Featured Artist Nikkie Markle

Artist Nikkie Markle expresses a deep appreciation for the environment and her love of nature through bright and joyful paintings. See more of her work by visiting her website.

 

 

I first began painting in college as a way to reduce stress and clear my mind. I find the entire process to be very therapeutic and relaxing. Anything that I encounter can play a part in my work, but I am most inspired while at the beach or walking my dogs on one of the many trails found in our nearby parks or nature preserves.

 

 

My goal is to transfer the happiness I find in these places into my work. That is why so many of my paintings focus on individual subjects or landscapes—animal portraits, solitary figures and quiet spaces.

 

 

Drawn to its fast drying time and diverse opportunities as a medium, I currently work exclusively with acrylic paint on canvas. I use a wide spectrum of visible and meandering brushstrokes and a lively symphony of color in my paintings. Using this movement and color, I believe my work exudes an element of spiritual freedom.

 

 

I am a methodical and organized person at heart, but I also have an impulsive streak. These contrasting traits pour onto the canvas in a balance of tight lines and carefree brushstrokes.

 

 

My creative process usually involves developing an outline of my subject, selecting several reference photos, and then allowing the colors to blend fluidly as the painting forms. I never know quite what the finished piece will look like until I see it sitting in front of me on the easel.

 

 

People frequently ask me about the squares and slices of color that are scattered across the backgrounds of my collection. To be honest, I first stumbled across this technique several years ago when I reused an incomplete painting that I had hidden in the closet. Not satisfied with what was on the canvas, I painted over it leaving squares or “windows” to the imperfections underneath.

 

 

They created color, visual interest, and texture, and I immediately chose to add them to each artwork ever since.

 

 

I hope my technique continues to evolve. I’d love to further understand color theory, and I plan to continue experimenting with composition and new subject matter.

 

 

As an artist, my studio serves as a mental and spiritual retreat for me, a place to create. For viewers, I hope that my work serves as a visual retreat and a joyful place to unwind.

 

 

I’d love to enter more juried shows and have my collection featured in galleries, but I am also drawn to displaying my artwork in less conventional spaces. Having already been featured in coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques, I hope to continue building relationships with my local community.

 

Artist Nikkie Markle invites you to follow her on Instagram.

 

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