Wildlife Artist

Self taught Wildlife Watercolor & Pet Portraiture Artist. I set off on my artistic journey a little later in life. During covid lockdown I really connected to art as a way to disconnect from the weight of the world. It was during those unsure times I found a spark ignited in expressing myself through creating. I was taken away from the world and allowed to escape without thoughts and that is a very freeing feeling. I found art extremely therapeutic. And after a while, I found myself getting paid here and there for some of my work. So here we are years later to building a website, a small print on demand Etsy shop, and hoping to branch out in a professional art and design career.

From a very young age I have always deeply loved and appreciated wildlife and the outdoors. I love capturing nature’s beauty through painting a wide variety of animals, plants, and landscapes. Looking into an animals eyes, making that connection, and then capturing that expression with perfect detail in a painting can be a very powerful statement. I especially love it when golden hour is reflected in the subjects I paint. I would say my most favorite species to paint are owls, butterflies, and wild cats. A scene with vivid bold colors and sharp contrasts of dark and lights really ignites that fire to let that creativeness flow! Watercolor is my media of choice, the way the paint moves and mixes in unexpected ways is just magical. However, I do have experience in many other media’s including acrylics, colored pencils, chalks, pastels, alcohol inks, charcoal, liquid art (pouring), rock art, & gouache. I am just now starting coursework to complete certification for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, Animate, & Premier Pro. I hope to be finished by sometime next year to further my knowledge in the editing of my scanned art and expand on my graphic design skills. I am also in the process of converting a lot of my art into digital files for instant download, making a new sticker line which involves alot of photoshop editing, new merchandise, art licensing, and creating professional profiles on Fiverr, Upwork, and Behance. Oh and that ever stubborn social media presence. I’ll try to work on that eventually too! Haha.

I am an Oregon, USA native, and retired Veterinary Assistant. Due to a diagnosis of Sjogren’s Syndrome and Systemic Lupus in my early 30’s, I was forced to slow down in life due to how those auto-immune issues affected my body. Early on it was a difficult adjustment, because I loved my work with animals. For years I did not understand. But I have adjusted and have become content with admiring smaller things in life. And I feel it has led me to being the artist that I am today, it has allowed me to appreciate other aspects of my life on a deeper level. In 2007 my husband and I found an abandoned kitten whom we named Oscar, pictured above, In a late January snow storm. He quickly became attached to me every waking minute during all of my health battles. I never knew an animal and human could have a bond like that until this little guy. I am honored to have known a love like that. He passed in January of 2023, and my life turned upside down with a grief I was not prepared for. Life changed for me and I went through some very hard times following this loss. I am just now starting to get back into something resembling normal. So for anyone who has lost a special pet like this your not alone. I think going through this part of my life allows me to care so deeply for the pets that I paint for clients. It really matters that your beloved pet is portrayed exactly as you remember them.

When I am not in my studio or spending time with my husband, family, friends, and (now) three rescue cats I enjoy nature walks, biking, swimming, drinking coffee, volunteering at church, listening to music, reading sci fi and fantasy, volunteering in animal rescue, especially TNR of feral cats, drinking coffee (wait did I say that already?!), playing video games, cooking, birding, exercising, gardening, learning new skills, & drinking coffee, 😆 I really just enjoy being outside spending time in nature. I feel most at peace in the great outdoors somewhere quiet just connecting with this beautiful planet. I am also so very grateful for the support of my Dad, Mom, and Husband throughout this journey. I love them so much. Life is not always easy, but through kindness, we can support and lift one another up.

I really look forward to working with you and meeting your individual needs. I hope you have a wonderful day.

All the Best,

Nicole Clevinger