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

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

Emerging Creatives was established out of my passion to give artists a platform where their artwork is seen, where they are respected and where they are supported by a community of fellow creatives. At times during my artistic journey I have felt alone, defeated, not good enough and not seen. I have found this to be true not only for creatives but for people in general. I want to connect people so they do not isolated.

My definition of an artist is anyone at any stage of their artistic journey, be it a novice or a master and everything in between. Art can be expressed through painting, writing, cooking, crocheting, drawing, tiling, and anything that stimulates the eye and the mind, including the infamous stick figure that people always say they can not draw.

Building the self-esteem of these creatives, helps to improve their mental health, leads to a happier and more rewarding life, which impacts their community and the world in which we all live.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry / business / discipline / craft etc, What type of products/services/creative works you provide,
What problems you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others.

I was born and raised in the Bahamas and went to college in the United States, where I now reside. My journey as an artist starts with vivid memories of a fluorescent green desk full of coloring books and crayons. This desk was bigger than life and when I totally grew out of it I began carrying it around. I have fond memories of this desk.

I started painting with watercolors as a child, using the same seven colors that most of us were given to use during elementary school, and I loved using that medium as I developed as an artist. While working towards my bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from The Art Institute, I had to take an art class using acrylic paint, and I was totally against it. At that time, I had only used watercolor and gouache paint. I was surprised at how easily I adapted to using acrylic paint and that I actually enjoyed creating with this medium. It allowed me to add layer upon layer, which creates a wonderful texture to paint on. This school also required me to paint nudes, something that I also was adamantly against due to my religious upbringing. However, once I started working with women that allowed me to paint them on canvas. There was a special transformation in their mental state, where they experienced a boost in confidence and self-esteem. It is so ironic that painting nudes using acrylics is now what I do.

When I first started searching for my voice as an artist, I did not receive guidance. I wanted to create a space/community that would help creatives wherever they may be in their artistic journey. We are called Emerging Creatives because we want to empower artists and help them recognize that they need to protect their sovereign property and projects. We work to give artists/creatives exposure, help them gain confidence in showing their work, engage with people, helping them feel comfortable with talking about their work.

We kicked off curating art shows in a big way with the 2019 HEALinc Summit held in Nassau, The Bahamas. It was an opportunity for us to show how art can have a positive impact on mental health and longevity. We have since expanded to curating shows in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with plans to expand to Atlanta GA. Our goal is to host events that showcase creatives that include writers, artists, and more.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

I am most proud of founding Emerging Creatives, what we have done so far with this platform, and our future plans to grow the number of artists we support and the events that will give them exposure. We currently have 21 artists and we are always looking for more.

One of the main things I would like for people to know is that we need public support. When you attend an art show, your presence is a confidence booster for the artist. There is nothing worse than the anxiety of no one showing up for the art show. As a creative, you put your heart and soul out there, and your work is a piece of you. Some of the other ways to support Emerging Creatives is through sponsorship opportunities for corporations and individuals who want to help. If you would like to volunteer your time to help with the set-up of a show, you can donate space for an event, or if you would like to volunteer your expertise in writing, marketing, social media experience, or anything that would be a great fit for our mission, we would like to hear from you. But most importantly, we need help spreading the word, and if you know an artist that needs a little nudge, send them our way.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Some people have said to me, “My child could do that”, implying that what artists do is easy, and it is not. From drawing a stick figure to a “masterpiece”, we artists put our heart and soul into our work because it takes a lot of time and brain power. To share your innermost being just to hear someone criticize it in a non-constructive manner is the most painful. Creativity is an artist’s outlet. It is our way of staying mentally healthy and that should be taken into consideration when commenting on our work. But at the same time, a lot of artists would love to make a living with what they do, just like people that work a regular 9-5.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Recently my former employer downsized the company which resulted in my entire department being eliminated. This actually gave me more time to focus on what I love, Emerging Creatives and starting a non-profit. All I have ever wanted to do is create, from my graphics, painting, illustrating, tiling, making jewelry, and pottery. I am blessed enough to have a husband that supports me and gives me the opportunity to do this.       

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nicolecollie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicole_collie_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolecollieartist
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolecollie/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicolecollie
• Other: https://www.emergingcreatives.org/