Nikol Wikman

About the artist

In a journey to reconnect with the joy and enthusiasm of childhood, artist Nikol Wikman went from painting on her dining room table to her artwork being part of private collections around the world.

Born in Victoria, BC, Canada, Wikman’s creative impulse lead her to work with art in various mediums. As a child she spent hours sketching and experimenting with sculpture, stained glass, and jewelry-making. Though life lead her away from art as an adult, Wikman’s process of rediscovering her life’s passion ultimately birthed the unique style and career she has today.

After committing to a daily art practice for years, Wikman’s artwork gained a following as she shared her creations on social media. The vibrant abstract expressionist works Wikman creates often merge opposing textures and colors, creating highly contrasted pieces that have drawn the attention of collectors worldwide, leading her work to be part of private collections on every major continent. Though Wikman had built a substantive career, years after starting her practice, it was suffering the loss of several loved ones in succession that deepened her commitment to art’s healing qualities. Realizing the power art contained to help her seek light in times of darkness, Wikman resolved to open up her artistic process to others by teaching. With over a decade of experience, Wikman now shares her love for beauty and art’s transformative power with both her students and a dedicated audience.

In their words

Creativity allows us to explore our own experience of life, whether by expressing unrestrained joy or creating beauty even in our dark moments. Working with acrylic paint, graphite, and charcoal, I create artwork that illustrates the contrast in our world, whether between color, tones, or even emotion. My work is multi-layered and textured, serving as a visual parallel to the way our lives are the result of layered experiences and the impacts they leave on us.

Allowing each unique work to guide me rather than setting out with a predetermined outcome, my artwork is both a technical and an emotional process, requiring fearlessly free expression to yield the final piece. Experimentation is a significant aspect of my practice, whether by exploring color or employing unconventional tools. Some pieces are completed quickly while others span the course of weeks before the final touch is made, though each piece offers the same invitation to seek beauty in the everyday moments of our lives.

My artistic process expanded when I turned to art during difficult times. Finding a path to connect with joy and beauty even during hardship can transform our lives just like paint transforms a canvas. Our lives will always contain contrasts between dark moments and light—it’s when the contrast comes together that we can appreciate the beauty of the full picture.

— Nikol Wikman