Artist Nic Schluter on her passion for teaching and sharing art with others through BIMA and the community at large…

Nic (Nicole) Schluter grew up in the small town of Elma, Washington surrounded by a close family of educators and teachers, giving her an early insight into the importance of education. “Education is the cornerstone of society,” she told me. However, her passion for art came from an unexpected place, watching the public television shows of artist Mark Kistler, such as The Secret City and Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station. Through his shows, Kistler taught children and adults how to draw using various techniques in shading and perspective and to have fun while learning. Nicole was heavily inspired by Kistler’s teachings, “I wanted to be him when I grew up,” becoming an incredibly talented self-taught artist herself, which would eventually lead her to a career teaching art to others.

Nic’s path to teaching art was a winding road though, she moved to Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood because she wanted an opportunity to live and work in an open and supportive LGBTQ community. She then went on to study education and theology in college, but spent the majority of her career life in veterinary medicine, while continuing to make and explore art forms in her own time.

Six years ago, she joined the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) teaching students of all ages through BIMA’s education programs. It’s been an amazing experience for Nic, allowing her to share her passion for art and encourage others to express themselves through artistic collaboration and individual creativity. Their education programs are specifically designed for just that, as stated on their website, “BIMA invites learners of all ages to explore the power of art through creative expression, engagement, and dialogue. Our diverse array of programs invites everyone into the museum to discover the relevance of art in our lives and in our communities.”

BIMA and Nic are committed to bringing access to arts and culture locally and to the broader Puget Sound and Kitsap communities through their programs, many of which are low-cost or free of charge. “Art helps us communicate,” Nic says, and through creative collaboration with the surrounding communities, local tribes and organizations such as the Bainbridge Public Library (BPL) and the Bainbridge Island Senior/Community Center, she hopes to see more people take advantage of BIMA’s programs and resources.

Throughout her time at BIMA, she’s experienced the innocence of children discovering art through the museum’s exhibits, and the joy of engaging in in-depth discussions about the essence of what art does, what they get from art, and the connection of creating art in a group environment. Often times, she finds that the kids’ artwork is reflective of these sessions of exploration and discussion. However, she also enjoys cultivating intergenerational cooperation and collaboration through art. As she noted, people interpret art from a variety of different perspectives, experiences, and knowledge, and to create an environment where people of all ages can communicate about what they see and feel (about art) with each other fosters connections and growth.

Working with BIMA, Nic has shared her experience through a variety of programs, including their Youth and Family Programs, Art in Action, Life Drawing, Bookarts, Art Workshops with BPL, and Drink & Draw, which is held at the Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse*.

As the summer programs come to an end, Nic will transition into more adult workshops through BIMA, such as live-model Life Drawing, both at the Alehouse and with unclothed models at the museum. She’s also very excited to work on the Partners in Print* program as they’ve just secured a grant for their own in-house provisional printing press.

“Teaching art is following my bliss. It is also a spiritual path for me. I believe there is so much healing that can come from making art,” Nic says. “And to give voice to the voiceless, to create a community where art is valued and an opportunity to be seen and known. If I can foster that in others my commitment to my own spiritual path is fulfilled.”

Living in Indianola with her wife and son also allows Nic to spread her wings and share her talents with others outside of BIMA. This past June, she worked with the KRL+Kitsap Pride Youth teens during the Wayzgoose Kitsap Festival (the Wayzgoose is a form of letterpress printing, using large hand-carved linoleum blocks, which are then inked and pressed onto large pieces of paper with a steamroller). As she told me, it was amazing to see these teens, most of which had never carved before, create imaginative and impactful art together.

Going forward, she would like to continue encouraging and teaching art to others, “Mostly I am hoping my position here at BIMA gives me the opportunity to continue to create a strong and vibrant community through art from the young to the old and everyone in between. By hosting and participating in hands-on art events from drawing to book arts and beyond.”

She’d also like to help promote BIMA’s free School and Educator Programs which are designed to support Washington and federal standards, and provide accessible, high-quality arts education for all learners in Kitsap County and beyond. To learn more, visit: Schools & Educator Programs.

If you’d like to see Nic in action, join her and BIMA for their BIMA Block Party on August 5^th, where she’ll be holding a live model “Drink & Draw” between bands at the beer garden at the Gateway Stage (the BIMA Block Party takes place at BIMA and the surrounding Island Gateway development, for more information, click here).

Although Nic specializes in wildlife and landscapes done in pen and acrylic paint in her own artwork, she’s always been highly influenced by graffiti art and traditional indigenous art, which she says “has always inspired me to keep exploring form and using it as a teaching tool.” She also enjoys creating pet portraits and large-scale murals. She’ll be exhibiting her own artwork at the Bainbridge Public Library for their annual Art is Happening group show for the September First Friday Art Walk.

*Drink & Draw! Every Third Thursday 6:30pm–8:30pm at the Alehouse! Come for a drink and stay to draw during this fun, free, clothed-model session hosted by BIMA at the Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse. Open to anyone 21+ that is interested in working from the model, regardless of experience level. Materials provided. Drop-in, no registration required.

*Partners in Print (PiP) is an organization that uses old printing presses to amplify new voices, share knowledge, and spark creativity. Letterpress printing is a form of relief printing; the raised surface of letters or images is inked and then pressed into paper. Making bold visual statements with letterpress type, ink & paper has been an effective way to change minds and tell stories for the last 500+ years (information provided by BIMA).

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