Phoenix is brimming with creativity. And every other year, we put the spotlight on 100 of the city's creative forces. Leading up to the release of this year's Best of Phoenix issue, we're profiling 100 more. Welcome to the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives. Up today: 93. Nicole Royse.
Nicole Royse is on the go.
The Chandler-based artist, monOrchid associate curator, writer, and mother of three says an average day involves running around to arts institutions, working on upcoming exhibitions (both curating and creating), and taking time to paint her own works, some of which are currently on view at Vision Gallery's show "Flourish: Artworks Inspired by Our Gardens."
See also: Phoenix Jewelry Designer Nanibaa Beck: 100 Creatives
Her recent curation of Douglas Miles' show, "APACHE X," was an Art Detour favorite. And Royse says she has plenty more projects coming up. "I will have a digital exhibition of my work in January 2015 at the Arizona Science Center," Royse says of her upcoming projects, which also include writing a bi-monthly art column in East Valley Magazine.
I came to Phoenix with my grandparents after growing up in Orange County, California, when we moved to Tempe. I went on to graduate from ASU with a degree in Art History. I immediately began pursuing my art career and exhibiting all over Arizona and California having over 60 exhibitions in 5 years. In early 2013 I felt the need to reconnect with the art community leading me to join the monOrchid as associate curator, most recently curating "APACHE X: Ten Years of Doug Miles and Apache Skateboards" at the monOrchid for Art Detour 26. I also began pursuing my passion for writing about the arts as a freelance writer for several local publications such as LocalRevibe & East Valley Magazine.
I make, curate, and write about art because its essential to who I am and has so many positive effects upon my life. Creating art has been apart of my life since I was very young, helping me to express myself as well as connect me with the world. Curating allow me to give artists the opportunity to showcase their work and give them exposure to a boarder audience. Writing allows me to reach an audience who might not necessarily go to a gallery or museum, but allows them to actually spend a few minutes learning about the arts occurring in Arizona!
I'm most productive when I am working on multiple projects at once as I like to keep busy and when I am interacting with artists and other creatives, which helps me to reconnect and get inspired by our amazing art community.
My inspiration wall is full of museums I need to visit, recent gallery flyers, great female artists which I admire, my favorite artworks of all time, flowers (and photos of flowers), photos of my favorite classic films, my family and oh did I mention flowers?
I've learned most from my incredible family, working hard, connecting with people in the art community, curating at the gallery, and writing about arts which takes me all over the Valley. These things have pushed me to have a voice, get more involved, and make more goals for myself.
Good work should always be talked about, written about, and most importantly seen by as many people as possible!
The Phoenix creative scene could use more exposure for the art and artists in our state on a local, national and international level, which would lead to a stronger collector base. Also better communication between the museums, galleries, artists, and community is esstenial to lead to more collaborations and community involvement.
See the 2014 edition of 100 Creatives:
95. Daniel Langhans
94. Nanibaa Beck
