TIFFANY NICKEL - Artist, Paint Me Nickel
As the creator of Paint Me Nickel, Tiffany uses her talent to paint female survivors of violence and sexual assault, helping them share their stories and in turn, creating a ripple affect of helping others in similar situations. Tiffany uses her art pieces to host events for nonprofits and safe houses that specialize in helping women and families in abusive situations. She donates a share of every sale to different organizations while bringing awareness to the incredibly important resources each provides. When you purchase a painting, print, swag or commission a piece from Tiffany, know that your dollars are going towards an invaluable cause.
The Basics:
Hometown: Oakley, Utah
Current city: Colorado Springs, CO
Alma mater: University of Utah
Degree: B.A., English
Very first job: Lifeguard
Hustle: Artist, Paint Me Nickel
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
Krystyna Holland. She is a pelvic floor physical therapist that cares for all women. She’s empowering and shares her truths without shame—and it is beyond inspiring.
How do you spend your ‘free’ time?
Baking, reading, spending time with my husband, and playing with my dogs
What IG account(s) have you been binge-scrolling lately
@mollonwarriorprincess
Current power anthem?
P!nk - Perfect
Are you a collector of anything?
I collect Funko Pops from my favorite books and comics. I am a true nerd.
What’s something you want to learn or master?
Dog training
If you could have coffee with anyone in the world, who would it be?
Oscar Wilde and Chanel Miller
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
I am the founder and creator of Paint Me Nickel. I paint women who are survivors of violence, rape, molestation, sexual assault and domestic violence in all its forms, etc.
What does your typical workday look like?
A typical workday usually involves me answering and responding to emails, doing needed conference calls with nonprofits, sketching, and then working on paintings.
Have you always had a passion for art and creating? Where do you think this stems from?
Words have always been my favorite form of expression, and painting is something that started as an experiment as an adult. I started doing it professionally when I decided I wanted to paint women who were survivors and share their stories.
Tell us about the meaning and mission behind your art.
The mission is to paint women who are survivors of violence and with those paintings, host events for nonprofits and safe houses that help women and families in abusive situations. The work that safe houses do is often forgotten about and underfunded. I donate a portion of every sale to different nonprofits and hope to bring awareness of their resources to others, so that people who need assistance can more easily know where to go. When you purchase any painting, print, swag or commission a piece of mine, a portion is always donated back to safe houses. When purchasing these special art pieces, you are helping save the lives of those in abusive situations.
The women that pose for you often share their stories of sexual assault and abuse. How do you navigate this intimate interaction, and how does it impact your work?
Hearing their stories is a constant reminder of why what I do is so important. It impacts each piece I paint because I know I am showing a representation of their vulnerability.
What would you say is your biggest career milestone to date and why?
Hosting shows virtually and physically for six nonprofits and safe houses so far.
How would you say being a woman has affected your professional experience? What can we do to create more equal, uplifting (and well-paying!) spaces for women in your industry? Being a woman in the arts is hard. The percentage of female-represented work in galleries is very low. I’ve also noticed that at pop-ups that my husband attends, people automatically assume he’s the artist. When he corrects them and tells them that I’m the artist, most of the time their demeanors change from interest to disinterest.
What’s the gender ratio like in your industry? Do you see it evolving? Why or why not?
The good thing is that 51% of visual artists are women. However, only about 30% of gallery-represented artists are female, about 25% of museums with an annual budget over $15 million have female directors, and the wage gap between male and female artists is about 20% I think that it’s evolving because so many men and women talk about the gaps that exist, and more collectors and galleries are taking the time to really consider the art that women create.
Are you involved with any other careers, side projects or organizations?
I also work as a freelance content and blog writer; I take on writing projects when I feel inspired to do so. As I stated before, words have always been my first creative love, and I adore writing.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
I love the fine artists Sarah Coey and Samantha Rueter
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
When owning a business, you need to be prepared to fail over and over. To be realistic, all of the ideas you have will not come to fruition. I also think that you need to be prepared to know that there is more than one way to be successful. Success isn’t all about the financial aspects, but also in the relationships we build, the hard work we put in, and the kind of imprint we make on our world.
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