Meet Nicholas Ward

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

Hi Nicholas, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin. This book reinvigorated my sense of self-worth. Though this book can be dense and I didn’t necessarily resonate with every single word of it, it made me feel seen and understood. This book made me feel less alone as a visual thinker in a world that so values and nurtures verbal thinking. It had me in tears at a number of different points.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My artwork largely focuses on telling human stories and embraces the embellishments that so often happen in storytelling, myth and folklore. I distort my scenes with embellishments of my own to help tell a grand story to draw the viewer in.

I’m most proud of the growth I’ve had in the last few years. I was working part time in a coffee shop to help make ends meet as I pursued this career in the arts. Then the pandemic hit and that job came to an abrupt end- it also presented me with a unique opportunity to really chase this dream of making my artwork my sole profession. So I took that time seriously, I really kept my head down and worked hard during those uncertain months- I’m sure too it was my own way of coping with all the uncertainty of that time- losing myself in my small studio in the shed behind my house.

No this journey hasn’t been -and still isn’t- easy, but I love it. I remember an artist-talk I attended during my time at the University of Denver. I remember the artist saying “Don’t become an artist unless you can’t do anything else,” I remember thinking to myself- what a blowhard- get over yourself-but I’ve come to understand why they said that. Persistence may be the single greatest asset in an art career- a career in the arts comes not only with the challenges of entrepreneurship- how hard you have to work, the many different hats one has to wear as a sole proprietor, but it also comes with all the self-doubt, impostor syndrome, and penny pinching of the art world.

So it’s not easy, it can feel lonely and discouraging but I still wouldn’t change it– such delight, fulfillment and pride, too, comes with being an artist by trade. How thankful I am to be doing what I love, sometimes I feel that there could be no happier thing.

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.
Wash park stroll with coffee, probably bop into the surrounding neighborhoods to admire the historic homes around there. Lunch at Leven Deli Co, visit the new exhibit at the Denver Art Museum, or stroll the botanic gardens, Afternoon bike ride along Cherry Creek Trail, a hang on my friends front porch for a chat and a couple of beers. For dinner, some small bites at Cart Driver in RiNo, sunset bike around city park, and finishing the night at PS Lounge on Colfax.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ll dedicate my shoutout to my art instructor and mentor Libby Barbee. I really connected with Libby in my time at the University of Denver. Her clear instruction, willingness to allow her students to chase an idea- and to help them achieve that idea, joviality, thoughtfulness, and one-on-0ne time she made for her students really made my time at DU memorable and helped shape my career. I feel lucky to have maintained this relationship with such a brilliant artist and person- well after graduation. Thank you Libby!

Website: nwardstudios.com

Instagram: @nward_studios

Image Credits
Heather Bayer, Sarah Overbeck