Nicole Gaitan – ARTIST

Nicole Gaitan
Photo by Jon Wall

Interview with artist Nicole Gaitan —

“Piper Color”

1. Who are you and what do you do?
I’d like to think of myself as an artist, a free spirit and an adventurer. I can never sit still and I’ve never been happy in one place or doing one thing. One job, one career, one path has never been appealing to me. Exploring, trying new things and trying out everything has always been more of my style. I suppose the artist in me, that urge to create has been my inspiration and I think it’s very prominent in my artwork.

2. Why art?
It’s hard to say why. As a child I would always get lost in art class. While other kids wanted to be outside for recess I would be mesmerized in my drawings. My parents were always really supportive of my talent from very early on, putting me in after school art programs and telling me to stick with it. I was really fortunate.

“Cutthroat”

“The Ravishing One”

4. What are your favorite subject(s) and media(s)?
I LOVE, I mean like LOVE horses. I was one of those little girls who convinced my parents to get me a horse. Despite their lack of knowledge about horses or monetary ability to actually afford one, I did it. I used to draw them on everything, even my bedroom walls at home. To this day one of my favorite things to paint are horses. One of my horses has been featured on a wine label and another in an Equestrian Magazine. I paint mostly in acrylic and sometimes watercolor.

“Perry Clock”

5. How do you work and approach your subject?
Becoming an artist nearly full time has been a challenge. You can’t force yourself to be creative. I work best in the morning with a cup of strong coffee and in my kitchen. I LOVE being in my kitchen no matter what time of day it is. It’s the coziest place of the home in my opinion. I’ve tried painting everywhere… art studios, garages, spare bedrooms… nothing allows me to produce quality work like my kitchen.

“Ali”

6. What are your favorite art work(s), artist(s)?
I’ve always been a huge fan of Picasso and Degas. An artist I’m obsessed with currently is one I found at a local art fair over last summer, Dolan Geiman, a Chicago based artist.

“Red Raven”

7. What are the best responses you have had to your work?
I am always just so grateful when people like my art. I am surprised that people of different walks of life want to put my art on their wall, that they want to look at it, and have it in their personal spaces. I just LOVE it. I’m grateful every day.

“Water Way”

8. What do you like about your work?
Wow, that is a tough question. I think all artists are very, very hard on themselves. I like that my work makes other people happy.

“Hill Stomp”

9. What advice would you give to other artists?
If you love what you do, keep on doing it. I saw Ira Glass, the creator of This American Life (a program on NPR) and he gave perhaps the best advice I ever heard that stuck with me regarding creativity and choosing a career in your passion – “If you love what you do and you think you have something good, just keep putting it out there, someone will notice it. It only takes one good thing to get you noticed.” Such good advice. Just keep plugging away, you’ll get there.
 

“Waning Seasons”

10. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I sure hope painting in my kitchen every morning.

 

Artist Statement

My inspiration for creating art came at an early age. From the moment I learned how to use a crayon, I was enamored with every opportunity I had to draw, doodle, paint, color, create.

I remember winning art contests as a young child, all the way back in Kindergarten when I won my first award for best artist with a $50 scholarship from the Fire Department. From that moment on, I entered a number of local art contests and begged my parents to put me in every art class I could find. How lucky was I that they listened?!

I am naturally drawn to bright colors and bold lines – and I always have been. My early paintings always included dark, black lines and whimsical subjects ranging from the natural wildlife I grew up with, my beloved horses and to depictions of the female body.

Art has been a passion of mine since I was young and I can only hope to continue to create, inspire and grow.

Nicole Gaitan

LINKS —

Website: www.NicoleGaitan.com
FineArtAmerica: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nicole-gaitan.html
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/MadeByNicoleGaitan
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/nico1211/art/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nicolegaitan11/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/nicolegaitan