Using Art to Contemplate Personal Narratives, Nostalgia, and Identity

Nicole Williford discovered she had a passion for art at a very early age. While most children enjoy drawing to some degree, it didn’t take long for friends and family to notice that Nicole had a real talent for it. In grade school, when she began doing caricature drawings — rendering people’s features and personalities in the unique way only she perceived them — she discovered she could transcend the bounds of “normal communication” and connect with others on a higher level. As time progressed, her creative expression became a form of meditation for her, something she “needed” to do for her own emotional well-being, and that’s when she made the decision to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Art at George Fox University.

As she progressed towards becoming a practicing professional artist, Nicole’s early works were mostly near-photorealistic representational portraits. Toiling endlessly for hours, days, and years, honing and perfecting her craft, she was close to mastering the style when disaster struck. Just as she was just emerging as a local Portland artist, she was diagnosed with an unusual stress injury, something akin to carpal tunnel syndrome, which completely derailed her from that path, and killed the momentum she had worked so hard to build. Her doctor informed her that recovery would be long and arduous, and she would likely not paint again the same way for years.

Imagine being on the cusp of success, of realizing a lifelong dream, and then being told you could no longer do that thing you had trained your entire life for? It was a heavy blow to be sure, and a dark time in her life, but with great resilience Nicole took advantage of the opportunity, pivoted, and pursued a Master’s Degree in Special Education. Over time, she discovered new ways of painting, using different methods and approaches, and now, looking back, she considers the experience to be a blessing in disguise.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Nicole and found her to be an absolute joy. Both passionate and pensive, she approaches her work in a very grounded and relatable way. She is extremely busy, essentially carrying two full-time jobs (as a professional artist and a behavioral specialist), but she exudes such a calming optimism that you have every confidence in her ability to juggle it all with aplomb.

If you’re interested in seeing some of her beautiful work on display, Nicole has a show on display through December 6th at the Minthorn Hall Gallery at George Fox. Her newer pieces are similar to what she did in the past, but less photo-realistic and more figurative, using color and abstraction in areas to convey mood and atmosphere. The subjects are less posed, more candid, allowing Nicole to explore family mythmaking in extraordinary ways. Through layers of acrylic and oil, Nicole brings her unique brand of nostalgic Americana to brilliant life.

For more information, check out her website: nicolewilliford.com. To inquire about her behavioral therapy work, visit shiftconsultation.com.