A creator at heart—Nicole’s been drawing, writing and painting for as long as she could hold a pencil. Tapped in high school to join a specialized art program Marin School of the Arts, Nicole quickly ascended in recognition for visual arts, including securing an SF Academy of Art University scholarship to attend college courses while still in high school. In 2020, spurred by the world-pandemic to fully pursue her heart’s desire in work, she dived into and completed the contemporary Milan Art Institute, finalizing her transformation of passion to profession.
Behind the Artist
Hailing from the Bay Area, but with Middle Eastern roots, Nicole is known for mixed media oil paintings that fuse realism and impressionism. She creates textured, stylized pieces to channel her ancient homeland, with each painting becoming a portal to connect with the rich Palestinian culture, land, animals, and resistance.
The “Stroke of the Wild” moniker refers firstly as a nod to the litany of her collectors' top comments: that movement is infused into each line; and secondly to her preferred subjects: wildlife and wild women.
Studio & Home
Nicole’s studio moves with her throughout the California coast—but can now be found in a suburban Bay Area apartment, from which her easel’s upper-deck perch can enjoy the backdrop of lemon trees and a meandering creek. Here lies a rich legacy of activism in the surrounding cities—Oakland and SF, which notably birthed the Black Panthers—which Nicole plans on channeling into upcoming "artivism" initiatives in her near future.
Her original paintings have a stylized finish, but they result from fine art, archival techniques of layering flowing inks, acrylic washes, rich oil paint, and final textures. Likewise prints, crafted with archival inks on high-quality velvet paper, are a lasting testament to her authentic creations.
