Meet Nikki Vee | Yoga Instructor & Musician

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

Hi Nikki, why did you pursue a creative career?
I love tapping into my imagination, trying new things, and making a space aesthetically pleasing. It brings me a lot of joy to create something that can inspire and bring hope. Music, art, and movement have always bee a huge part of my life and I am grateful that I have opportunities to include all these outlets into my creative endeavors.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I’ve always enjoyed making new things and watching how it all comes together. Most recently I have been creating digital mandalas. It has been a truly meditative practice for me. I also enjoy painting and usually lean towards a more abstract artistic feel. Music has always been a central focus in my life. I enjoy writing my own songs on guitar or ukulele. I’ve also written several kirtan songs on my harmonium. It has been such a gift to be able to process feelings through art and music and even more so to be able to share that gift with others. I do sometimes struggle with creativity, taking breaks from my craft is important to reignite the flame, as long as I don’t stay away for too long! There are times that I doubt my art or music skills, but that is where practice, diligence, and fun really come into play. I can’t take myself too seriously all the time! Having an outlet in the arts has truly helped me process some of life’s biggest challenges and has helped me find the words to move through them to the other side. Life on earth without art is just eh and that’s no way to live! Long live the creative arts!!

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.
Living in Fort Collins, CO there are so many amazing places to check out and visit! I love the hot springs, so that would be top of the list to visit. Two of my favourites are Strawberry Park Hot Springs in Steamboat, CO and Glenwood Hot Springs in Glenwood, CO. Fort Collins is a very bike friendly town and I love to road bike, so a bike ride to check out the town is a must. There is lots of live music happening in the summer, too! The Food Truck rally in City Park on Tuesdays is so fun and delicious and my favourite restaurant in town is DGT. They serve the most unique tacos. It’s a hidden gem located in an alley off Laurel St. Social is a great place to get a cocktail and I love Alley Cat for coffee! Wolverine Farms is a great little place to check out on the weekend. They often have live music and their vibe is just great! I enjoy playing disc golf (although I am not very good!) and my favourite course is in LaPorte. For a great outdoor musical experience, Mishawaka is the place to be! It’s right up the Poudre Canyon on the river. Red Rocks is cool too, but a show at the Mish is so much more magical in my opinion! And of course, Boulder and Estes Park are only an hour away, so a day trip to either would be worth the trip! There’s so much to do in Boulder, too much to list! Estes Park is home of Rocky Mountain National Park, which is just incredible – so many hikes and wildlife and beauty. Can’t be missed!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am grateful for the yoga training I received and people that I have met through Holistic Yoga School. It has helped me to create a beautiful practice of my own and has given me the tools to weave together two things that I love; yoga and music. I am very big on self-discovery, so I am constantly learning new things, mostly recently taking a training for yoga and kirtan with Janet Stone. A few books that I’ve read recently that have helped shape my current state of mind are: Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott and Change Me Prayers by Tosha Silver.

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