April Nicole

Born and raised in Texas, but I'm never in one place for too long. I currently reside in Portland, OR with my husband. My little world is made of bright colors, flowery portraits, rainbows, flowers, sparkles, and unrelenting optimism. I try to instill a playful freedom in my work, so I often paint with my hands instead of brushes. You’ll find me dancing, playing, seeking adventure, and taking chances. I am surrounded by music always. Keep up with me on Instagram @AprilNicoleArt

Have you always been creative and artistic?

I was born an artist. I remember painting onto large sheets of paper on the floor – pictures of cats and rainbows when I was tiny child. I guess things haven't changed much.

How would you describe the style of your work?

My style of work is all over the place. I paint these bright flowery portraits with sneaky little notes of heartache in them, and I paint wild fluorescent abstracts as a palate cleanser in between. I'm comfortable just painting what my heart wants, so every day is a surprise.

What’s in your pencil case and what’s your favorite tool?

I have many pencil cases. 2 of them are full of acrylic paint markers, and one of those also contains a small sketchbook. The one with actual pencils has many hb pencils, some charcoal pencils, an X-ACTO knife, 2 pencil sharpeners, a selection of black micron pens, and 1 eraser. My favorite tool is my fluorescent pink acrylic paint from Golden.

Who is your favorite superhero?

My favorite superhero of all time is Danger Mouse. I used to watch him all the time on Nickelodeon.

If you could have one super power what would it be?

I was always terrible at this question as a kid. My friends said I had no imagination. However, I'd really love the ability to talk to animals.

Where do you look for inspiration?

I find that our lives are made of small things, and in those small things I find inspiration more often than not. The colors of the sunset, the way the light hits a spoonful of honey, the little spots on a dog's ear, or the way a girl's eyebrows are a little wild at the edge. When I'm at a loss, I tend to look through art books and pictures of pretty girls.

Who are your favorite artists or comic book authors?

I have so many favorite artists because I'm one of those people that just loves everything. Top 3 are easily Casey Weldon, Heather Day, and Charmaine Olivia.