Nebraska based artist, Nicole Gustafsson, joins Nucleus' upcoming Baker's Dozen exhibition, showcasing several of her imaginative nature themed illustrations.

Gustafsson was born and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska where much of her youth was spent playing in her treehouse and the park across the street from the family home. These outdoor adventures helped form Gustafsson's love of nature and fueled her imagination. It is this sense of adventure and discovery that is conveyed in her work.

In this brief Q & A with Nucleus, we learn more about her inspirations.




N: What is your earliest memory of making art?

NG: Art is something I've always done, I remember when I was very young looking at Zoobooks magazine and drawing the different animals. I loved looking at unique creatures and the world they live in, I think that is something that has stuck with me as an adult.  My goal for when "I grew up" was to work at a zoo and paint the animals on my lunch break, but it turned out the other way around - I'm a full time artist who hangs out with my cats :) 


'Night on the Town' | Gouache and ink

N: One motif I noticed are the dwellings and homes of your woodland characters, does this have a particular symbolism?

NG: The sense of "home"- a place to call your own and share with loved ones is very important to me. I love seeing peoples houses (in particular artists studios) because it reveals a lot about who lives there. What kind of artwork people choose to display in their house, how they organize their papers, and what types of plants people tend to is very interesting to me, I try to utilize these little clues in my artwork to inform the viewer about who the inhabitant is.

Treehouses in particular are very dear to me because my dad and I built one in an old crab-apple tree in our backyard. This place was very wonderful to me and it was without question "my space" growing up and a very imaginative place to hang out. This sense of space I felt in my treehouse growing up, is focused in my paintings as various dwellings and tree structured homes.



Gustafsson opts to paint creatures as the inhabitants of the dwellings rather than people as animals can be ambigous, and thus more relatable -they can remind you your best friend, kids, or neighbor from years ago.

Gustafsson's illustratve works also often feature plants and trees, their depiction often rendered through soft colors and intricate patterned lineworks. There is a particular quality found in these pieces, a whimsical and fanciful spirit not unlike the tones set by fairy-tales.

N: Who are your influences? Where do you turn to for inspiration?

NG: One inspiration that I keep coming back to is Ukiyo-e Japanese prints. The color pallet, outlines, and wonderful imagery is something that resonates with me.  I also really enjoy following other artists blogs, seeing process pictures and insight into their creations. Some of the artists sites I follow are Jay Ryan, Mall, Corey Godbey, Jaw Cooper, Brendan Monroe, Israel Sanchez, and lots more. It's fun to surf while waiting for paint to dry!
 

'Mountain out of a Mole Hill' | Gouache and ink

Care to challenge Nicole in Super Mario Bros? In her own words, some interesting tidbits about her likes and dislikes.

• I Love succulent plants of any shape and size.

• I always feel compelled to take a nap under the shade of a tree.
• I can beat Super Mario Bros in 11 minutes, but really stink at playing Donkey Kong.

• My favorite candy right now is Gummy Bears.

• I just finished reading the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan and loved it!

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