Artist Bio: Ariel Nichols
When I was little, I watched my dad draw a chair on a permission slip for school for whatever reason. I remember how impressed I was and tried to draw one myself, though the whole perspective thing was lost on me at that age. It was the last time I ever saw him draw, but as I got older my brother and I would stay up late to have late night drawing sessions. The interest stuck around, however it was a secondary interest in elementary school to writing, and in middle school and grade nine to music. It wasn't until I was placed in an art seminar class in grade ten that art was pushed to the forefront of my mind, along with interior design/architecture.
When college rolled around, the career prospects behind interior architecture seemed more sensible, so I pursued a degree in that, but it made me unhappy. I felt restrained in all the wrong ways, I missed the use of creativity I had before, so I spent some time at Phoenix College to re calibrate my interests, graduating with an Associate in Arts. Through the core studio classes and my return to ASU, I was exposed to many different media I had never considered using to create. I gained a fondness for many types of media from oil to acrylic paint, to soft pastel and charcoal. I discovered I find comfort in color and value over line work, which probably sparked my disinterest for my previous major. However, I still draw inspiration from interior design and architecture, as well as the city I have lived in my entire life. I take notice of the industrialized or abandoned parts of the city and try to communicate the emotions I have for them in my work. I currently sell commissions part time for requested artwork and on occasion sell my own creations, a trend I would love to continue in the future.
An artist who has struck me through the years has been Jaroslaw Kukowski. He is a modern day Polish surrealist painter. The way he conveys mood through his work, especially in his Dreams series has inspired me time and time again.
When college rolled around, the career prospects behind interior architecture seemed more sensible, so I pursued a degree in that, but it made me unhappy. I felt restrained in all the wrong ways, I missed the use of creativity I had before, so I spent some time at Phoenix College to re calibrate my interests, graduating with an Associate in Arts. Through the core studio classes and my return to ASU, I was exposed to many different media I had never considered using to create. I gained a fondness for many types of media from oil to acrylic paint, to soft pastel and charcoal. I discovered I find comfort in color and value over line work, which probably sparked my disinterest for my previous major. However, I still draw inspiration from interior design and architecture, as well as the city I have lived in my entire life. I take notice of the industrialized or abandoned parts of the city and try to communicate the emotions I have for them in my work. I currently sell commissions part time for requested artwork and on occasion sell my own creations, a trend I would love to continue in the future.
An artist who has struck me through the years has been Jaroslaw Kukowski. He is a modern day Polish surrealist painter. The way he conveys mood through his work, especially in his Dreams series has inspired me time and time again.