Meet Nikole Heusman

     Nikole Heusman is a veteran artist at the North Shore Arts of Life studio. Nicole, or Niki as her friends call her, enjoys working with a variety of different mediums. Watercolor is her favorite, but she also works with charcoal, chalk pastel, and oil pastel, and acrylic. In her last several pieces, Niki has been putting her own spin on the work of famous artists such as Chagall, Van Gough, Goya, and Renoir of art by replacing the original faces with her friends.       Nikki’s veteran status and her warm and caring personality have given her a strong mother hen reputation at the studio. She always knows what is going on and what her her fellow artists need. She is also participates on every committee, leads tours for incoming artists and volunteers, and sings in the North Shore Studio band, the Van-Go-Go.       On several occasions, Nikki has explained that majority of her artwork is inspired by her daughter who is also an artist. In Nikki’s own words, “She inspires me to do something with my life”. Her inspiration is fueled by her love for people and desire to learn new things about herself and who she is as an artist. Nikki is very open about some of the challenges that she faces when producing her art. “My vision is really bad, but I don’t want it to hold me back.” Nikki is an expert problem solver and is always experimenting with new ways to produce art that allow her to accomplish the vision that she has for her piece without compromising her artistic style.      Some of Nikki’s aspirations include displaying her work in some of her favorite coffee shops and restaurants or a gallery, creating more large scale pieces, and developing a better sense of what “art” means to her. To learn more about Nikki and her Art Practice check out the interview below. You can also see more of Nikole’s artwork HERE. To learn more about Van-Go-Go click HERE. Interview: Stephanie and Nikole Stephanie: Hey Niki, I am so excited that I get to interview you today. Lets get started. How did you hear about the Arts of Life?  Niki: I heard about it through one of my providers and though I would like to do it.  Stephanie: Is it because you like doing art?   Niki: Yes Stephanie: I see that you like to draw a lot of figures. What draws you to this particular subject? Niki: I like to paint people because they are interesting. Stephanie: How exactly do you like to create you art? Niki: I use a lot of different techniques. I use a lot of acrylic paint. I like to use lines and layers to create patterns. I also like to paint on windows and boards Stephanie: Do you have different techniques for different kinds of paint? Niki: No, I just get different ideas that pop into my head and use my imagination to direct the way I paint.  Stephanie: How do you overcome difficulties in creating your art? Niki: If Im stuck I take a break or work on something else and then come back to it.  Stephanie: How long does it usually take you to finish a piece? Niki: A couple of days? Stephanie: Do you have a favorite piece that you have done? Niki: Yes a Renoir of an Ice-cream shop that I did a long time ago. Stephanie: Do you have any other favorite pieces that you have done? Niki: Starry night, a Chigall piece of The Big Wheel  Stephanie: Are you working on any pieces right now? Niki: Yes, This is a Vincent Vangogh piece, I am re-doing in the likeness of my band, the Van Go Gos It is a rendition of “Party Boat.”  Stephanie: I read on you bio that you wanted to create some bigger pieces. Have you started creating any bigger pieces? Niki: Yes, I did one one big piece called Venice. Stephanie: Do you have any new goals for bigger pieces?  Niki: Yes, I would really like to emphasize movement. Stephanie: What kinds of activities do you like to do when you are not at the arts of life?  Niki: I like to go for walks, bike, go visit friends. So, yeah, I like to hang out and do some art at home.  Stephanie: Thanks Niki! 

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