Check out Nigel Clouse’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nigel Clouse.

Nigel, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I was born and raised in Winchester, Indiana; a rural community located in the Rust Belt. I spent much of my childhood near my maternal grandparents; descendants of the infamous Hatfield and McCoy feud and bootleggers during prohibition—they instilled me with their love of classic films. I am a child of the 1980s and was extremely interested in art and computers in a time before cellular phones, cable television, and the internet. I was enrolled in both art and computer community education courses early in life, attended classes at the John Heron Institute of Art during high school, and completed my undergraduate degree in digital design at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. I moved to Phoenix after attaining my bachelor’s degree and worked as a creative in the valley for over a decade.

I soon discovered I wasn’t happy with life as a commercial artist and moved to San Diego to gain my master’s degree in psychology. The time I spent in California allowed me the opportunity to contemplate life, develop plans for the future, and select the path I wanted to take. I ultimately decided to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming an artist and moved back to Arizona to start a family—beginning the next chapter of my life. I now spend my days caring for my son and work as an artist through the night.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am best known for my pop surrealistic digital composites incorporating femme fatales, pop culture references, and dystopian themes. I had a chance encounter with an Andy Warhol documentary during my youth and it forever altered my perception of art and life. My aesthetic is influenced by over two decades of life spent living in the Rust Belt; witnessing manufacturing communities built on the Industrial Revolution decaying due to globalization, greed, and corruption. I observed the death of the American Dream every day I opened the door, so I attempt to convey this in my work.

I use a lexicon of pop culture references, vintage photography, and glitched graphics to create a unique story in each composition. It is my hope the audience may immerse themselves in the work and slowly discover the intricate details during their journey. I believe everyone who views my art will have a different experience based on how they perceive the imagery and how these icons are defined in their vocabulary.

I chose to work in digital media when creating art as the technology is extremely versatile and provides me with the ability to create and manipulate graphics at the finite level. I began experimenting with glitched graphics in my pieces several years ago and am now working on an entire series based solely on the glitch. I identify with the glitch because it has been something within my environment since I was born and has progressed with me throughout my life in different forms. I believe glitches are unique—often individualistic—encounters where chance, chaos, and aesthetic combine to form art.

Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
I believe artists throughout the ages have always had an obligation to comment on the events of their time. In the era of the information superhighway, the news is unavoidable and will certainly impact artists due to the ease of accessing information. I believe Web 2.0 provides artists the platform to instantly comment on current events, networks them with an audience, and broadcasts them globally.

My art is littered with social commentary on environmental, economic, and labor policies. It comments on current events, personal experiences, and includes philosophical questions on morality, ethics, society, and technology. I believe as an artist it is my role to leave behind a visual diary of my life, my perspective, and the times I live in. I want to leave my mark on the world and art is the best way I can achieve this goal.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have an upcoming solo show at {9} The Gallery in February 2019, which will feature my most recent work examining the glitch. The internet is a great place to see my work as I am active on social media. I use Instagram and Twitter to keep everyone updated on works in progress, new pieces, events, and personal tidbits. I have a website containing my most recent work, which connects to my store if anyone is interested in owning a piece.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nigelclouse.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/nigelclouse
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/NigelClouse

Image Credit:
Justin Smith

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