Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Collie.
Hi Nicole , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey with Creating Gray Spaces and Emerging Creatives began with a simple belief: there are talented people in our communities who need support, but not all of them fit into the traditional categories that nonprofits typically serve.
As a self-taught artist and graphic designer, I understand firsthand how difficult it can be to get your work seen, find opportunities, and build a sustainable creative career. The art world can be expensive to navigate. Gallery fees, commissions, art fairs, marketing, and other costs can make it difficult for emerging artists to get their work in front of an audience—especially when they are already balancing jobs, families, and the financial realities of everyday life.
I also noticed something that wasn’t being talked about enough: there is a real need in the middle. Nonprofits often do incredible work supporting people experiencing poverty or those who cannot afford basic services, but there are also working- and middle-class individuals who are struggling. Many are working multiple jobs or building a side hustle simply to make ends meet. They may have talent, education, and ambition, but still lack access to the resources and opportunities that could help them move forward.
As a graphic designer, I realized I had skills I could share. Creating Gray Spaces grew from that desire to use my experience, resources, and creativity to help others—whether that means assisting with graphic design, self-publishing, educational opportunities, or helping creatives present themselves professionally.
But my real passion is Emerging Creatives.
As an artist myself, I know how frustrating it can be to create something you believe in and then struggle to find a place where people can actually see it. Emerging Creatives was created to help bridge that gap, particularly for Bahamian artists and artists of the diaspora. Rather than waiting for traditional galleries to decide who gets an opportunity, we look for alternative spaces—restaurants, businesses, medical facilities, community spaces, and other venues—where artists can exhibit their work and connect directly with an audience.
Whenever possible, I want the artist to benefit directly from that opportunity and keep as much of the proceeds from their work as possible. My goal isn’t simply to put artwork on walls. It’s to create visibility, connections, and opportunities for artists who might otherwise be overlooked.
Ultimately, Creating Gray Spaces and Emerging Creatives are about creating those spaces in between—the gray spaces where people may not fit neatly into an existing system but still deserve support, opportunity, and a chance to be seen.
I started this journey because I know what it feels like to be an artist trying to find your place, and I believe that sometimes the best way to change a system is to create another door.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road. But just like any meaningful challenge—and life in general—nothing worthwhile comes without putting in the work, the time, and the persistence.
I’ve been doing this since 2018, and the journey has grown in ways I never imagined. I started by organizing art shows in a barbershop, and today we have exhibitions at a college and a gallery here in Texas. We’ve also held exhibitions in The Bahamas, including in hotels and at a wine bar, and we are now working toward bringing artwork into a medical facility in The Bahamas.
One of the biggest challenges has been financial. Everything costs money, and every exhibition comes with expenses—especially when travel is involved. To date, I have not received significant outside funding for this work, so I personally cover roughly 90% of the expenses, with a few donations each month helping where they can.
That financial burden is probably the hardest part right now. I’m constantly making decisions about how to stretch the resources I have so that I can continue creating opportunities for artists.
But despite the challenges, I keep going because I believe in what we’re building. Seeing an artist get the opportunity to exhibit their work, reach a new audience, or simply have someone recognize their talent makes the work worthwhile. The road may not be smooth, but every step forward reminds me why I started.
If my story and the work we’re doing with Creating Gray Spaces and Emerging Creatives resonates with you, I would love your support. Whether you would like to make a donation, provide financial assistance, sponsor an exhibition, or simply help spread the word, every bit of support makes a difference. Our goal is to continue creating opportunities for artists and providing the support they need to grow. If you’d like to learn more about me, my work, or how you can help support other artists, please visit CreatingGraySpaces.com or EmergingCreatives.org.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m Nicole Collie, a self-taught Bahamian artist, graphic designer, curator, and founder of Creating Gray Spaces and Emerging Creatives. At the heart of everything I do, though, I am an artist.
