Interview
Nicole Collie
Nicole Collie was born and raised in the Bahamas and went to college in the United States, where she now resides.
She is, first and foremost, a mother and wife. Her son was in kindergarten when she quit her job and opened an art gallery called Sine Qua Non. The art gallery was where she showed her son how important it is to follow his dreams by doing what you love.
Nicole has shown her work for over 20 years at galleries, including Baha Mar on her native island, The Bahamas; Art Village Gallery, Memphis; Infusion Gallery, Los Angeles; Van Der Plas Gallery, New York; and more.
Nicole was inspired to launch Emerging Creatives – and later, her nonprofit Gray Spaces – after her early years as an artist in Nassau and repeatedly being turned away by galleries who preferred traditional Bahamian culture, wildlife, and landscapes versus her paintings of nude female figures.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My journey as an artist starts with vivid memories of a fluorescent green desk full of coloring books and crayons. This desk was more significant than life, and I began carrying it around when I grew out of it. I have fond memories of this desk.
I started painting with watercolors as a child, using the same seven colors that most of us were given to use during elementary school, and I loved using that medium as I developed as an artist. While attending The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, I had to take an art class using acrylic paint, and I was totally against it. At that time, I had only used watercolor and gouache paint. I was surprised at how easily I adapted to acrylic paint and enjoyed creating with this medium. It allowed me to add layer upon layer, making a beautiful texture to paint. This school also required me to paint nudes, which I was adamantly against due to my religious upbringing. However, once I started working with women that allowed me to paint them on canvas, there was a remarkable transformation in our mental state; we experienced a boost in confidence and self-esteem. Since receiving my Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design, it is so ironic that painting nudes using acrylics is now all I do.”
What inspires you?
“Women and other creatives inspire me. I enjoy painting the female body as a symbol of empowerment. Women spend so much time trying to look better or hiding their flaws, which is sad. My desire for everyone, especially women, is that we can accept ourselves unconditionally, and my inspiration comes from my journey of getting myself. That is why the images I paint have a celestial and ethereal feel to them, because they are a representation of our inner selves.
All artists should be free to use the medium they are most passionate about when expressing themselves. So now I want to be a leader, the Pied Piper of the art world. I don’t want other artists to follow the same path that I chose, but I want to help guide them toward their own creative approach. This desire to help other artists is how my non-profit Gray Spaces came about, and why the artist platform Emerging Creatives was founded.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
"The central theme I pursue is women loving themselves, flaws and all. As an artist, I strive to show others that we should all love ourselves, love each other, and live without judgment. Identity is the main theme in my art.
I grew up with body issues, just like many people these days, and had to overcome some encounters that negatively impacted my self-esteem. Those encounters caused me to rebel, and my rebellion was to paint nudes because I come from a very conservative and strict background. My conclusion was that if I could stand in front of a mirror naked and like the person I am, I would have won the battle of self-worth and self-esteem.”
How would you describe your work?
“I describe my work as Surrealism. The images are celestial and ethereal, which means supremely good, extremely delicate, and light in a way that seems to perfect for this world, with a spiritual undertone. My work is full of color, texture, and symbolism.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I am drawn to Edgar Degas’ paintings that feature ballerinas. These pieces make me feel there is a watchful eye over earthly activities. His paintings seem angelic to me. I am also influenced by Salvador Dalí. His artwork allows the viewer to interpret what the imagery means in his paintings.”
What is your creative process like?
“I am all over the place. I call it creative chaos. I don’t have one particular way I approach my paintings besides putting paint on the canvas and building from there. Art is a history stamp, and my work often reflects my emotions and experiences at the time.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist should be a thought provoker and disruptor. They should be inspirational and have a point of view, showing that there are always two sides to a coin to express. Hope and desperation can exist on the same canvas, like light and dark, good and bad.”
“Art is subjective and describes all the emotions and experiences that we have as human beings.”
Please tell us about any previous exhibitions you found noteworthy and wish to share.
“My very first art show was both traumatic and rewarding. Painting nudes for my eyes only was very different from sharing them with the world. I had to push through and overcome my fears. That was the traumatic part. The rewarding part was I realized that I had an audience that appreciated my work. I exhibited 40 pieces at that show, and I sold each one. But my big ‘Aha!’ moment was understanding that art is subjective, and that I don’t have to take things personally. Everyone will not love your work, but everyone will not hate it either.
My first show with Emerging Creatives was in 2019 at the HEALinc Summit in Nassau, The Bahamas. I was allowed to share my work and the work of other artists with an international audience. The Summit and the art show highlighted the connection between creativity and mental health. HEALinc has now allowed me to curate art shows wherever they have their Summits around the world, and because of that, I am always looking for artists that want to participate in these shows.”
Website: www.nicolecollie.com
Instagram: @nicole_collie_art
Other: Linkedin, Facebook, Emergingcreatives, Grayspaces
