Nicola Prinsen, a west coast artist, has been sculpting for over 17 years. She first studied ceramics, then figurative and portrait sculpture. For the past few years, Nicola’s subject matter has been based on her surroundings, forests, rural agriculture, the ocean and the animals that live in this setting are Nicola’s focus. From otters to cows,crows to goats, in clay or bronze, Nicola explores the forms of these animals and undertakes a process of refinement by way of detailed studies and accurate depictions. Pushing the boundaries with these forms through distortion and exaggeration are part of Nicola’s creative process. The end result is a fusion of personality and simplicity. One cow will stand with a look, a shape or an angle that seems precarious and impossible. Another is rendered accurately, showing the skill of the artist. Nicola’s goal is to simplify the form but never leave any doubt as to the identity of the particular animal. There is tension and serenity in this approach. It is veiled in humor, yet the longer one looks the more one realizes that the artist herself is serious.

EDUCATION

2000 Portrait Sculpture, Morag McLean, Vancouver Academy of Art
1999 Photo images on clay, Andrew Wong, Mechosin International Summer School
1998 Mold Making, Vernon Gemmell-Smith, Vancouver Academy of Art
1997 Sculpure Figurative, Bill Porteous
1996 Casting, clay relief, Santo Mignosa
1995 Estrucan Hand Building, Zeljko Kujundzic Northern School of the Arts
1979 – 1983 Ceramic Department, University of Alberta

EXHIBITIONS

2016 JOY, Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB
2010 “West Coast Cravings” with Nikol Haskova, Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB
2004 White Rock Gallery, White Rock, BC
2000 Morgan Dawne Gallery, North Vancouver, BC
1999 Group Show, Vancouver Academy of Art

COLLECTIONS

British Columbia Institute of Technology
Delta Municipal Hall
Numerous private collections in Canada, USA, Germany, Holland and Grand Cayman Islands

PUBLICATIONS

2016 ARABELLA Summer Harvest                                                                                    2004 Preview Gallery Guide
2004 November issue, Peace Arch News

Arabella Magazine Summer 2016