Nancy Nichols Coffee Artist

Why I am a Coffee Artist?

Coffee is my muse and has been my favorite painting medium for many years. I love the aroma, the taste and the way it looks when painted on watercolor paper. Painting with coffee is a simple and inexpensive way to keep my creative juices flowing.  Its familiar aroma becomes part of my  coffee painting experience. Teaching others how to paint with coffee is one of the unexpected pleasures painting with coffee continue to give me.

The Coffee Painting Experience

Explore a world where Fine Art and Coffee unexpectedly meet.

I have been painting with espresso coffee for over ten years. When liquid coffee is allowed to dry it becomes a form of watercolor paint. The painting technique is the same as watercolor painting but simplified because coffee is monochromatic. One shade of brown offers unexpected textures and depth with an earthy organic look. Painting with coffee offers more freedom than traditional watercolor making it a looser and more easily approached form of painting.

Years ago it came to my attention that many people loved looking at my coffee paintings but insisted they could not paint. It was my impression impression that they were afraid. They didn’t paint but loved coffee so I put the two together. I’ve been teaching coffee painting for several years. In workshops and private lessons people are able to let go and enjoy painting. People are not afraid to paint because they don’t think of coffee as paint.

I call Coffee Paint “user-friendly” and continue to witness blocked artists releasing their hidden creativity. It is satisfying to see people let go in a comfortable atmosphere and surprise themselves with their uncovered masterpieces.

What first inspired me to paint with coffee?

My coffee story picked up again about 30 years later.  I needed a creative focus and thought I’d go back to my fun with coffee painting.  I decided to focus on one color and coffee was the perfect color. The fascination for painting with coffee had grown in the community. Gradually the word got out - people were curious. It was time for me to exhibit my work.  I was approached by a local newspaper for an interview about Making Art with Coffee. In 2015 the Marin Independent Journal published a two page spread about how I was using coffee as a painting medium.  I invite you to watch the video of the interview.

My Coffee Painting Elevator Speech

I heard a repeated dialogue with viewers and it grabbed my attention.  I kept hearing "Oh, I wish I could do that."  I began to think  that they could paint. They were just too afraid. My next question always caught  them off-guard. "Oh, do you paint?" and the immediate reply was always "No, I'm terrible or I can't even draw a straight line." My next question was "Do you drink coffee?"  Followed by “Oh, yes, I love it." That was when I began to see the possibility of their own creativity being released. Once people realized that I was using "real" coffee to paint with a new possibility opened in their minds. I realized just about everyone has a “stop-story” and I was drawn to start my Coffee Painting Workshops

Painting with coffee breaks through long held personal fears about painting. I call these deeply ingrained fears Stop Stories and everyone who says “I can’t paint” has a stop story  holding their creative expression  hostage. People are not afraid to paint with coffee because it is not paint.

People are not afraid to paint with coffee because it is not paint.

What are Stop Stories?

In 1986 I was jumping in between art classes at College of Marin and working as a barista in a Coffee House in Fairfax, CA. The caffeine buzz kicked in and I wanted to do more with coffee than just drink it. I started painting with coffee and loved seeing the new possibilities. The aroma, the color the unexpected results.

I grew up wanting to be an artist. In my first semester of college my art teacher told me that even though I was enthusiastic I should consider majoring in something else because I didn’t have what it would take. At the same time I had a sociology teacher who inspired me so much that I majored in sociology and became a social worker for the Alameda County Welfare Department. That job lasted awhile. Since then I’ve spent decades jumping in and out of artistic themed employment but I have never stopped pursuing my own creativity. Now I am seeing a full circle between my sociology major and my artistic passion. They seem to have found a common ground.

I work one-on-one with homebound or isolated older adults and seniors. Individuals benefitting from specialized company and connection. What I offer ranges between sincere companionship to engaging people to become aware of and enjoy their own inner resources.  When appropriate I teach Painting With Coffee to release creative blocks. The therapeutic benefits from painting is a special touch love to see happen.

This was a big turning-point in my Art-Life. It lead the way to the Unexpected to Coffee Painting Workshops.

It was clear to me that people wanted more. I began giving free “how-to” demos in art stores and artists collectives.  This led to teaching classes and workshops on how to paint with coffee. My unexpected joy was I also began to realize coffee painting unconsciously helped people get rid of their fear of painting blocks. People are afraid of paint but they are not afraid of coffee. I developed a passion for helping “stuck” people awaken to their unique self-expression. My audience and success grew and has continued for many years.