Interview: Nicole Bishop
“I paint the experience of physical bodies moving through space and time, losing and finding each other along the way.”
Nicole Bishop (b.1986) is an American figurative painter who lives with her two young children, in the state of Utah, where she was born and raised. Nicole is currently represented by D. Anthony Gallery in Wausau, WI, she also has paintings available through 33Contemporary. Nicole is also a full time art educator at Syracuse High School, in Syracuse Utah.
Nicole had two pieces in the 16th Arc, Art Renewal Center Salon, as a finalist and a semi-finalist. Nicole has been a finalist in National and International exhibitions such as the International Biennial Portrait Competition receiving an Honorable Mention twice, and the Annual National Portrait Competition. She has paintings included in the Lunar Codex Collection in a time capsule on the moon.
Q&A
What concept or narrative is behind your work?
My paintings depict moments of pure vulnerability and the quiet contemplations that occur in life. I am most interested in what it means to be open and true with those around us. Much of my recent work is allegorical in nature; the nudity in my recent paintings are symbolic of the vulnerability of the human body, as well as the mind and representative of being unprotected against the elements of emotional upheaval. There is a searching quality and moments of enlightenment occurring with the figures.
What is your ultimate goal for your artwork?
I hope my work will reach out to someone who needs to see it; those with an open heart and an open mind will connect with the pieces that were meant for them. I create paintings because I feel a need to create them, and hope people connect to my work, it makes all the difference to me. Of course I have dreams of being included in large scale collections, but ultimately art is essential to my life’s experience. And any person that collects a piece of mine adds to that external validity, for which I am so very grateful. All of these things just adds a bit of joy to a passion that occurs regardless of the outcome.
What turns has your art career taken?
The twist and turns of my art career have been interesting and keeps me on my toes! I have enjoyed years as an art instructor, both privately and as a high school teacher. I have also had years as an artist working between my children’s nap times. Currently, I am juggling life as all three, an artist by night, a mom as well as a high school teacher by day. Being a teacher is part of who I am, it feels right to be there sharing my passion and encouraging young artists to take the arts seriously. I start many paintings in my classroom and then bring them to my studio to finish them.
What is the impetus of your creativity?
My creativity stems from the need to investigate and understand the human experience as emotional beings. What does it mean to feel the emotions that come with the human experiences we have; especially during times of vulnerability. How can we use that experience to better understand our existence as people? And, how can we use that understanding to empathize with others and connect with them? Those are the things that enter my thoughts and then will spur conceptual visual images into my mind.