I have been creating art since I was a child, growing up in The Bahamas, and being self-taught has always been an important part of my story. I never had someone telling me what my art was supposed to look like or what I was supposed to paint. I developed my own language through experimentation, intuition, and a willingness to keep pushing myself.
My artwork is very much about women, beauty, strength, vulnerability, sensuality, and the things that exist beneath the surface. I often paint the female form, but for me, it is never simply about painting a woman. There is usually a deeper story or emotion behind the figure. My paintings are meant to make people stop, look again, and hopefully feel something.
Texture is also a major part of my work. I use acrylic paint, heavy gels, gold leaf, real orchids, sand, glass beads, and other materials, sometimes building up dozens of layers to create depth. I love the combination of something delicate and beautiful with something unexpected or raw. I also place a great deal of importance on symbolism. A flower, a snake, a color, or a particular element in a painting can represent something much deeper—growth, protection, transformation, wisdom, femininity, or resilience.
My work has been featured in publications including Vogue, The World of Interiors, and Wired, and has appeared in books and other publications. Those moments have been incredibly meaningful because, as a self-taught artist, I know how difficult it can be to have your work seen and recognized.
But I think what really sets me apart is the way I approach both my art and my life. I’m curious, independent, and not afraid to do things differently. I don’t like being put into a box, and I think that comes through in my artwork. I’m constantly learning, experimenting, and finding new ways to express an idea.
What I am most proud of, however, is the nonprofit I started. Seeing Creating Gray Spaces and Emerging Creatives grow from an idea into something that creates real opportunities for other artists means more to me than any individual accomplishment. I’m proud of my artwork and the recognition it has received, but I’m equally proud that I’ve been able to use my experience, skills, and passion to help other creatives have their own opportunity to be seen.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I believe I’ve been very fortunate in life, and a lot of my good fortune began with my family. Both of my parents are creative people. My father could literally sketch an idea for a building on a napkin, and before I knew it, he would be building it. My mother is also an incredibly talented artist in her own right. Growing up surrounded by that kind of creativity taught me from an early age that an idea doesn’t have to remain an idea—you can actually bring it to life.
I also consider myself very blessed to have been born and raised in The Bahamas. The beauty, culture, colors, people, and environment have all influenced me as an artist. My father has also given me opportunities that I recognize not everyone gets, including the ability to have my own building where I could create a gallery and pursue my ideas. Those opportunities have helped shape the person and entrepreneur I am today.
There have certainly been difficult moments, but I don’t necessarily look at them as bad luck. In fact, some of the things that were difficult became part of the reason I am doing what I do today. Being an artist in The Bahamas and choosing to paint the female form wasn’t always easily accepted. I experienced rejection and had doors closed to me, but those experiences ultimately helped me understand how important it is for artists to have spaces where they can express themselves freely. That realization became part of the foundation for Emerging Creatives and, eventually, Creating Gray Spaces.
So when I think about luck, I think less about random good or bad fortune and more about being blessed with the right people, experiences, opportunities, and even challenges along the way. I was lucky to be born into a creative family, lucky to have parents who supported my creativity, and lucky to have been given opportunities to explore my own ideas. But I also believe you have to recognize those opportunities and then do the work to turn them into something meaningful.
Today, I’m trying to do the same thing for other creatives—take the opportunities and resources I’ve been fortunate enough to have and create more doors for other people.
Pricing:
- Original Paintings: My original works generally range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the size, materials, detail, and significance of the piece.
- Embellished Prints: My embellished prints generally start around $350 and go up, depending on the piece and the level of hand embellishment involved.
- Prints & Merchandise: I also offer prints on paper and canvas, along with other merchandise featuring my artwork. Paper prints generally start at around $45, making my work more accessible to people who may not be ready to invest in an original.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicolecollie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicole_collie_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolecollieartist/
- Other: (https://www.emergingcreatives.org) (https://www.creatinggrayspaces.com)
