"I've always been interested in representation. I rarely saw Black women depicted with the complexity, beauty, and imagination I knew existed in my own community. My work became a way to celebrate those stories while exploring identity, memory, and cultural inheritance through collage and portraiture."
K. Nicole creates vibrant mixed-media portraits exploring Black feminine identity, beauty and visibility. Through fashion, pattern, and mixed media collage she presents Black women as joyful, imaginative and self-defined. Her figures celebrate personal style while also considering how Black women see themselves and how they are seen by the world. Moving between everyday glamour and deeper cultural, historical and spiritual narratives, her work expands the visual possibilities of Black womanhood.
"I am a black woman. Don't look beyond me. Don't see through me. Look me in the eye. Hold my gaze. Listen to my heart. See my soul. See me for who I am"
Artist CV
Group Exhibitions
2025
Shadows of My Labor, Chesapeake Arts Center, Brooklyn, MD, US, 2025
She: DC, Shop Made in DC, Georgetown, Washington, DC, US, 2025
St. Mary’s Art Council Sugar Madness June 2025
Women’s Caucus for Art: Mother Nature June 24 - October 5, 2025
Maryland Federation of Art, Summer Member Art Show, Martino Gallery at Maryland Hall
2026
Cultural Kaleidoscopes, City of Gaithersburg, MD, US, January 2026
Her Canvas, Her Voice, Urban Art Gallery Digital Exhibition, Women’s Month Exhibition, Forbidden Fruit, March 2026
Her Maryland,Chesapeake Arts Center, Brooklyn, MD, 2025
She: DC | Shop Made in DC, Georgetown, Washington, DC, 2026
Bloodlines and Brushstrokes, Black Art Foundation, Roots 50th Art Auction, May 2026
Legacy: Chesapeake Arts Center's 25th Anniversary Exhibition, June-August 2026
Life, Love, and Everything She Creates, Virtual Exhibition, August 2026
Press
Artist Up Close, 10/14/25
https://www.artistcloseup.com/blog/artist-profile-k-nicole
Telling Our Own Stories Digital Anthology, 2026
Darling Nikki Anthology, Artist Contributor, Flip the Script Publishing, March 2026
Art Books
Graceful Elegance: A Coloring Journal for Wise Women of Color
Reflections of Black Womanhood: A Coloring Journal for Self-Discovery: Portrait of A Black Woman
Retail (Fine Art Cards and Art Prints)
Sold at/previously sold at The Baltimore Museum of Art, African American Museum of Dallas, Martha's Vineyard Life Studio
Surface Pattern Design
Spoonflower-several print designs for fabric and home
Contrado-exclusive print Black Girl Magic Toile de Jouy
Professional Experience
Visual Art Instructor| Saint Mary’s County Public Schools|2016-present
Exhibiting Artist & Vendor | Black Girl Art Show | March 2023, February 2024, August 2025, August 2026|Selected to showcase and sell original artwork in a highly competitive, curated national art exhibition. Designed and curated a visually compelling exhibition booth to optimize attendee engagement and highlight a cohesive portfolio theme. Networked with industry professionals, collectors, and peers to expand professional reach and secure future commission opportunities.
Exhibiting Artist & Vendor |Artfest|Annmarie Gardens| September 2025 |Successfully juried into a highly competitive, 30-acre outdoor fine arts festival alongside hundreds of national visual artists. Curated and structured a cohesive portfolio display within a custom exhibition booth space to communicate an artistic narrative and capture consumer interest. Networked with local collectors, galleries, and industry peers to expand outreach, and securing long-term client leads.
