorite class. I loved it, because it felt like something I can be good at. As I was the overweight loner kid that no one remembers my name, art was always a good escape from the harsh reality of high school life. I loved making beauty, one of my favorite quotes is ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ When I look at a blank canvas, I love it because there are so many possibilities. My vision is like what you think a dream would be with bright vivid colors and high contrasts. It reminds a lot of like fairytale and happy feeling or like a happy ending to a movie. Movies were very popular in my mom’s house growing up. Something my mom passed down to us is the love for movies and its comfort. It’s a way to escape and bring comfort. Faith inspired a lot of work and trips to Hawaii years ago. My hopes for my paintings is that someone find a way to escape in a dream and get lost in it and that it would bring some peace, happiness, hope, and comfort.”

What inspires you?

“Jesus and my faith, Hawaii, dreams. I would like my paintings to be a reminder of Jesus and heaven. I would hope my paintings bring some happiness, wonder, awe, dreamy, hope, nostalgia, and comfort to the viewer. I use light as source of symbol of heaven and the idea of heaven and peace.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“Faith, Christianity, dreamlike, nostalgia, hope and peace and awe. Art that transforms ordinary moments into spaces of wonder, inviting you to pause, reflect, and see life’s deeper beauty with fresh eyes. My underlying message is to take time to get back to into God’s presence by using a piece of art as an anchor. My message is also to transform ordinary moments into spaces of wonder, inviting you to pause, reflect, and see life’s deeper beauty with fresh eyes. I have a series I’m currently offering called ‘Ocean Escape’ also featuring a free guide ‘Tides of Renewal’ which is about the 5 ways the ocean teaches us to restore the soul. A curated series of original oceanscapes created to reflect life’s shifting seasons and evoke peace, nostalgia, and renewal. Each piece in this collection is painted with vibrant acrylics, blending vivid dreamlike colors and gentle contrasts to capture the movement and mystery of the sea.”

How would you describe your work?

“My work involves landscapes that are abstract like with high contrast vibrate, colorful, and textured paintings. Rooted in faith, I create art that inspires hope, happiness, and emotional light by evoking nostalgia and meaningful connection. I believe true beauty reveals itself when we pause and look deeply, and I honor my creativity as a precious gift from God meant to be shared with intention and humility.”

Which artists influence you most?

“I like Vincent van Gogh and his paintings that were dream like. I like painting like dreams as a way to escape in a dream and get lost in it.”

What is your creative process like?

“I start with a relaxed mind cleared at peace, I may put on some music or movie in the background. I start with a blank canvas and image what that would go on the background. Starting form there then I either draw out with pencil or free hand paint my main focus shapes like a wave or the sky or a flower. My mind thinks of dream like scenes what would envision of heaven like bright colors dreamy like. Blocking out the main items on the painting, I then add some textures and have my light source like heavens what look up to and dark in the painting with contrasts. I look again and in the same state mind work on details of the vision.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“I believe art is a gift from God, given to be shared with others. Hoping to be an inspiring workman for Jesus’s kingdom in using Art to point people back to Jesus with providing a remind to pause reflect and time time to get back in the presence of God. Inspires others to do the same.”