We were lucky to catch up with Nic Noblique recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nic, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Working with steel and fabricating sculpture (from small table top work all the way up to monumental public work) requires quite a lot of patience and commitment, both in time and money. It’s an expensive endeavor and a lot of specialty equipment and tools are necessary. I just kept at it and with every new sale I would invest more into my studio and increase the capabilities of my fabrication process. Along the way you find yourself constantly learning and improving. If I had a trust fund or something I’m sure that would have done wonders for speeding up the process but then would I have taken it for granted? I had to do things the difficult way in the early years, prior to improving how my fabrication studio functioned and I believe I’m a better, stronger artist today because of it. Another aspect is being creative and problem solving when you don’t have access to an important tool or peice of equipment. At one point I knew I needed a large industrial rolling machine, but this was not financially possible. I decided to engineer my own using salvaged parts and a transmission from an old oil jack pump I found laying out in the pasture on my property. This was a major game changer for me and I still use that very same rolling machine to this day.

Nic, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started making sculptures more than two decades ago when I found myself taking a new direction in life. I was snowboarding and following a professional path in that world but I had too many injuries. This really caused me to reflect on what I would do next. I’ve always loved art and creating and decided that while I love snowboarding, It was not my only passion. I moved to Texas and starting making small sculptures and taking them to a local fair where I was selling out my inventory regularly. I never thought twice about it, being a successful artist would be goal and ‘second’ career.

Although I do paint sometimes, my focus has always been on creating sculpture with steel. I use steel, stainless steel, and corten steel for the majority of my sculptures. Regarding my work, I would characterize it as abstract and giving really organic vibes. I like bright, modern color and also love the beauty of raw steel as well. The combination of polished stainless steel and corten steel is not uncommon in my work. I prefer to work on a larger scale and have installed sculpture as tall as 50 feet. That is one that I’d say I am quite proud of. I wouldn’t say there is one particular sculpture or project that is my proudest work, rather I think I’m more proud of gaining enough traction in the art world that I have been given so many great opportunities to be creative at a larger than life scale.

I do gallery exhibitions and share my work regularly across social media platforms. I do have work displayed at galleries as well. While I love the big projects, I do lots of things for the private individual and residential collections. I love working with clients who want to bring art into their homes and appreciate fine art. I really adore my clients, many of which I call my friends. I want people to know that this is my love language and creating art is a really intimate process. When you see my work out there in the wild, just know it takes courage and often feels like you are standing on a stage in your birthday suite in front of a thousand people! It is really personal and I hope my passion shines through with each sculpture I put out in the world.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Art changed my life as a little kid and continues to be a powerful influence on who I am. I think it is super important for artists to support one another, show up for each other, and share opportunities. I think one of the special aspects of the art community is the sense of togetherness. Not all play well together, and i’d like to see every artist continue to just do better. Do something to help a fellow creative on their path to finding success and building clientele. So, while I believe this is one big part the creative community can do to keep improving the impact of art on the world at large, I think cities and towns need to continue to support initiatives that create jobs for artists. There are so many ways this can happen and we do see examples of this effort today. For the sector that is not part of the creative community, get out there and visit galleries and art fairs and buy from artists! Stop getting second rate decor from the big stores and take your family to galleries and community events that support the arts community. We can’t do it without your support!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I just want my two daughters to know anything is possible. I want them to see first hand that you can do something you love and you don’t ever have to settle. You can dream big and as long as you work hard, there will be no limit to the reward of being happy, fulfilled and content in this life. I hope other’s also feel inspired to go for it and see that, while at times it’s not easy, it is entirely possible. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to your readership!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nobliquestudios.com
• Instagram: @noblique
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicnobliqueartist

Image Credits

Audra Lee Noblique
Kit Von Barron
Selden Black