Print for Tiny Showcase!

 "Absorbed"

By Nicole Gustafsson

Edition of 100

6 x 8 inches

$20.00
SOLD OUT

I'm super excited to be part of Tiny Showcase again! Tiny Showcase features high quality affordable prints, and portions of the proceeds go to a charity of the artists choosing. Below is information about the charity I chose.

"Nicole has chosen the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers as her artwork's charity. The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers identifies teenagers with exceptional artistic and literary talent and brings their work to a national audience through The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Awards have a legacy dating back to 1923 and a noteworthy roster of past winners including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford and Joyce Carol Oates. The Awards are an important opportunity for students to be recognized for their creative talents. Teens in grades 7 through 12 can apply in 30 categories of art and writing for the chance to earn scholarships and have their works exhibited or published. $250 dollars from the sale of Nicole's artwork will be donated to the organization."

I chose this organization to support because I had the opportunity to participate in it when I was in high school. It was very exciting and it helped me gain confidence in my artwork! It is so important for young people to have the opportunity to showcase their strengths in the arts and and I am very thankful for the art events I got to participate in growing up.

Visit Tiny Showcase to purchase the print. Thanks!

Upcoming Show at West Nebraska Art Center

SMALL TALES
New paintings by Nicole Gustafsson
West Nebraska Arts Center
106 E 18th Street  |  Scottsbluff, NE 69361  |  308-632-2226

Showing March 4 - 27, 2011
Reception: Friday, March 4th, 6 - 8pm

Birthday Sale

Today is my birthday!
To celebrate use coupon code "ITSMYBDAY" to receive 20% OFF anything in my shop.
Just use the coupon code in checkout to receive your discount.  Coupon is good for today only!

Have a great sweethearts day! 

*Thank you accomplice-in-life for the wonderful cake*

Adventure in the Crystal Glades

I just added some tee shirts to my online store!
The illustration features a rabbit explorer sailing in the mysterious crystal glades.

Available in sizes S - M - L
White ink printed on Heather Lake Blue colored T-shirt by American Apparel.
The t-shirt is at 50/50 blend of Poly-Cotton and Polyester making it a super soft comfortable t-shirt.

Sweethearts Card Set up in shop!

Love is in the air!
New illustrated cards are now available in my shop in time for Valentine's Day or for an anytime surprise for your sweetheart.

Featuring four different illustrated designs:

Hug Kiss

Flutter

Smitten Kitten

Love Bunnies

Available in a 4 card set or individually in my online store.

Thanks for coming!

Thank you everyone who made it out to Screen Ink last night for the reception!
It was great to see both new and familiar faces. Here's some photos from the evening.

 There was live screen printing that night on t-shirts.
Here the color is being printed by the pro's at Screen Ink!
 

The show will be up at Screen Ink for the entire month of February.

Store Hours:

Monday thru Friday: 9am - 5pm

Pantone Forest Reception Tonight!

Hung the show up yesterday, and it's always exciting to see everything come together. Stop on by tonight if your in the area. I'm baking cupcakes and their will be other snacks and fun stuff tonight! 

PLUS there will be live screen printing with this illustration I created so bring a shirt ($10 to print on your own shirt) or you can buy one there for $15. (we will be printing with both white and navy so it doesn't matter if it's a light or dark shirt.)

Think Warm *leafy* Thoughts

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory - Photo from their website.

It seems this winter as it gets colder and colder, I tend to want to escape to someplace warm (We're in a winter storm warning right now).  I thought of my friend who lives up in Minnesota who gets blasted with snow even more than we do here in Nebraska....and do you know where she goes to de-thaw in the city? The Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Conservatory, 9.75 x 13.75, Gouache & Ink on Paper, 2011

I went there last year when I was visiting and was quite taken with the place. All the wonderful plants, and warm air, people just strolling around enjoying the scenery. The Como Conservatory is the inspiration behind this painting. I like visiting greenhouses anyway, but this was my first official conservatory. I think my perfect studio would be part plant room :)

Here are a few photos from my visit there last year. 

