We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kelly Nicolaisen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kelly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

My mom told me I would always make a rectangle frame through my hands when we were driving. Putting little scenes in my head wherever we were, framing things. Growing up my mom was an interior designer and my Dad built custom homes. I knew I had an eye, or eyes as I tell people when they say “you have an eye” when my mom handed over her Minolta film camera. I was fascinated what would record on film. I sat almost all day in a field by our house and photographed butterflies. The light that blew through them and the colors but mainly the light. Light, shadows, shapes and objects are what stops me in my tracks. Negative space and everything within it. I graduated high school and headed to San Luis Obispo where I received an AA in Business Marketing & Advertising. I switched from painting to a photography elective and the rest is history. I fell in love with photography in the the dark room. I was there everyday playing with different alternatives to the usual. My teacher, Marta Peluso, entered me in a contest for all medias at the Academy of Art University San Francisco to win a full ride scholarship and I won. Only me. I was the only person that photographed all of her roommates and tennis teammates under one bulb in black and white in her garage. I felt really good about my artistic future after that.

I moved to San Francisco with free room & board and went to The Academy. I graduated in 3 years Valedictorian and I was on my way. I worked as a server in the city for many years but knew I needed to focus. I quit that entirely after I worked my last day at Starbelly ( till this day I have the only piece of art hanging there). Years passed, I had many gallery shows all over the bay area, sold lots of artwork through many different outlets. Then I met my husband Jacinto Castillo. He also had a passion for illustration and the arts and I lit a fire within him. I Started getting him gallery shows and selling his artwork. We were a team and we loved the city. Then we got pregnant. We lived in Lower Haight for a year as new parents and I’d had enough.

We were looking for something North of San Francisco and randomly came across Point Richmond. We looked at one place and knew that it was it. Everything felt right. We moved in a month later and it changed our lives. I continued to make money selling my art and working private events and photographing as the head events photographer for The Warriors and The Raiders. It was an awesome job that landed in my lap because I played soccer with the head of marketing for the Raiders. I actually carried her about a half mile after she tore her achilles and she figured because of that I was a very dedicated person. A year after living in Point Richmond Jacinto and I opened The Mom & Pop Art Shop. We coined it “The Modern Day Art General Store” of Point Richmond and put all of our love into it. We have been in business for almost 8 years now and support local artists from all over the bay. Jacinto and I have turned to working events together as I do photography and design and he has perfected his videography, DJ and illustration. We also own a photo booth business Kiki Foto Pod and are continually working towards integrating that into every event. We love what we do and people feel it when we are there.

The Mom & Pop Art Shop sells artwork, art prints, jewelry, vintage, antique, textiles, games, toys, stickers & pins, accessories of all kinds, pillows, greeting cards….you name it we got something for everybody. We have had such an amazing experience through the arts with our community and friends and we hope to have many more. Selling our art, supporting each other and having fun doing it.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Up to the pandemic I had a flourishing photography business as the head events photographer for the Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders. Me and my team of photographers would provide on demand printing and photography for all of the private suites during the games. Then the pandemic hit. I lost both of those jobs and both teams moved to The City and Las Vegas so good thing we didn’t move too! That was the biggest pivot, going from shooting everyday to not at all. No events, no sports but there were empty houses! So I started photographing real estate, Airbnbs and the like. Didn’t need people for those places and that worked out pretty well for the time being but there was definitely a pivot.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Owning The Mom & Pop Art Shop! I get to deal with artists and creatives everyday as well as be inspired by them. My work is very bright and happy, colorful and whimsical and most people can relate to it. I love when someone buys my art in the shop and I get to talk about “The Artist” even though it’s me to get a real feel of why they like the piece or print. Nothing is more fulfilling than someone buying your art right in front of you when they don’t even know you are the artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kellynicolaisen.com / mompopartshop.com
• Instagram: @kellynicolaisen @mompopart @kikifotopod
• Facebook: Mom & Pop Art Shop / Kelly Nicolaisen Photography

Image Credits
I have more imagery but I just wanted to finish the interview. Please let me know if you are yearning for better imagery. Better pics of myself too but need to dig. Thanks!