I’ve believed in the power of art for as long as I can remember.

When I was a little girl, I would go with my dad to the school where he worked as a teacher. While he spent his weekends barcoding books, I had the freedom to wander into any classroom I wanted. I always found my way to the art room where I could make a giant mess, explore, experiment, and create without anyone telling me what it was supposed to look like. I didn’t know it then, but those weekends were shaping the artist and teacher I would become. I knew early on that I wanted to teach art, not just to teach people how to make things, but to help them discover about themselves along the way.

I went on to study art education in college and earned my K–12 teaching certification before moving from Michigan to Asheville, North Carolina. My path here was anything but ordinary. I worked a variety of jobs, then began painting live onstage with the band Snake Oil Medicine Show, traveling to festivals and creating art in front of audiences. Eventually, I found my way into the classroom and began teaching high school art.

When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, the universe threw me a curveball. My teaching position was going away and life took me in a direction I hadn’t planned. As it turned out, stepping away from the classroom opened up a new and incredibly meaningful chapter. I had the gift of being home with my daughters, watching them grow, discovering the world alongside them, and experiencing the everyday moments that can be so easy to overlook when life is moving quickly. Those years were deeply rewarding and shaped me in ways I’m still discovering.

During that time, a great friend and I also created Moonlight Makers, a gift brand that grew into a nationally known business. It was another unexpected creative adventure and a reminder that there are so many different ways to bring ideas to life. Through teaching, performing, building a business, and raising my daughters, creativity has continued to find its way into every season of my life.

Today, I’m returning to painting with the same curiosity and freedom that drew me to the art room as a little girl.

My philosophy is simple: I’m interested in finding wonder in the ordinary. I believe there is beauty in the everyday things we often overlook, in the colors of the ocean, the changing light, the shape of a flower, or the feeling a particular place or person leaves behind. Painting is a way of slowing down, paying attention, and seeing the familiar with fresh eyes.

I also believe art belongs to everyone. You don’t need to be an artist, have special talent, or know what you’re doing before you begin. You just need the freedom to explore, play, make a mess, and see what happens.

Thank you for joining me. ~Nicole