r. mike nichols
I received my BFA in Illustration and Masters in Art from
California State University, Long Beach.
I worked for many years as a freelance Illustrator for various
magazines, card companies and non-profits. I have also shown my work in many exhibits and galleries and
I have received numerous awards along the way.
I moved to Riverside in 2002 from San Francisco. I am a member of Watercolor West (WW), National Watercolor Society (NWS), American Watercolor Society (AWS), and the Riverside Art Museum (RAM).
My work was chosen to become a poster in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 “Future of Reading” Competition. For the past eight years I have donated my art to help raise funds for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) and have also served as a judge for the children’s art portion of the exhibit. Recently I completed a commission for RCDAS to adorn the exterior walls of their new facility with silhouettes of animals. Follow the "Silhouettes" link if you would like to see a short video on the project Silhouettes.
Currently I am focusing on my watercolor work and my series on Floating Men. One of my goals is to become a Signature Member of American Watercolor Society-AWS, National Watercolor Society-NWS, San Diego Watercolor Society-SDWS and/or Watercolor West-WW.
"Lilly and the Bottlebrush" (2009) and "Three Palms" (2011) were accepted into the NWS All Members Show. In 2010 "Followed While Floating" was accepted into Pennsylvania Watercolor Society's 31st Annual International Juried Exhibition and the Triton Museum All California Water Media Exhibition. "Three Palms" was accepted into the 2010 Butte County Watercolor Exhibition and was chosen by the BCWS Board as the cover art for the exhibition postcard. "Aloe Again" received the Ann Pierce Award in the 2011 Butte County Watercolor Exhibition. "Reflective Floating" was accepted into the 31st Annual International San Diego Watercolor Society Exhibition-2011 and "Blue Koi" was accepted into the 32nd Annual International San Diego Watercolor Society Exhibition-2012. The Northwest Watercolor Society's 72nd Annual Open International Exhibition-2012 accepted "Balboa Park Turtles". With almost 1000 entries "Topsy Turvy" was one of 93 entries that made it into the 92nd Annual Open Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society-2012.
In 2008 my acrylic painting "White Monsta" became a part of the permanent collection of the Riverside Art Museum. My acrylic "Floating 1" received a Best of Show in the 2009 CAA Founder's Day Show and it was juried into the 2010 All-Media Exhibition at the Palos Verdes Art Center. "Mystery Man" received Best of Show in the 2011 Dominick Frascella Exhibition and will be included in Splash 14-Light & Color.
I work in both watercolor on paper and acrylic on canvas and masonite. I would describe my paintings as expressionistic realism with a dash of whimsy.
I moved to Riverside in 2002 from San Francisco. I am a member of Watercolor West (WW), National Watercolor Society (NWS), American Watercolor Society (AWS), and the Riverside Art Museum (RAM).
My work was chosen to become a poster in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 “Future of Reading” Competition. For the past eight years I have donated my art to help raise funds for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services (RCDAS) and have also served as a judge for the children’s art portion of the exhibit. Recently I completed a commission for RCDAS to adorn the exterior walls of their new facility with silhouettes of animals. Follow the "Silhouettes" link if you would like to see a short video on the project Silhouettes.
Currently I am focusing on my watercolor work and my series on Floating Men. One of my goals is to become a Signature Member of American Watercolor Society-AWS, National Watercolor Society-NWS, San Diego Watercolor Society-SDWS and/or Watercolor West-WW.
"Lilly and the Bottlebrush" (2009) and "Three Palms" (2011) were accepted into the NWS All Members Show. In 2010 "Followed While Floating" was accepted into Pennsylvania Watercolor Society's 31st Annual International Juried Exhibition and the Triton Museum All California Water Media Exhibition. "Three Palms" was accepted into the 2010 Butte County Watercolor Exhibition and was chosen by the BCWS Board as the cover art for the exhibition postcard. "Aloe Again" received the Ann Pierce Award in the 2011 Butte County Watercolor Exhibition. "Reflective Floating" was accepted into the 31st Annual International San Diego Watercolor Society Exhibition-2011 and "Blue Koi" was accepted into the 32nd Annual International San Diego Watercolor Society Exhibition-2012. The Northwest Watercolor Society's 72nd Annual Open International Exhibition-2012 accepted "Balboa Park Turtles". With almost 1000 entries "Topsy Turvy" was one of 93 entries that made it into the 92nd Annual Open Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society-2012.
In 2008 my acrylic painting "White Monsta" became a part of the permanent collection of the Riverside Art Museum. My acrylic "Floating 1" received a Best of Show in the 2009 CAA Founder's Day Show and it was juried into the 2010 All-Media Exhibition at the Palos Verdes Art Center. "Mystery Man" received Best of Show in the 2011 Dominick Frascella Exhibition and will be included in Splash 14-Light & Color.
I work in both watercolor on paper and acrylic on canvas and masonite. I would describe my paintings as expressionistic realism with a dash of whimsy.
