Nick Baxter shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Nick, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately I love creating lifelike videos of miniature scale remote controlled vehicles that look full size. Attempting to create something immersive while enjoying the outdoors is a great escape, although truly it is still within the scope of my work as an artist or creative to be making things and creating content that showcases my vision and skill, so I don’t really think there is an outside of work for me or any artist. Every moment of our lives and everything we do contributes in some indirect way to our creative energy, getting or being inspired, our vision, or our actual work, or recovering from our work to get ready to make more of it. I believe in a holistic approach to life.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a multifaceted artist, specializing in realism painting, illustrative tattooing, and like I mentioned previously, now foraying into constructing and documenting realistic miniatures in 3 dimensions. My training in art college was in graphic design so that is something I’ve done sporadically by commission throughout the years as well.
I’ve been immersed full time in artistic work and study for over 25 years now, and with the experience and knowledge I’ve acquired I also teach seminars to other tattooers and offer one on one painting workshops for oil painters.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
Although we didn’t enjoy a great relationship while I was growing up, my father taught me by example how to work hard, how to pursue big, difficult goals and creative projects with obsessive focus and determination. Throughout my childhood he went through a many years long process of building a 44 foot trimaran (sailboat) out of wood in our garage and basement, then sailed that boat across the Atlantic Ocean and back in the early 2000s.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I learned to use my suffering as artistic inspiration early on in my life, and for me this has been a way to transform pain into beauty. Of course that can result in some art that’s intense or off-putting to those who prefer the lighthearted energies far away from the deep end of the pool, but it’s a quite necessary process of self-regulation that helps me make sense of my human condition and what I have experienced in life. Because there is a creative output at the end of that process, to me it is powerful, or represents power–the human will to make something of meaning or value that may contribute to another person feeling seen or understood, or understanding their own self a little better.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
The truth of simply being honestly myself in all situations, having true integrity and authenticity to who I feel that I am, flaws and all.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in a creative flow state, working with my hands and/or mind, making something, getting lost in the process of problem solving to achieve a goal. I believe this is a mind state outside of ego, where the confines of self can melt away, revealing true presence. It can have a spiritual or meditative quality, or it can also be existential simplicity without any attached meaning. But above all it is pure, to the extent that it is all consuming and you aren’t performing it as a role to be observed or for validation.
it can be really powerful in a tattoo process, since there is another human being on the receiving end who may be achieving their own state of self release and surrender, or completely understanding and vibing with where you’re at mentally in that moment. These types of shared experiences can be unique and powerful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nickbaxter.com, www.artrealmtattoo.com
- Instagram: @burningxhope , @nobrakesrc
- Youtube: @NickBaxterArt