For some reason I didn't take any photos of the building which was really interesting itself.

Upcoming Show at Screen Ink!

Pantone Forest

Paintings by Nicole Gustafsson

Exhibit Showing February 4th - 25th

Reception: Friday, February 4th, 7:00pm - 10:00pm
At Screen Ink

416 South 11th Street  |  Lincoln, NE

If your in the area please stop on by for the reception next Friday. 

There will be live screen printing on T-Shirts with a design I created, plus food & drink and friends!

Organizing in the New Year

 I find that it's always more productive to work in a clean organized space, so that has been my project for the New Year. I got some great little white drawers to have a spot for all my Etsy materials (envelopes, tags,  bags, ribbon, labels).

It also gave me a better way to display my terrariums and various gems and minerals.

I also built this little coat hanger (scarf hanger for the moment) this weekend.

Painted pine board + white frame + hooks = finally a place to put my coat and hat when I come in the door!

        Into the Twilight Zone, 11x11, Gouache & Ink, 2010               Evil-Lyn's Quiet Time, 11x11, Gouache & Ink, 2009           

I'm making way for new work and having a mini studio sale. These two original paintings are looking for a new home. They are over 75% OFF their orginal price!!!

They are available for purchase at my Online Store!

Snow Day!

Today was the first day where we got a "pretty snow" where I live in Nebraska, and also meanings that it's a SNOW DAY! All the schools are closed and many businesses are taking a day off. For me, I'm catching up on some design work and painting some new pieces for my upcoming show.

Here is a sampling of paintings that will be in my upcoming show at Screen Ink. All of these are painted on Rives BFK paper. I originally bought it (way too much!) for my printmaking because it is great for etchings, but I also found that it is great for painting too! It's nice and cushy/smooth to paint on. (Goodbye way-too-expensive watercolor paper - for now anyway!)

Have a great *snow* day!

New Paintings - New Shows!

Fishing Fun, 15.25 x 11.5, Gouache & Ink on Paper, 2011

Here's the first painting of 2011! "Fishing Fun" is for a solo show at Screen Ink next month.
Lots of fun projects planned this year and below is a list of gallery shows that I will be participating in.

January - "Is This Thing on?" 100 Artists take aim at funny people" at Gallery 1988 Melrose, Los Angeles, CA

February - "Pantone Forest" Solo Show at Screen Ink, Lincoln, NE

March - "Art Blocks for Ghana" at Gallery Nucleus, Alhambra CA

April - Three Person Show with Todd Brown & Cody Carson Brown at Prairie Winds, Grand Island, NE

May -  Open!

June - "10th Anniversary of Wet Hot American Summer" Gallery 1988 Venice, Venice, CA

July - "Crazy 4 Cult 5 at Gallery 1988 Melrose - Los Angeles, CA
August - Open!
September - "Tribute To Old-School Video Games" Gallery 1988 Venice, Venice CA
October - "Solo Show" at Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Nebraska City, NE

November - "Gifts from the Heart" at Lux Center for the Arts, Lincoln, NE

December - "Holiday Showcase" at Graham Gallery, Hastings, NE

There are also a few events still in the works such as a book release this summer! 

I also hope to do the Desert Bus for Hope fundraiser again next November.

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For folks in Nebraska my work can be seen in person at Graham Gallery and 
the Lux Center for the Arts in their gallery year round.

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My work is also available at my online store!

Check it out for new cards, t-shirts, tote bags, and original paintings

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For those of you who want to stay connected join my Facebook page "nimasprout" 

or 

Twitter for announcements, thoughts and the occasional free art giveaways!

For the Birds

Bullfinch, 3x3, Gouache & Ink, 2010

For the last month or two, lots of little birds have been visiting our porch (now identified as Dark-Eyed Junco's thanks to facebook friends and their sweet bird identifying skills). The porch is right next to where I paint and do my design work so I've been really enjoying their fluttering about.

Purple Finch, 3 x 3, Gouache & Ink, 2010

Northern Saw-Whet Owl, 3 x 3, Gouache & Ink 2010

 I've since bought and received (thanks!) bird books to use for reference, and needless to say birds will be my new subject matter for a while!

These three little feathered friends were given as x-mas gifts. I really enjoyed painting these and might include some in an upcoming show at Prairie Winds in Grand Island this April.

Update: Desert Bus & Mario

"Super Mario Galaxy", 5x7, Gouache & Ink, 2010

Back in November, Desert Bus for Hope had a fundraiser for Child's Play. The event raised a grand total of $208,349.82! They beat last years goal and raised money to give toys and games to children in Hospitals this holiday season.

One of my donations for Desert Bus's silent auction was a custom 5×7 original gouache painting on paper, featuring the winner bidders favorite video game. (I also threw in a t-shirt & custom painted ornaments to sweeten the deal).

The winning bidder choose Super Mario Galaxy for the inspiration behind their piece. Now I had never played this specific game but I am a HUGE Mario fan. So I did the best painting "research" ever and borrowed the game and played away. It is an amazingly beautiful game and joy to play!!! It certainly helped me do this little painting above with Mario and a little star "Luma".

I just want to say "Thank You" to the winning bidder for their generosity and helping raise money for Desert Bus & Child's play.

10% Off Coupon Code

I'm having a sale in my online store. 

Just use coupon code "PEPPERMINT" in checkout to receive 10% off anything in my shop. 

There are original paintings, hand-painted ornaments, tee shirts, cards, and prints!

Sale going on now until Wednesday evening.

Birds + Crystals

"Poof", 5x7, Gouache & Ink, 2010

Here is a little piece I did a couple weeks ago for the Holiday Showcase at Graham Gallery, in Hastings, NE. It is part of my bird + crystal series inspired by a recent trip to a sweet Rock & Gem exhibit.

There was this incredible crystal there, and it just mystifies me how they got it from the site intact without any of the delicate crystals breaking. 

I also got some bird seed to incise some birds to my porch, so far I haven't been able to identify what kind they are but they are super adorable and make me smile (and my cats tail flick with keen interest!).

This painting and the others in the series are available at Graham Gallery till the end of the month.

Leaf Jump!

Here is a t-shirt that I designed and had printed at Screen Ink here in town (pssst....I'm having a show there this February!!!).

These shirts printed on American Apparel tri-blend which is a super comfortable (think your favorite vintage tshirt that is amazingly soft).

"Leaf Jump" T-shirts are available in my Etsy store.

Desert Bus for Hope!

I love playing video games. I grew up playing Mario with my friends and sisters and lots of fun times then and now. I was happy to donate a piece of art (and a custom piece) for Desert Bus for Hope to raise funds for Child's Play who provides games, books, and toys for children in hospitals.

Child's Play was created by web comic Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik of Penny Arcade.
"Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 40 hospitals worldwide. In four short years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars."

"Treasure!" 5  x 7, Gouache & Ink, 2010

My pieces on the silent auction go live tomorrow. One of my favorite games was "The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker", and I based my painting around Link treasure hunting for rupees.

Bid on my painting "Treasure!" based on the video game "Legend of Zelda: Windwaker" here! SOLD for $1,500!

Bid on my custom piece (original painting based on your favorite video game) here!  SOLD for $1,702!

There's lots of great artwork artwork and bid get some really cool stuff, while providing children in hospitals with gifts to brighten their day.

Craftacular Today!

 Tonight is the Craftacular event at Zen's here in Lincoln!

5:00pm - 8:00pm  

At Zen's Martini Lounge  |  122 N. 11th Street, Lincoln, NE 

I'll have original paintings, prints, cards, T-shirts, and hand-painted ornaments. Hope to see you there!

Winter Wonderland Cards

Just got my holiday cards in and added to my shop! 

And for one night only I will have a table at Craftacular at Zen's here in Lincoln. It's Thursday night from 5 - 8pm. Come on by and see what local artists are up to and get some early x-mas shopping in!