Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nikki McCauley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Nikki , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
Having been raised in a military family, declaring that I wanted to be an artist felt pretty scary. I always painted and performed as a child, but these weren’t considered as options for a career in my family that was filled with Math and Science-minded people. When I finished High School, I was awarded an Air Force ROTC scholarship in Psychology. Which meant that I would be an Air Force officer when I graduated college. And as much as I enjoyed studying Psychology, after two years of marching and doing the very non-military thing of questioning every command given to me by a superior, I knew a future in the military was not a good fit for me.
That’s when I asked myself: ‘What did I, outside of anyone else’s expectations, want to do? What would bring me the most joy if I didn’t care what anyone thought?’ Of course this was a terrifying question to ask. One, because I had to really dig deep to know what that answer was. The filter of family and society’s expectations was laid on so thickly over the life as I knew it, it was hard to know what I really even wanted. And two, because I knew the answer may not be the most practical, financially speaking.
But, like Joseph Campbell said, “If you follow your bliss, you will always have your bliss. … If you follow money, you may lose it, and you will have nothing.” I’m so happy I chose this path of bliss. Which, as it magically does in many cases, also happens to lead to money. 🙂
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 have many creative outlets under the “art” umbrella. I’m a fine artist, an illustrator, a writer, a content creator, a performer, and a director. I feel really lucky to have the freedom and time to do so many different things daily. And even though the mediums I use may be very different – my overall focus it to tell a good story. Whether it be through my #dripthoughts – a practice where I allow my subconscious to find an image in a coffee spill, or in my clown class where I use my body to express a memory, or sitting with my creative partner in a pitch meeting to share our newest creation.
I would say my overall “brand” is: weirdly beautiful, kind of dark, and sometimes funny…Art that makes you think.
I’m currently pitching a cool adult animated show with my partner and finishing my latest fine art series entitled: “Fractals: The Nature of Transparency” – giant abstract paintings filled with hundreds of tiny stories.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three things that have been the most impactful in my journey as an artist are pretty simple but also very hard. 1. Keep going. Even when I think the painting or the story or the paper maché donkey I’m working on is not going well. If I decide to not give up on it – the outcome always ends up being such a gift. 2. Surrender/Let go/Allow – however you want to phrase it. This is one that I am really still working on. But the minute I do actually manage to surrender, like really in my heart surrender – that’s when the magic happens. 3. Make it light and fun! It’s such a cliché, but man is it important. One would think that working in the creative world surrounded by creative types this would be an easy task, but being an artist can sometimes feel heavy. It makes sense. We have to set our own schedule, sell our own stuff, believe confidently in ourselves and our gifts. It’s hard to not put pressure on ourselves and not compare ourselves to other artists. That’s when I try to remind myself that we are all on our own unique journey. My story is going to be very different than the person next to me or the thousands of people I follow on instagram. I love instagram for the inspiration and all of the wonderful art, but if I ever find myself starting to compare – I turn that s@*# off and yell loudly – ART IS FUN!
I sometimes beat myself up for not having enough discipline, but then I remember (usually with the help of a good friend) that I spend every single day creating. To me, making art doesn’t feel like a “job”, so sometimes I forget that I’m actually doing any work.
I guess that would be my advice. Whatever you choose to do in your life as a career – pick something that doesn’t feel like work. And then remember to acknowledge the time you spent ‘not working’ or get a supportive friend who will remind you.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I go to the beach! Usually when I feel overwhelmed it’s because I’m worried about a deadline and I can’t figure out how to finish a project. But if I can just put the project down and go to the beach, or anywhere in nature, as soon as I walk back into my studio, the ideas come pouring out of me. I convince my nervous system, by relaxing in the midst of Mother Earth (the biggest creation of them all), that time doesn’t even exist! And with that sense of ease, I suddenly have a fresh perspective and the overwhelm disappears.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nikkimccauley.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/artisjustyourheart
