Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Rixon.
Hi Nicole, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always had a creative career. I earned my BA in Graphic Design and later an MBA in Leadership, and my professional background is in illustration and manufacturing. I spent years building and running a successful business in that space, so creativity, design, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship have always been a big part of my life.
Then I became a mom, and that changed everything.
I had my daughter during COVID, and the combination of new motherhood, postpartum depression, and the upheaval of that time really shifted my perspective. I ultimately made the decision to retire the business I had built and step away from that chapter of my career. At the time, it felt like a huge identity shift, but it also forced me to ask some important questions: How much is enough? What does success actually look like? And what do I want my life to feel like, not just look like from the outside?
I started valuing freedom, time, creativity, and the ability to follow my passions in a completely different way.
Painting had always been part of my life, but for a long time it was something I did primarily for myself. I wasn’t trying to sell the work or build another business around it. I just kept painting, experimenting, taking classes, and slowly developing my own visual language.
A really important part of that growth has been Art on 30th. I started there as a student, and it became such a meaningful part of my creative development and confidence as an artist. Over time, I was invited to teach, which was incredibly affirming, and now I have a full-time studio there as well as my first featured solo show. It’s been a huge part of helping me grow not only as a painter, but also as part of a creative community.
Eventually, something shifted in my work too. I stopped feeling like I was trying to make “good art” and started making work that actually felt like me — colorful, playful, a little cheeky, nostalgic, and not too serious.
More recently, I decided to stop keeping that work so private and see what would happen if I really put it out into the world. That has meant showing my paintings publicly, teaching classes, sharing the process on social media, and beginning to build a fine art business around the work I’m making now.
In a lot of ways, this chapter feels less like starting over and more like everything coming together. My background in design, illustration, manufacturing, leadership, and entrepreneurship is still very much part of me, but motherhood changed the way I define success. I’m much more interested now in building a life with room for creativity, freedom, family, and the things I genuinely care about.
I don’t know exactly where this chapter will lead, and I actually think that’s part of what makes it exciting.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not — although I think a lot of the hardest parts have also been the most important.
One of the biggest challenges was stepping away from a business I had spent years building and that, by most measures, was successful. Becoming a mom, having a baby during COVID, and going through postpartum depression changed me in ways I didn’t expect. It forced me to reevaluate not only my career, but also my identity and my definition of success. Letting go of something I had worked so hard to build was difficult, even though I knew it was the right decision for me.
Starting again creatively came with its own challenges. Art is incredibly personal, and putting your work out into the world requires a kind of vulnerability that feels very different from running a business. There’s a lot of self-doubt involved — wondering whether your work is good enough, whether people will connect with it, whether you’re ready to call yourself an artist, and whether you should wait until everything feels more polished or established.
For me, a big part of the journey has been learning not to wait for permission or for some imaginary moment when I finally feel “ready.” Being part of the community at Art on 30th has been incredibly important in that process. I went from being a student, to being invited to teach, to having my own full-time studio and now my first featured solo show. Each step has pushed me a little further outside my comfort zone and helped me build confidence through actually doing the work.
I still have moments of doubt, but I think I’ve become much more comfortable with the idea that growth is supposed to feel uncomfortable. I’m trying to focus less on having everything figured out and more on continuing to make the work, take chances, and build a life that feels meaningful to me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is colorful, playful, nostalgic, and often a little cheeky. I’m drawn to familiar objects, moments, and imagery — things that feel instantly recognizable but can take on a different meaning when they’re isolated, exaggerated, or paired with a title that shifts the story.
I work primarily in painting and mixed media, and I love combining bold color, graphic shapes, expressive marks, and a sense of humor. My background in graphic design and illustration definitely shows up in the work. I think a lot about composition, visual impact, and how an image reads from across the room, but I also want the work to feel loose, human, and imperfect rather than overly polished.
I’m especially interested in the space between fine art and everyday life. A cigarette pack, a fortune cookie, a stack of books, a cocktail, a palm tree, a handwritten note — those ordinary things can carry so much memory, humor, longing, or personality. I love taking something simple and giving it enough context, color, or attitude that it suddenly feels like a story.
I think what people are beginning to recognize in my work is that combination of boldness and familiarity. It’s approachable and fun, but there’s often another layer underneath it. I don’t feel a need for art to be overly serious to be meaningful. Sometimes joy, nostalgia, humor, or even a little irreverence can be just as powerful.
What I’m most proud of is probably finding a visual voice that actually feels like mine. For a long time, I was focused on learning, improving, and trying to make work that I thought was “good.” At some point I stopped chasing that and started trusting my instincts more. That shift has made the work feel much more personal and much more alive.
I’m also really proud that my practice has grown beyond simply making paintings. Teaching has become an important part of what I do, and I love helping other people loosen up, experiment, and find more confidence in their own creativity. Between painting, teaching, and building a studio practice, I feel like I’m creating a creative life rather than just a collection of work — and that feels very meaningful to me.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest advice would be to start before you feel ready.
I think a lot of creative people wait for some imaginary point when the work is good enough, the timing is right, the website is finished, the branding is perfect, or they finally feel confident enough to put themselves out there. I definitely did some of that. What I’ve learned is that confidence usually comes after you start doing the thing — not before.
I also wish I had understood earlier how important it is to make a lot of work and let yourself experiment. Not everything has to be a masterpiece, and not everything has to become part of your portfolio. Some of the most important work is the work that teaches you what you like, what you don’t like, and what actually feels like you.
Community has also been huge for me. Taking classes, being around other artists, teaching, and having a studio at Art on 30th have all played such an important role in my growth. Creative work can be isolating, so finding people who encourage you, challenge you, and understand the process can make a huge difference.
And finally, I’d say try not to measure your path against someone else’s. There are so many different ways to build a creative life. You don’t have to follow a traditional timeline or have everything figured out. Make the work, stay curious, say yes to opportunities that feel right, and keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicolerixonart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolerixonart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolehrixon
