Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Simmons.
Hi Nikki, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
First and foremost, I love to draw! For as long as I can remember, drawing and making art have been an essential part of my life. An abundance of fond memories from my childhood comes to mind when I think about how I got my start.
I remember year after year of art camp, stacks of sketchbooks filled cover to cover and trips to Michael’s craft store with my endlessly supportive parents. I even gave de facto art lessons throughout elementary and middle school. But where I really found my voice as an artist was in high school.
I had the privilege of going to a magnet art school for high school. Baltimore School for the Arts was the perfect place for me to grow up and develop as an artist. It was in this bustling, creative community that I found my confidence and passion. To be honest, I was kind of a weird kid, and I don’t think I would have fit in at the public school.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my awesome family here. My sister Leo had gone to a magnet arts school for singing, and I saw how she and her artsy friends thrived in that creative environment. My parents Lesley and Matthew were huge supporters of my art from day one. They drove me to art classes three days a week for months as I prepared my portfolio for the art school audition.
In a sort of roundabout way, my twin sister Abi was perhaps the biggest influence on my dream of art school. Growing up as an identical twin, I always felt my identity was somehow wrapped up in hers. While we were both vibrant, unique little kids, classmates just couldn’t shake the notion that we were the same. I remember kids laughing as they told me it took them months to notice there were two of us, that they had assumed I just changed my clothes each day during lunch.
I know it seems kind of funny looking back, but that really hurt my feelings at the time. As much as I enjoy being a twin sister, I ached for the opportunity to go someplace where I could just be myself. Baltimore School for the Arts was that place for me, and I am forever grateful for the time I spent there.
In the fall of 2019, I arrived in Savannah, Georgia to start college. As a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), I was eager to hit the ground running. Illustration seemed like the natural major for me since I love to draw and design concepts. While high school was all about exploration and exposing myself to new modes of working, the college has been more about narrowing my focus and finding my niche.
I am now a senior at SCAD, and I have fallen in love with illustration! The professors here are really knowledgeable about not only technique but the industry of art and design. While I’ve always known I wanted to “be an artist when I grow up,” it was kind of an abstract notion. My time at college has shown me how to navigate the industry and my path forward. Now, as I acquire clients and projects, I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As I’m sure you may know already, the pursuit of a career in the arts is not the easiest. I’ve spent many sleepless nights hunched over my artwork, headphones in, listening to podcast after podcast. Parties and nights out with friends get turned down in favor of extra time on my projects. But all-in-all, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am so grateful to have a passion and direction in my life. That goal of becoming a full-time illustrator keeps me going on my darkest days.
Once again, I have to give credit where credit is due. My parents have supported me every step of the way, and I never could have gone to art school without them. I meet so many wonderful artists at SCAD who have faced a lot of obstacles just to get here. Classmates tell me how their families laughed at the notion of pursuing an art degree.
Even professors explain how their parents begged them to get “real jobs,” rather than working in freelance illustration. My family has been infinitely supportive, and I always try to remember how lucky that is. My wish is that more parents will take seriously the passions and talents of their children because the world needs vibrant and creative people to believe in themselves.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love to do all kinds of projects, but my concentration is in publication, advertising, and editorial. Some of my favorite types of projects to work on are posters, branding and packaging, narrative illustration, and greeting cards. I typically sell a different Christmas card each holiday season when I’m back in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. If you’ve ever been to Baltimore, you know we’re a quirky city, and I love to draw from kitschy, Baltimore-based imagery for these cards.
I consider myself a mixed media artist since I tend to work with and combine all sorts of materials. Cut paper and collage have become one of my favorite ways to work. It’s no wonder I appreciate the tactile, hands-on approach since I’ve taken on sculpture in my free time. On the other hand, the designer in me loves smooth vectors, crisp lines, and typography. No matter what style or method I’m working in, I’m always pulling from a strong foundation in drawing and design principles.
As a life-long art lover, I’ve been to countless art museums and galleries. Taking time to sit and stare at great artwork is almost a spiritual experience for me. It’s for this reason that I like to layer detail, texture, and meaning into my pieces. I want to spend time with my artwork to be rewarding to the viewer.
My wish is to engage with people through my art. For example, I have a couple of pieces with words hidden in the positive and negative spaces. I love showing these to people and having them look for hidden messages. Watching their faces light up when they discover the hidden message is amazing!
Another way I try to engage viewers is through visual metaphors. Throughout my seven years of art school, I’ve always loved my art history classes that encouraged discussion and speculation. Trying to get inside the artist’s head and understand the meaning behind certain imagery makes me feel like a detective. In the pursuit of viewers analyzing my own work, I embed symbolism in my art.
For instance, in one piece, I placed a bird cage in the background intentionally close to a figure, to imply that the character feels trapped. On another occasion, I put cracks into a mirror to symbolize the imperfect nature of truth.
While I recognize that many of these details may be overlooked by viewers, I still do it because I love to work this way. Being an artist is not just about creating pretty pictures; it’s about creative problem-solving. I enjoy the research and planning stage of the process just as much as I enjoy the final execution.
What makes you happy?
A lot of things make me happy! I know it’s cheesy to say, but I really do have the best friends and families in the world. Aside from my support system, making art is a huge source of happiness for me. When others respond to my art, this is the greatest reward. As I mentioned earlier, I like to make a holiday card each year. Last winter, in 2021, I sent out these pop-up cards based on the iconic Maryland song “Crabs for Christmas.”
When I heard from my relatives how happy these cards made them, my little illustrator’s heart sang. Just watching them open the cards and see the smiling crabs pop out was the best thing ever.
Something else that makes me really happy is live performances. I love going to live rock shows and drag queen events. As a visual artist with terrible stage fright, I have such respect for performers. But perhaps the best thing about going to live performances is feeling like a part of the audience. When the band is going crazy on stage, and I’m dancing and moshing with friends and strangers alike, I finally feel like I belong.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nikkisimmons144.wixsite.com/portfolio
- Instagram: @nikkisimmonsart
