Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicky Serrano. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nicky, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I was living and working in Barcelona, Spain, in the late 1990s / early 2000s. I was fortunate enough to get several opportunities to show my work at local bars and cafés, and it was a really positive experience; I think it was when I saw that people wanted to buy my paintings – got excited about my paintings – that I knew this was something I wanted to do professionally. It was a combination of recognition and the way that my paintings made people happy that was addictive – here was something that I loved doing, that sparked joy in others, and that could provide me with income.
Nicky, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I had always enjoyed doing artwork, both in school at in my free time, but it wasn’t until I moved to Barcelona in the 1990s that I started to paint as more than a hobby. I was surrounded by a lot of creative people, and an artist friend said that they thought I should paint; they showed me the paints they used for their work – the most vibrant liquid water colors I had ever seen, and I just knew I wanted to do something with them. I made a trip to a wonderful art store, and armed myself with supplies. Right away I knew what I wanted to paint: cats, along with stories from my day to day life. I fell in love with paints and ink, and started to add collage as well, always experimenting.
After taking a long break to be with my young family – and moving away from Barcelona and all its creative energy – in 2018 I suddenly knew that I needed to paint again. I painted a series of 13 paintings of cats called ‘Cattitude’. I had a short show at a gallery, and decided that I wanted my art to be affordable for more people. I started doing smaller paintings of cats, as well as making my art available on printed products. I soon opened up an Etsy store, and then my own website. I had more art shows, and started popping up at events, and then selling my work in stores. I taught myself surface design, brushed up on my graphic design skills to design stickers and pins, and I am constantly adding new products. I love experimenting with new materials, and I can always see a painting in the things that surround me, be it a funny story, a line from a song, or a book title. I love to show my work and hear people’s reactions, especially when it’s a story about how my work has made them or someone they gifted it to happy. This is why when asked to describe my work I say it’s ‘happy cat art’!
Perhaps my favorite thing that I do is every October: for Halloween I paint ’31 Days of Cats in Costumes’ – each day I do a different cat wearing a costume for Halloween! It’s so silly and fun, and people really enjoy following the series. I even created a line of enamel pins based on these paintings, and they are one of my best selling products.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Support your local artists! Go and see their work, talk to them, ask questions about it. Consider the amount of time invested in creating the work, and understand that they are not usually a big business mass producing in China. One of my favorite things is being part of a small creative business group that is hosted by our local coffee shop and artisan market, Ecoevolution in Norwalk, CT – community is so important as having an art business can be a lonely journey at times! It’s always wonderful, of course, when someone buys your work, but it’s equally as lovely when people comment on your work in person or on social media and you build a real connection with your fans.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Building my audience on social media is something that I’m still working on, but I’ve learned to really focus on gaining followers that truly enjoy my work rather than numbers. While there are strategies that I have found helpful, such as boosting posts, regular posting of reels etc., the best thing for me is letting people know that they can find my work on Instagram, where I show everything I do – along with a hefty dose of pics of my cat, dogs and chickens! I used to feel like I was asking people a favor when I told them about my Instagram account, but the penny suddenly dropped that if people enjoy my work and love cats, why wouldn’t they want to see what I’m painting and what my pets are up to! At the end of the day I try to post content that I’m happy with, that I think people will enjoy – and I have fun with it. I get a great feeling of accomplishment if I post something that I find genuinely amusing, interesting, cute or beautiful, and I love sharing my creative process.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nickyserrano.com
- Instagram: @nicky_serrano_art
- Facebook: @nickyserranoart
Image Credits
Soren Serrano