Meet Nikia Parker

We recently connected with Nikia Parker and have shared our conversation below.

Nikia, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Nowadays, I am often disappointed by my lack of artistic productivity. I look back on what I’ve made with a duality of fondness and jealousy. What was it about those times that produced those pieces that I hold so dear? I’ve found that it was the circumstances, the people, the emotions.

But things have changed.

Still, that doesn’t mean I should stifle the muted sparks of motivation that manage to appear every once in a while. Do I know if I will like what I make, especially without grand inspirations? Absolutely not. I have hated my work before. Regardless, I endure.

Recently, I returned home to mediums I thought I knew so well. Yet my hands couldn’t help but act in unfamiliarity. I followed the path of my intuition, made possible only through resignation. My reliance on an intention to create with no strings attached lets me breathe freely. As a result, my work has taken form strangely, unfamiliar but undoubtedly me, with the paint on my hands to prove it.

This new chapter is not immediately exciting, and that is okay. I will not beat myself down for not creating as often as I’d like, nor for making something not so impressive. The time will come when I can be thrilled about the thing in my hand, but for now, anything is better than nothing. I keep my creativity alive by fostering a flicker till it can become a fire.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a creative: from web design to fine arts. Having grown up making paper airplanes and paintings, I find the chance to make something when and however I can. I have recently been tapping back into my fine arts skills and taking commissions. I have completed two large paintings with another in progress. This is following the completion of a project where I got to build a client’s service website. On top of that, I am exploring media and especially enjoying photography during my free time. All in all, things are looking up as I get to diversify my portfolio with exciting people! As of right now, I am looking to take on more clients for print, digital, and web design work alongside tactile mediums.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

In hindsight, I think that having a patient understanding of myself, trust in my abilities, and endless curiosity have allowed me to adapt to creative dry spells. Like I previously mentioned, I reassure myself that it is okay to create with no direction or standard. At the end of the day, I am making for the sake of it and have a history to refer to what I am capable of. When something is not living up to my expectations, this is an opportunity for questions that lead to innovation. Why is this not working? What worked in my previous pieces? How can this be different from what I have done before?

My recommendation is to lay off the pressure on yourself. Do what you can, when you can. Motivation and inspiration come and go. In the meantime, you can do your best to prepare for when you’re ready. I stock up on what inspires me and refer to it when I need it. Otherwise, I move intuitively without being bound by expectations.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

As I seek to increase my clientele, my ideal clients are people different from me! In particular, I would love to expand my portfolio and experience by creating for people in industries I have yet to touch. Recently, I got to build a website for a massage therapist and got to do a collage portrait for someone else. I never would have imagined opportunities like this while I was in college. So whether it’s photography, design, drawing, or painting, I am delighted to be able to bring to life someone’s vision.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nikiaparker.design
• Instagram: @teaf_party
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikia-parker-5321a4252/