Art & Life with Nick Carmichael

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Carmichael.

Nick, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
In the summer of 2017, my wife Allison and I, were celebrating our 10th Anniversary with a “Grand Tour” of Northern Arizona, including the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. As a lifelong hat lover, all I really wanted as a souvenir was a great hat. All of the options that were available at the gift shops were either not of a high enough quality or a style that suited me and they would have collected dust in the closet.

I was able to find an embroidered patch that was about the right size and I decided to put it on a blank hat myself. I was happy with the finished product but I kept coming back to the reality that I had to go to such great lengths to obtain a hat that I was proud to wear to represent the great state of Arizona.

I knew I wanted to fill this hole in the market and got to work. As a high-school teacher, and a father of 3, I worked well into the night learning about hats, patches, and sketching out some designs I thought represented Arizona. Iconic Arizona is the company that was born as a result. While my artistic style is still developing, I am focusing on highlighting the most recognizable features of the iconic locations that Arizona has to offer.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I start with a photograph of an Iconic Arizona Location, sometimes even my own, and I try to pull out the most recognizable features: Praying Monk at Camelback, The San Francisco Peaks of Flagstaff, Cathedral Rock in Sedona, the edge of Mogollon Rim, the desert floor leading up to Four Peaks, and the mittens at Monument Valley, are some examples.

Through some trial and error, I have found that embroidered patches, especially on a hat, look best when they are simple and stand out. They need to fit onto the crown of a hat and be recognizable from at least a short distance so space is at a premium. I will sketch out the photograph, simplifying it to what is absolutely necessary and then add in some details, being careful to keep the essence of the photograph.

I really just want people to be able to celebrate the places they have been or love to go back to over and over again, the places that that make Arizona iconic by putting them on their brim.

How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Even if one single individual is willing to purchase one hat or one patch, then I feel successful as an artist/designer.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
The art is available on the hats and patches that we sell through www.iconicarizona.com. We also will occasionally appear at different art fairs and festivals, particularly the Phoenix Flea (@phxflea). You can follow us @iconicarizona on Instagram for any and all updates of appearances and new designs.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iconicarizona.com
• Phone: 6023323041
• Email: iconicarizona@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iconicarizona/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iconicarizona/

Image Credit:
Nick Carmichael.

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