Artist’s perspective: Nicole Cotten Callac’s ‘Fleur Essence’ series

“Most recently, my paintings have focused on women. I wanted to present the women as powerful and feminine in their own right. As a woman, I’ve always struggled with how to feel strong while also trying to understand what femininity means. I have gone through many stages dealing with the topic, and so has my art. These paintings are kind of a stream of consciousness. This series is the first time I approached the process without the constraints of trying to make ‘good art’ or the art I felt like I was supposed to be making. For the first time, I just painted what I wanted to paint. I found it quite freeing and personally healing. Art school is a funny thing. The whole time you are there, they build a box around you and tell you to sit in it. The whole time I have been out of art school, I have being trying to figure out how to get out of that box.”

Editor’s note: Quotes edited for space and clarity.

This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.