Nancy Nichols Coffee Artist Transforms Coffee Into Art.
The class assignment was to create any version of Modern Art. I placed a large piece of watercolor next to my stove. Each morning I added more for the next month.
My coffee story picked up many years later. I needed a creative focus to process my mother’s death. I returned to coffee painting. Watercolor took the back seat and I became a full time coffee painter.
I heard a repeated dialogue "Oh, I wish I could do that." I began to think that they could paint. They were just too afraid. My first question was easy "Do you drink coffee?" Followed by “Oh, yes, I love it." My next question"Oh, do you paint?" and the immediate reply was always "No, I'm terrible or I can't even draw a straight line." 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
It lead the way to the Unexpected to Coffee Painting Workshops.
At this time I designed and maintained the website for the San Anselmo Arts Commission. The Arts Commission promoted my first show and things took off.
Marin Coffee Roasters invited me to exhibt my coffee paintings with an artists reception.
I was approached by The Marin Independent Journal for an interview about Making Art with Coffee.
This was a big turning-point in my Art-Life.
In 2015 the Marin Independent Journal published a two page spread about how I was using coffee as a painting medium. This opened unexpected doors for expanding my own creative possibilities but more importantly gave me the awareness of how so many people longed to be creative but were stuck with their Stop Stories.
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 can still remember the first time I tasted coffee - I didn’t really like it. But as time went on I couldn’t stop. Years later while working as a barista I decided to try painting with it. Years later while in a History of Modern Art class we were asked to produce a piece of modern art. I had fun creating a Coffee Spill masterpiece. I realized coffee still had “Paint”potential.
How did it all get started?
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.
The fascination for painting with coffee had grown in the community. Gradually the word got out - people were curious. Significant Life changing Events brought Coffee to Center Stage
My personal Stop Story?
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 and expanding my own creativity.