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Hello, my name is Nikki Simpson, and thanks for visiting my artist blog page!  I'm so excited (and nervous) for all the upcoming changes I am making in my life.  For those of you who do not know me, my name is Nikki and I live in Pittsburgh, PA.  I recently decided to change my career path and become a full time artist.  It's a little daunting, but I think it is a decision that makes complete sense for me (I will elaborate on that later). 

I live in a tiny rental in Greentree, PA with my fiance Steve and our two big labs, Pilot and Camper.  Space is very limited, as you can see from the picture I took of my current "studio".  Yes, Grandir Studio is in a living room right now, but hopefully not for long.  We are trying to purchase a farmhouse in Sewickley, PA.  This house is fantastic-- and it needs a ton of work!  Luckily, Steve is a contractor and we can do most of the work ourselves.  It sits on an acre lot, surrounded by land and woods.  It is absolutely perfect for our little family.  Grandir Studio will have a much larger and nicer space in this house, too!  I really can't wait for that.  We are hoping to close on the house this week, and once that happens things are going to be insanely busy for us.

Going back to what I said earlier ... changing careers was a decision that became very clear to me after I took some time off from my highly stressful job at a non-profit organization.  Just a short month ago, I was suffering from major depression that was exacerbated by my job.  Insomnia, stomach pain, back pain, depression, and anxiety were just some of my symptoms.  I was doing a decent job of ignoring my problems until the pain turned physical.  I had to take time off of work at one of my busiest times of the year, and it took me a solid week to just feel "normal" again.  I'm still recovering from the blow. 

The reason I am sharing this experience is because this breakdown lead me to my breakthrough.  It was during my lowest point my artistic inspiration struck me.  I was literally lying in bed, half asleep, thinking I wanted to paint leaves coupled with sharp, random lines.  I figured out the process of how I could achieve my desired look as I tried to fall asleep.  The next day I purchased my tools and started painting, tired but happy. 

My current style combines shapes from nature and basic geometry.  I love how the structured flows with the unstructured.  The color combinations are natural and soothing.  My goal is for someone to look at my paintings and just go ahhhhh.  I work with acrylic paints, fabric painting medium, and natural, unprimed duck cloth. 

Thank you again for visiting my blog!