Posts by Nicholas Wilton

The secret to painting boldly isn’t getting it perfect the first time—it’s embracing a two-step process that keeps you free. Make your bold move first without overthinking, then come back and adjust. This approach lets you stay wild and authentic in your mark-making while still achieving the results you’re after. When you trust that you…

You know that painting you’ve been working on? The one that’s about 80% there and you absolutely love it? But there’s something that still needs to shift for it to feel complete. Maybe the contrast isn’t quite right, or the color needs to be pushed just a little more. So you stare at it. You…

You know that feeling when you work on a painting for hours… and at the end of the day, you realize you haven’t actually made it any better? You think you’re improving it. But somehow it never really gets stronger. It’s so frustrating. My dad had this saying when I was growing up about putting…

After years and years of making art, I’ve come to a conclusion that might surprise you. At the center of everything that feels amazing in life… is your art. Not success. Not recognition. Not even selling your work. Your art. The real stuff. The work that feels like you. For too many years, I made…

You know what used to absolutely kill me? Creating a body of work for a show. The stress was unreal. I’d think about it constantly—lying in bed at night, worrying if I had seven pieces that worked and six that didn’t. What’s the show even going to be called? Is this all going to come…

You know what I hear constantly? All the reasons people can’t make their art… “I need to wait until I have enough confidence.” “I don’t have time.” “I need a proper studio first.” Or my personal favorite—“I have to wait until my weird relatives who judge everything move away.” I’ve heard them all. Trust me.…