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About Nicole

"All Life is an Experiment" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nicole Gaitan is a self-taught artist who has been painting for as long as she can remember. While attending the University of California at Santa Cruz she studied the History of Art and Visual Culture while working summers at Horizon Fine Art Gallery in Jackson Hole, WY. Her undying affection for art continues to guide her career path to new and exciting heights.

 See Gaitan paint with BBQ Sauce: https://youtu.be/pgEdpyNHVMU

For Gaitan, contrast is the primary focus, whether that is expressed in expansive color pockets or complex punctuations. She has been exhibiting her work for over ten years in galleries, solo exhibitions, public art displays and festivals. Gaitan’s work is collected across the United States and abroad and she has been commissioned by the Orvis Company, featured in publications like Western Art Collector and has won numerous awards for her art.

 

You can find her work in Jackson Hole, WY at her private studio by appointment, Park City, UT at Pando Fine Art on Main St., Vail, CO at Paderewski Fine Art, Nashville at The Sportsman Gallery, San Diego, CA at Adelman Fine Art and in a select number of shows she attends across the country.

 

AWARDS/PUBLICATIONS

 

2022            Invited to Western Visions at the National Museum of Wildlife Art

2022            Featured in Art of the West, Montana

2022            Invited to Best of the West Great Falls, MT

2021            Invited to Art Noir at Art Basel, Miami, FL

2021            Featured Artist in Group Reception Wild Women, Horizon Fine Art

2021            VOTED Best Local Artist SILVER Jackson Hole, WY

2021            Selected to complete 60 foot mural in Ventura, CA

2020            Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist QuickDraw

2019            Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist QuickDraw

2019            Featured Artist at Kimball Art Festival at Park City Fine Art

2018            Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist QuickDraw

2018            VOTED Best Local Artist SILVER Jackson Hole, WY

2017            Selected by the Orvis® Company to install 50 foot original painted sculpture

2017            VOTED Best Local Artist BRONZE Jackson Hole, WY

2017            Juror’s Award Honorable Mention Conception Art Show Houston, TX

2016            Published in Western Art Collector Magazine

2016            VOTED Best Local Artist SILVER Jackson Hole, WY

2015            Best Emerging Artist Jackson Hole, WY

2015            Published in The Outbound

2015            Published in Arts Illustrated

2014            Published in Cloudline Apparel Blog

2013            Published in Behind the Bit

 

SELECT EXHIBITIONS

          

2018            Solo Exhibition Park City Fine Art "Motherhood" October 2018

2018            Artist in Residence Four Seasons Jackson Hole Dec-Apr 2018

2018            Tempe Festival of the Arts Juried Art Fair Tempe, AZ Mar 2018           

2017            Nonquitt Art Show Invitational South Dartmouth, MA July 2017

2017            Orvis Permanent Installation Jackson Hole, WY July 2017

2017            Jackson Hole Juried Art Fair Jackson Hole, WY July 2017

2017            Vail Festival of the Arts Vail, CO June 2016

2017            Solo Exhibition Teton Raptor Center Jackson Hole, WY May 2017

2017            Solo Exhibition Bozeman Art Walk Revolvr Bozeman, MT May 2017

2017            Mural Exhibit with Public Art, pARTners and Friends of Pathways Jackson Hole, WY May 2017

2017            Solo Exhibition Whole Grocer Jackson Hole, WY May 2017

2017            Rotating Solo Exhibitions Pita Jungle Scottsdale, Phoenix, Gilbert, Ongoing 2017

2017            Conception Arts Juried Art Exhibition – “Honorable Mention” Houston, TX March 2017

2017            Thunderbird Artist’s Carefree Juried Art Festival Carefree, AZ March 2017

2017            Solo Exhibition Penny Lane Cooperative Jackson Hole, WY February 2017

2016            Solo Exhibition Art Association of Jackson Hole “The Light that Shines From Within” Opening December 8th Center for the Arts Jackson Hole, WY December 2016

