Nikki Painter

Nikki Painter is a Virginia-based artist whose mixed-media works are inspired by the natural world. She has had solo shows at Second Street Gallery, Shockoe Artspace, and COOP Gallery, among others. Her work has been part of numerous group exhibitions, including shows at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and the Daegu Arts Center in South Korea.

Painter has attended artist residencies across the country, and her work is included in many private and public collections, including those of Notre Dame of Maryland University, Capital One, and the Katzen Museum. She was awarded a Fellowship for Works on Paper in 2022 by the Virginia Commission for the Arts. She resides in suburban Richmond with her husband and a growing collection of houseplants.


Artist Statement

My mixed-media Garden works on paper combine drawing and collage to portray plants in patterned spaces. I call them “gardens” because I imagine them as places that are alive and changing.

Observing nature and hand-drawing intricate patterns are forms of meditation for me. Patterns within my Night Gardens are not decorative: they imply depth and space, and they build a buzzing energy. The works’ tonal darkness contrasts their subject matter, as we expect flowers to be cheerful. Black patterns add gravitas and serve as a reminder that beauty can have an edge.

Through an abundance of visual information, my Garden works celebrate the complexity of existence. I want them to remind viewers that while our lives are fragile and always changing, they are also filled with astonishing beauty.


https://nikkipainter.com