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

Nickie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I started my current artistic path as a way to spread joy and encourage connection during Covid. I created 7 large scale sculptures in a local park along the small dog walking trails. I wanted to give the seniors and vulnerable folks in the neighborhood a safe, fun way to get outside and interact with others. This project will always be close to my heart, as I met so many wonderful people and it was a truly magical experience to witness so many individuals expressing joy, in a time of such despair.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have always been an artist, I graduated college with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater, but most of my artistic endeavors have been in the visual arts realm. I started making wearable art, backdrops, and party props while in my 20’s. I then transitioned into large scale interactive art that I showcased at arts and music events, and then I managed to turn a viral artistic project into a career with my eco sculptures.

My work is created mainly from cedar sticks that have been shaken to the ground, and they are woven and held together using primarily jute twine. My first 7 sculptures in the park included, a 20 ft long mama dragon, a 14ft tall forest troll, a 5ft long sleeping fairy and a life sized unicorn. These magical creatures drew so many people into the park, there were lines to see them, and scavenger hunts to find them. It was a surreal, and oddly upsetting experience that resulted in the destruction of my work. However I’ve been extremely fortunate in that experience launching my career.
I have since, created a total of 12 sculptures for the municipality of New Westminster, 30 for Chilliwack, and numerous others for private commissions. I have found so much joy and pride in creating art that is 100% sustainable. I have learned to lean into the impermanence of my work and use that as a valuable talking point when clients request my work be sealed with chemicals, or built on steel frames. The work is meant to fall back to the earth, and become apart of the ecosystem again. So I offer a program in which take back sculptures that are purchased after they have lived thier lives, and I remake them into something new. My clients can choose to get a rebate from thier original purchase, or purchase the new work at a deeply discounted rate.

I hope to offer living sculptures soon, as well as whimsically sculpted biomass sculptures that are purpose built to return nutrients to damaged soil, and encourage native plants, and insects to return.

In addition to works designed to regenerate the land, I’m also experimenting with biodegradable clays, composits, and glues to use in my work which will help keep my creative practice evolving.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the things I had to learn early on was to let go. My work by nature is temporary, but once it is in the public domain, it is susceptible to abuse. My first 7 sculptures were dismantled. It was devastating to watch them be destroyed, one after the other. The worst one was my favorite, named Lillith. She was a sleeping fairy and still one of the most serene creatures I’ve ever created. When she was destroyed, she was not just knocked down, but she was torn apart in a very obvious act of anger. In that moment I reminded myself that art exists to evoke feeling, and Lillith had definitely evoked some big feelings. I created 3 new sculptures in a new park not long after, and they lasted about a year undisturbed, but ultimately they met the same fate.

These experiences have taught me so much about my role as an artist, and the cycle of my work. I have started salvaging works that are destroyed and creating new works from them. Often times, these new works are better than the originals. I have also used these destructive moments to create “magic”. When a dragon egg from one of my installations was destroyed I replaced it with a baby dragon made from the “egg” sticks. I did this without telling a soul. And so those who had visited the installation previously were left contemplating wether or not, it was a baby or egg they saw last time.

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

The most rewarding thing for me is experiencing the pure joy, and awe on people’s faces when they come upon my work. I get a lot of people who are in utter shock that I have created such monumental creatures without steel or nuts and bolts.

I also enjoy the confusion, and sometimes disgust that my art evokes. Usually by small children who have no problems letting me know what they think.     

Contact Info:

• Website: Thewizardsmakery.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thewizardsmakery
• Facebook: Thewizardsmakery