Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicole Davy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nicole, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was a kid, I would get up early in the morning to watch Bob Ross paint, I could sit for the rest of the day drawing. I was in my grandparents home, fully supported with my aspirations. I never really didn’t want to make art, it was always harder to figure out if I wanted to be anything else. I struggled a lot more trying to do all the other jobs in my life.

Nicole, 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 work as an artisan of cast metal sculpture and I also tattoo. I work as a mold maker of fine art at Bollinger Atelier in Tempe, we are a team of artisans creating sculptures in bronze and aluminum. The foundry process is rewarding, it requires a team of people to work together to create statues for other artists. Bollinger also allows the artisans to work on their own work with their support, there have been many of the employees who have been able to create work for public installation and gallery shows very successfully.  Working as an artisan has helped me learn many skills I can apply to creating my own art, it’s been an incalculable experience of learning skills I’m grateful for. From this growth I’ve been able to have the opportunity to make sculpture professionally for private sale and for public art. Most recently I installed a temporary installation for Scottsdale Public Arts and the city of Scottsdale. It’s installed on Scottsdale Road and Oak. The sculpture is a 3d object using aluminum and paint to express the beauty of the desert and the emotions tied to the desert cycle. I have also cast work in the style of my tattooing aesthetic, and jewelry. Being able to work on this level, in this environment has been  exceptionally beneficial.

My other profession is Tattoo artist, I work at Sentient Tattoo Collective in Tempe. Working in a collective has been extremely rewarding, constantly learning and growing as an artist in a culture that nurtures the growth of all the artists is a gift. It’s great working in a group of tattooers who want to support the community and help to make positive impact on the community and businesses we work with. Working in a tattoo shop that’s a safe space which welcomes all with respect and equity is truly fantastic. As a tattooer I like to work on color, line work , neotraditional designs, black work, geometric designs, illustration and coverups. I try to stay multifaceted and work in many different styles. I want to continue growing constantly so I try to do a little bit of everything. it’s important for me to feel like the client is being heard and respected and it’s enjoyable for me to create something for them.

I also continue to paint, I have a true love for it. I feel like my work sometimes goes from a painting to a tattoo to a sculpture, which is enjoyable for me to see the evolution through those processes. I work in oil and acrylic and watercolor, depending on the design and how I’m feeling about the composition. It’s something I really enjoy and feel emotionally tied to. I am grateful to have been able to hang in galleries and businesses and sold work to private collectors. For Me, even if a painting never sells, it feels rewarding to have learned and worked on some thing for myself, but I do like when clients connect with something I’ve created and they want to purchase it.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As a tattooer, I feel really lucky to make art every day. Some of the most rewarding aspects of my work is connecting to others, learning about who they are and creating things for them. I feel like it’s a sacred exchange of energy, to listen to someone, and collectively create their ideas and then mark them for life with those ideas and personal meanings.

As a artisan, and sculptor, specifically in foundry work, I like knowing I’m part of a process of creating objects for beauty, for the public, and things that last so much longer than we do as humans. I also love being part of a team of creatives in both jobs.  When I chose to be a creative professionally, the right people came into my life and it’s never been a regret , I can say I’m happy doing the work every day.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I needed to unlearn to stop worrying about everybody else’s advice about what to do for a profession. I had to realize I was not going to be happy trying to fit into that idea of success. I’ve never wanted to be anything other than an artist. I was told from a very young age from society that artists don’t make money, they are not successful, that I would struggle if I choose that profession. After working in many other careers, it wasn’t ever enjoyable or felt rewarding, it was just a paycheck. I realized I would rather be poor and happy than miserable everyday until retirement working a job I never cared about. I took the plunge, I went to art school, got the dream job, I gave myself time to grow and the things I loved grew with me. It’s still a constant path of trying to become better because you’re never the best, but that doesn’t even really matter when you’re doing something you love. For me choosing art was never competitive, it was the never ending growth, imagination, and rewarding work that has given me, happiness and a place where I am secure and grateful. It was always worth going out and rejecting “what I shouldn’t do”.

Contact Info:

• Website: Nicole-davy.squaespace.com
• Instagram: @Lady_Jackalope_
• Facebook: Nicole Davy

Image Credits
Bollinger Atelier