Who is Nick?
ALOHA, I'M NICK
I am an Oahu based artist that loves capturing our favorite locations of this ‘aina (land) we call home through my line of vintage-inspired surf and travel art.
My creative process takes me throughout the islands where I look for inspiration at surf spots, hikes, lookouts, historic sites and more...did I mention I love my job? Onsite sketching and photographs are then taken into my studio where I use a mix of acrylic washes and digital illustration to bring my vision of these locales to life.
I grew up drawing and surfing in Florida. After graduating from the primary colors, I attended Auburn University where I earned a degree in Industrial Design. Catching waves, spending time at the beach with my wife and twins, listening to Muddy Waters and driving my VW bus are a few of my favorite things. I’m inspired by the early days of surfing and beach culture, including the vintage color palette, typography, and nostalgia that goes with it. I’ve been blessed to have collaborated with Patagonia, Birdwell Beach Britches, and Jamba Juice to name a few. Most recently, I was the official artist for the 2018 Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard Race.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Back in 2010, My wife was looking for some wall decor for our apartment. She couldn't find the vintage Hawaii surf map she envisioned in her head. She asked me to illustrate one, which led to me exploring how to visually capture some of our favorite spots in Hawai‘i. Several boutiques and galleries started to take note of my retro styled Hawaiian travel prints and slowly but surely my work started to become available in shops throughout the islands and beyond. It's been such a blessing to be able to do what I love and I am beyond stoked when someone enjoys my work as much as I enjoyed creating it. Aloha!
