Meet Nicholas Baxter: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicholas Baxter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicholas, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
“Life is inherently sacred, and it must be lived with sacred intensity and purpose.” –Sogyal Rinpoche This quote reminds me to put all of my effort, care, and passion into everything I choose to do, and to truly value my brief time on this Earth by living a life of my choosing, with worthy and important goals of my choosing. My career as an artist is the natural and perfect outgrowth of this attitude and intention. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been a professional artist for over 20 years, both in painting and in tattooing. My path in getting to where I am now has been an unconventional one, as I dropped out of art college to pursue an apprenticeship in tattooing, and then got back to my fine art learning after becoming a successful tattooer, by attending numerous workshops and classes over the years. I’ve always had a strong D.I.Y. ethic and independent spirit, as well as a determination to do things in a way that feels right to me, for better or for worse. Because of this I have a unique experience of being immersed in two different artistic genres or pursuits of painting and tattooing, which sometimes intersect. Through it all I’ve been able to maintain my own sense of artistic identity, creating art that is meaningful and fulfilling to me regardless of how it fits into a scene or genre, or how commercially successful it may or may not be. It’s my authentic expression of truth.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots in my city of Austin are the wild and natural areas. Lost Pines preserve is a real gem and often goes under the radar. I’m lucky enough to live on Lake Travis, next to a wildlife refuge and some great parks which I get to enjoy on a regular basis. The city itself has so many restaurants and interesting places, and is always changing so rapidly. My favorite area to dine or hang out has always been the east side.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve had great mentorship and teaching from British artist Edward Povey and his wife Donna Tolar, when they used to live in my area and offered classes at their studio. I also had great learning experiences at Paier College of Art in Connecticut (where I’m from) and Grand Central Atelier in NYC.

Website: www.nickbaxter.com, www.nbaxter.com, www.artrealmtattoo.com
Instagram: @burningxhope
Twitter: @burningxhope
Youtube: @nicholasbaxterart

Image Credits
all images credit nicholas baxter