2016            Art Association of Jackson Hole’s Juried Christmas Art Fair Jackson Hole December 2016

2016            Wilson School House Juried Christmas Exhibition Wilson, WY December 2016

2016            Evergreen Winterfest Juried Art Fair Evergreen, CO December 2016

2016            The Art of Love Auction featured Artist Art Association of Jackson Hole October 2016

2016            Takin’ it to the Streets Juried Art Exhibition Fall Arts Festival Jackson Hole, WY September 2016

2016            Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist Jackson Hole, WY 2016

2016            Salter’s Point Art Show Invitational South Dartmouth, MA July 2016

2016            Shooting Star Solo Exhibition Women’s Golf Invitational Jackson Hole, WY July 2016

2016            Jackson Hole Juried Art Fair Jackson Hole, WY July 2016

2016            Duet Art Exhibition “Two Hilltops” with Ryan Sharpe Fulton Street Showroom Boise, ID June 2016

2016            Boston APP Lab/MGH Exhibition on the Water Boston, MA February 2016 

2015            Cocktails and Creatives Juried Art Exhibit The Rose Jackson Hole December 2015

2015             Phoenix Juried Festival of the Arts Phoenix, AZ December 2015

2015            Scottsdale Juried Art Festival Scottsdale, AZ November 2015

2015            Solo Art Exhibition Elevated Grounds Jackson Hole, WY July 2105

2015            Solo Exhibition Grand Teton Gallery Fine Art Jackson Hole, WY June 2015

2015            Solo Exhibition Grand Teton Gallery Fine Art Jackson Hole, WY May 2015

2015            Solo Exhibit/Permanent Installation Teton Springs Victor, ID May 2015/Ongoing

2015            Craft Brewer’s Conference Art and Brew Exhibit Portland, OR April 2015

2015            Solo Exhibition “All Life is an Experiment” The Rose Jackson Hole, WY March 2015

2014            Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist Jackson Hole, WY September 2014

2014            Cowboy Coffee Solo Art Exhibit Jackson Hole, WY August 2014

2014            The Q Roadhouse Solo Art Exhibit Jackson Hole, WY July 2014

2014            National Museum of Wildlife Art Display Jackson Hole, WY January 2014

2013            Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Featured Artist at Horizon Fine Art Gallery Live Demonstration Jackson Hole, WY September 2013

2012            Solo Exhibition Hoffman’s Downtown Santa Cruz, CA August 2012

2011            Solo Exhibition Hoffman’s Downtown Santa Cruz, CA August 2011

2010            Solo Exhibition Motiv Santa Cruz, CA June 2010

2010            Solo Exhibition River St. Studios Santa Cruz, CA May 2010

 

CORPORATE AND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

  • Orvis The Fly Fishing Company 50 Foot Metal Installation Jackson Hole, WY
  • Berkshire Hathaway Jackson Hole, WY
  • Camba Bavaria Brewery Truchtlachting, Germany
  • Gather Jackson Hole, WY
  • Jackson Hole Public Art Traffic Box Displays
  • Teton Raptor Center Jackson Hole, WY
  • Pita Jungle Scottsdale, AZ
  • Sola Café Bozeman, MT

 

 

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Over the past few years, I’ve come into myself. I’ve let go of insecurities in life and in my art. I’ve set goals, I’ve gone on adventures, I’ve scared the hell out of myself and most of all I’ve learned so much.


“All Life is an Experiment” is really the essence of how I’d like to live my life. My art is a reflection of that. Ralph Waldo Emerson is perhaps my favorite writer and philosopher and he said it best with this simple quote. Why not make the most out of life by experimenting with the short time we have on this Earth?

 

I've always tried to make life exciting, and I thought, up until I turned 29, that I was doing everything I could to live a fulfilling and adventurous life... but, that minute I turned 30 -- that realization that my twenties were over -- was the minute everything clicked. It's time to take advantage of my freedom and my youth... two things you can never get back.

 

I hope this is reflected in my art and I hope my bold use of color inspires you to make more adventures and experimental decisions in your day-to-day life. 

BASICS

  • Born 1984 in Jackson Hole, WY
  • Bachelors in the Arts from UCSC - Santa Cruz, CA 2006 History of Art and Visual Culture and Anthropology
  • Masters of the Arts National University - Santa Clara, CA 2011 Teaching and ABA

LINKS