We recently connected with Nicolette Spear and have shared our conversation below.
Nicolette, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
My current body of work I call the “Dopamine” series and it is meant to spark conversation, to provoke thought, around our relationship to technology, specifically the cellphone. This is deeply important to me, because the pervasive nature of smart phone technology is something that we can all relate to. It affects people of all ages and across continents. It is quietly changing the nature of everything. Shiny, seductive, useful, and addictive, cellphone applications have become a necessary and almost unavoidable part of our lives. In what ways is this affecting us? What do we do? How to we process these changes? How do we balance ourselves within this technological landscape? These are questions that one might ask themselves, or others, when viewing my art work.
Nicolette, 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 grew up on a horse farm in Maine with no cellphone in site. I had a block phone by the time I was 17/18, but that was no where near the high powered computers that we all now carry around with us everywhere, everyday. I graduated from MassArt in Boston in 2009 with a BFA in painting and I moved to LA in 2010. I became a professional body painter 6 months after a motorcycle accident that uprooted my life and reshaped things completely for me, after being unable to walk for several months. I had been headed for a career in museums and was working at LACMA. After the accident, I became fascinated with bodies, as it seemed the most primal, animal part of us, the thing we can never control and that is most connected to nature. So, I painted bodies, literally and then later on canvas. It wasn’t until the pandemic hit that I began the “Dopamine” series, which started around 2022. I remember oil painting a lot, as there were no bodies around for me to paint as we were all socially isolated. Then I felt so lonely, experiencing life and friendships truly through the screen of my phone. This was the initial inspiration behind my “Dopamine” motif, a series of brightly colored squares and logos that reflect the Home Screen where the applications reside on one’s cellphone. These overlaid across a natural, beautiful human figure, seem to indicate that the technology is a part of us now and perhaps forever?
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I feel strongly compelled to say something about the time in which I live, from my unique perspective as a female artist living and working in Los Angeles. I feel this is my responsibility as an artist.
I’m concerned with the masculine goal oriented nature of the tech industry. More likes, more engagement, more clicks. I’d like to bring more feminine energy to an imagination of how tech can work. For example how can technology nurture humanity along its journey towards evolution, rather than control and manipulate?
I also want to raise questions around what’s portrayed on social media, and other applications, relating to the use of facial/body editors and filters. This has a serious and direct effect on the body image of women and girls especially. Although I’m sure people of all types are using them. However, women, having been judged on their looks as their value for thousands of years, are particularly susceptible to the psychological damage that these applications can cause.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’ve recently found gallery representation with the Von Lintel Gallery at the Bergamot station and I will have my first solo show here in Los Angeles with them in January of 2025.
I achieved this goal by asking. As a woman in the arts I’ve watch time and time again as male artist would take opportunities in front of me that I had been patiently waiting in line for. At some point I just got fed up! I said to myself I can either resent this situation or I can get demanding too. It really has a lot to do with self confidence and believing that you are important enough to ask for what you want. So I decided to ask and Tarrah Von Lintel said yes, I’d like to see more of your work” and here we are today. So ladies, and anyone who is ready with a body of work, you are worth it! Please ask!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.NicoletteSpear.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/nicolettespearart
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/nicolettespearart
- Other: https://Www.VonLintel.com
Image Credits
Art work by Nicolette Spear