Today we’d like to introduce you to Nash Bellows.
Hi Nash, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in an idyllic landscape-a small surf town in Southern California.
I spent my childhood crafting, reading stories, playing computer games, and exploring the many landscapes of California. The teachers at my school would excuse me from class so I could make nice bulletin boards for them. I drew pictures of my friends in silly notes that I’d pass in high school. I always opted for the creative part of an assignment and the teachers would ask to keep my projects to show future classes. I never thought about being an artist or leaving Southern California. But that’s exactly what happened. I was admitted to a college in the rolling hills of Napa Valley and thought I’d get my degree in English—instead I loved a drawing class and decided to continue. I loved printmaking but I also started to fall in love with painting. After graduating with my BFA in printmaking I was accepted to San Francisco State University with an emphasis in painting. There I first started working digitally—in repeat pattern class and eventually drawing on my iPad and using those as drafts of my paintings. I also got into collaging as a way to plan out my paintings. After I had moved to Omaha to live closer to my family, I had no space to paint or collage, so I continued to work digitally in photoshop. This is where my current body of work, my “Dreamscapes”, as I call them, began!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being an artist is never a smooth road, but I’m proud of my career when looking back on how far I’ve come. A lot of things just happened to me—I did not choose them directly. From my fathers passing, fires in Northern California, and changes in the economy, nothing really went as I had planned. But I’ve done a lot of cool things that I hadn’t even imagined and had some really interesting jobs along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Since my arrival in the Midwest I started thinking about my idyllic landscape—if I could create a place to live what would it look like? I began to create these little islands or planets, playing with color and proportion and what I’d like to look at. I imagined them as little towns floating through a larger world on a speck—like in the story Horton Hears a Who. These were primarily collages made with imaginary of crystals and architectural elements as well as flora and fauna. In the last few years, I have moved on to creating a closer look at these “Dreamscapes”; becoming more detailed and more realistic than abstract. This work is what I am most known for and I have not seen many people working in digital collage. I believe that my work was easily recognizable however, with the new access of AI to the public, many of those who are not familiar with my Work assume that it is created with artificial intelligence.
I do still work with my hands however!not only do I create digital collages, I am an artist at Junkstock, where I use all my skills as I design, illustrate, build, paint and much more. I am proud my work at Junkstock—the team there is amazing and really make our vision come to life. It is a great event that supports hundreds of creators like myself and gives people a break from their screen and replaces it with a weekend of whimsy! My favorite pieces I’ve made include painting 2 giant tea cups, hotel signs, a coral reef and beach boardwalk and much much more!
Working at Junkstock has helped me bring some of my Dreamscapes to life! My favorite themes were Lost in Wonderland (I’ve made a great deal of pieces inspired by Alice in Wonderland), Wanderlust (many places I’ve traveled to, from Palm Springs to Paris) and By The Sea—where I grew up!
Another piece I am proud of was used as a billboard featuring a crystal ovary, in collaboration with Nebraskans for Abortion Access.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Two years ago, I spent a weekend in Kansas City for my birthday. I had not been there since I was a child. I loved seeing the many different murals from a variety of artists painting in a variety of different styles. I love trying different types of Kansas City barbecue and exploring all the unique shops around the city including the farmers market! The free railway what is very impressive to me coming from San Francisco where each ride gets more and more expensive. I have no complaints about the city!
Pricing:
- Prints available on request
- Custom pieces on request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nashbellows.com
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/nashbellowsart
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/nashbellowsart
