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Deep blue sky background with yellow crescent moon and white star points with red and orange desert buttes in the midground and a green saguaro cactus in the foreground.

Meet Nikki Solemsaas, a dynamic artist and creative powerhouse hailing from the lush landscapes of the Pacific Northwest and the very proper city of London. With a vibrant palette and bold strokes, her artwork is a celebration of natural beauty and global adventure. Nikki draws inspiration from her surroundings to create captivating and colorful paintings that transport viewers.

Nikki’s artistic journey began in painting, photography, and design, culminating in a passion for multidisciplinary creativity. Since officially dedicating herself to painting in 2020, Nikki’s career has skyrocketed. In 2021, her work caught the attention of a national snack brand, which featured her art on billboards across the United States. The following year, Nikki was commissioned to create a custom piece for the iconic Seattle Space Needle and launched her own merchandise line as a featured artist.

Space Needle with blue sky and orange, red, pink and white clouds swirling on the side.
Space Needle reflecting blue and purple from the pink purple, orange and yellow sky in the background.

In 2023, she showcased her artwork in prestigious London galleries, including the renowned Saatchi Gallery and the Holy Art Gallery in Dalston. Closer to home, Nikki has held multiple solo exhibitions at the Vermillion Art Gallery in Seattle, captivating audiences with her blend of realism and surrealism.

I recently had an opportunity to correspond with Nikki about her art.

What’s Your favorite color?

I have two favorite colors. The first one is sunset pink, a vibrant shade almost bordering on neon. It’s just such a loud color and I tend to gravitate to it a lot because I love the vividness and memorability of it. And the second is Black, because it always feels like when I use it, it’s usually the final step that brings a piece together. (And also, it’s just my favorite color to wear because it goes with everything).

A white house structure with surrounding windows sites on a tall grey and white rock formation against a blue water background with bright neon pink and purple sky in the background. The foreground has two green pine trees.
Mt. Pilchuck Lookout by Nikki Solemsaas

What images inspire you to create art?

I’m inspired by my surroundings. I’ve always been drawn to cities, mountains, and sunsets. I’ve always framed scenes artistically in my head. Whether it was to take a picture, paint the scenery, or I’m videoing it…. I’m always reimagining it.

Vibrant reds, oranges, and yellow colors paint the sky in the background. A tall white and gray mountain peak and smaller peaks sit midground with pink and purple mountains in the foreground. Two human figures in yellow and in teal and black snow gear walk along a white colored ridge toward the mountain.
Mt. Everest Chomolungma by Nikki Solemsaas
A mountain peak with multiple ridges in yellows, blues, purples, and oranges reaches from midground to the foreground with gray and black smaller peaks and silhouetted pine trees. The sky background is orange and yellow.
PNW Mountain by Nikki Solemsaas

Do you have a favorite artist?

Currently, I’m a big fan of Kalle Hellzen, an oil painter from the Netherlands. I’m particularly drawn to him because he also didn’t start painting until later in life. I love the isolating minimalism in his art. And of course, his fantastic utilization of color, which is even more impressive given he’s colorblind.

What do you want to create next?

I want to spend 2024, exploring any and every idea that pops into my head. Currently, I’m enjoying painting brilliantly dramatic skies.

A bold dark and medium blue background with a shadowed image of the red tall clock tower of Big Ben.
Ben by Nikki Solemsaas
Purple and fuschia and blue sky at the top with large white clouds hang over a pointed gray and light blue mountain range surrounding a blue lake in the foreground.
Glacier National Park (Iceberg Lake) by Nikki Solemsaas
A bright red image of the Golden Gate Bridge comes up from pink fog with some dark blue water visible below. The sky in the back ground is dark blues and teals with gray mountains surrounded by more pink fog.
Golden Gate Bridge by Nikki Solemsaas

What’s the most memorable reaction you’ve had to your artwork?

When I was setting up for my solo exhibitions, it was a surreal experience to witness people walk by and stop in their tracks or glance back into the gallery. I think any time your art can cause people to stop and interact, that’s an amazing feeling.

What’s A misconception about art that you’d like to debunk?

That because it’s not highbrow or that I don’t have a long, detailed description of what a piece means in the context of societal issues that it’s somehow “less than” because it’s not “fine art”. I really appreciate others that create art like that. For myself though, I create art for the simple reason that I want to create beautiful things. I’m translating my imagination; I am not interpreting the world.

What’s the most unexpected source of inspiration you’ve ever had?

Lionel Messi. He was the subject of a recent commission, and I went down a rabbit hole of videos and documentaries to learn all about him. I was so inspired by his story. I really thought through ideas that I hoped would equate to his larger-than-life talent.

Messi stands in his blue and white striped Argentine soccer uniform with his back to the viewer. His shirt reads "Messi 10". He stands on different shades of green surounded by the stadium in the background with bright orange lights coming down all around him.
Lionel Messi Argentina World Cup by Nikki Solemsaas

If your artwork could evoke one emotion in every viewer, what would it be?

Joy.

Driven by her passion for painting, Nikki’s art continues to evolve but still offers viewers a glimpse into her colorful world. I was fortunate to have purchased Desert Blues from Nikki a few years ago. It hangs in our guest room where everyone comments on how much they enjoy it. The image is at the top of the blog.

To see more of Nikki’s artwork, you can follow her on Instagram or on her website. It’s your turn to share your comments on Nikki’s art below.

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