Check out Nicole Deline’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Deline.

Nicole, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.

I did my undergrad at San Diego State in fine art with an emphasis in sculpture, metal sculpture primarily.
Later I went to the New school of Architecture and obtained a master’s degree in architecture.

I have built things, made things, taken things apart and put them back together for as long as I can remember. My father bought me my first tool box when I was two years old, with real tools! I then took apart my baby stroller, every piece of it when I was a 2 1/2 years old. I worked in his auto body shop since I was about three, masking my own toy trucks and painting them. When I was four my Aunt would let me stay up all night until 3 -4 in the morning building houses and furniture and people out of paper, cardboard and tape. I would fall asleep in the middle of all the rubble, much like grad school. So, I continued to make things, draw and paint. I was into painting and drawing realism for a while. I have a love for Math and art. I worked for an Architect, Robert Leathers during grad school and for years after on and off. I worked with him on great projects doing hand drawings, building models and actually building spaces leading teams of volunteers. We built and Started Space 4 Art in downtown San Diego, where I served on the board for five years as secretary. I worked on metal sculptures and taught welding, a metal sculpture class, at the UCSD Crafts Center for eight years. during this time. I had my own small studio that I eventually grew out of.

I’m not happy and fulfilled unless I am building something, especially if I have designed it. I am also a problem solver, I love to fix things, the more difficult, the more fun it is.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My work is all about the process. I think I like making the pieces more than the final outcome. My designs are what comes out naturally, I feel when it looks right and if it doesn’t look right I have a hard time letting it go until it does.

I design and build metal furniture that has a modern influence. This sort of evolved from my fine art background crossed with architecture. I also design and build metal sculpture. I work in a larger studio now in Barrio Logan where I also still offer welding classes focused on the artist and designer. I teach because I enjoy sharing what I know and learning from the different people that take my classes. I also love the problem solving when someone comes in that has an idea that we have to figure out and how we are going to make it work.

I learned how to weld at San Diego State in my first 3D art class taught by Jerry Dumlao and have never stopped. I was fascinated by the fact that I can take this very strong structural material, make it malleable, form it and it becomes strong again. I fabricate and cast with different metals. Although, I mainly work with steel.

The reason I do this is, it feels right. When I’m working with metal, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. There have been times that I haven’t worked for a while for whatever reason and I’m restless and something is missing. Then I get back in the studio and it all comes together, I feel happiest and complete. This sounds corny, but it’s true.
I do what I love to make a living. I feel very lucky that I have made this work. I also have a little boy, he’s seven, and I am thankful that I could show him by example that he needs to do what he wants to do.

Sidetone: I also started another business that grew out of designing furniture. It’s called La Linea Hardware. I make custom knobs and pulls for fine furniture. I sculpt them out of clay and cast them in various metals

Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
Getting work, showing and Marketing. The business aspect of art world is the most difficult, I believe. If you want to spend your time making and creating and designing, it seems that there is no time for the other. how do you balance the two? Most of the artists I talk to want to work on art. I try to designate a day a week to the office and sometime reaching out to people I don’t know yet. It’s difficult when you want to do everything yourself.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
studiodeline.com
Instagram: studiodeline and la_lineahardware

I currently have a sculpture at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. It will be up until July 15, 2018 Hotels/Motels (Unofficial Art Fair 2017) @ Lafayette Hotel on December 16th, 2017. Where emerging and established artists who are working in a wide-range of media and disciplines. Artists from all over San Diego and Los Angeles transformed hotel rooms into galleries, stages, and project spaces. I will Have a piece in the Museum School Art auction at the end of June at Bread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave, San Diego, CA 92113

Also, you can visit my studio anytime.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1861 B Street Main Street
  San Diego, CA 92113
• Website: studiodeline.com
• Phone: (858) 243-2562
• Email: nicole@studiodeline.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studiodeline/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiodeline/

Image Credit:
Nicole Deline

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