Meet Nicole Moan | Sculptor designer artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Moan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Born in Irving Texas and spent my childhood in Rocklin California until the mid-80s then transferred to Michigan and bounced all around the Midwest until I ended up here in Oklahoma and I’ve been here for the last 35 years of my life . I’m a third generation of artists in my family. I know as a young child art was just part of my everyday life didn’t think anything different until a friend or someone new came into my house. Many times I would be asked what is it like to be in a family of artists. I would always reply it’s what I know. With the unpredictable finances throughout my childhood it made me aware of how to stretch the penny. Also learnt many means of marketing and to be a jack of all trades. When people ask me my education in the arts. I always answer I didn’t want to be a artist, life keeps putting me back on the path. Went to school for automotive and Engineering. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The welding in math skills have served me well throughout my artist career and has also helped me look at things through a different eyes.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Over 25 years ago I started sculpting and creating custom tile. There was an event that we needed something unique to wear. I’ve always been obsessed with Corsets and how our body is shaped. So I thought let’s put the two together hand sculpted clay in slab form to create wearable ceramic Corsets. The first corsets were pretty barbaric they only had straps of fabric that held them on us and it was really difficult to drive. I’ve always had an inventive mind went to school for engineering so I engineered a figure that would make it adjustable so many body shapes could wear these porcelain corsets. Crazy to think I’ve been making these ceramic corsets it’s for over 23 years now and I’m still learning ways to make them more extravagant but still functional. Working with Clay there’s many challenges to finding adequate clay for strength and glaze that will hold up to wear and tear. Give yourself plenty of time to achieve your series of work. Recently I had an exhibition that I created work for over three months my kiln over fire the series and I lost all of it. I’ve learned to roll with the punches sweep off your knees laugh about the situation maybe break a couple things here and there and get back to work. Maybe that series wasn’t supposed to be seen no matter what you do it’s not gonna turn out exactly like it did before you have to learn from your experiences. Weather humidity oils from your hands, glaze supply limitations are all factors to complete work in clay. Yeah have to double check what you can get in stock and what you have in stock. I’ve also learned that it’s best to march to your own drum there are many artists in the world and I don’t want to be like anybody else but I do get inspired by other artists work and let them know you appreciate their work. There are many different things that have gotten me to where I am im my career . I’m always looking for opportunities working with others on collaborations. communicating with consignment shops to see if they’d be willing to carry my work. staying organized creating inventory and providing inventory list to all contributing stores that carry my work and keeping it straight. it’s a lot of work but you need to do it and learn different platforms to do it. if it’s Excel to keep your records correct or if it’s Photoshop so you can fine-tune those photographs of your art you are your best cheerleader it’s great to have supportive people around you but you have to remember you are what makes you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Exciting!! I would breakup the city in sections. would visit different districts each. First day take them to red cup a local vegetarian restaurant that is packed full of creative folks. we would follow that up with a visit to the museum of modern art in Oklahoma City. You can spend hours exploring. For lunch we would have to go to Plant. One of our favorite lunch spots and they are so friendly. Next up before dinner would be exploring the downtown underground’s that are located up the main part of Oklahoma City. Most of the buildings are connected here there are tons of artist studios and art installations throughout the tunnels. The next day I would take them out to breakfast at Café 324 downtown Oklahoma City and we would go to the downtown library. The building is nestled between old and new architecture. The Oklahoma City zoo with all the interesting animals and artwork they have displayed throughout the park. We would also spend time in my art studio. With a weeks worth of time we could create clay work start to finish. For dinner we would go to Republic pub. It’s kinda a sports bar and the servers are amazing and food is so so yummy. We would have to go to a club of some sort one of these night. You see my wife is a DJ/Composer. She loves to see the whole room bounce. It’s always exciting. The next day we would go to the Paseo district. There are over 20 gallery’s and tons of amazing restaurants located here. We could spend all day roaming the Paseo. JRB arts at the elms is located just off of Paseo and Walker Ave. I guess this would be Wednesday I would introduce them to the plaza district. The Plaza District is more of an alternative art community. There are murals projects that are rotated out throughout the year and lots of restaurants and different catchall style stores by designers and secondhand stores you can even do some yoga. Thursday I would think would be mostly spent in the studio finishing up our pieces and getting them loaded into the kiln. Friday we would go to what ever Artwalk is happening at that time of month. each Friday of the month different locations have an art walk. First Friday is Paseo and Tulsa artwalk.
second Friday is Plaza or Norman’s Artwalk. The third Friday from what I understand is Edmonds Artwalk I’ve not made it up there yet but I’m excited to check it out. The last Friday of each month is usually used to deliver work for the next Fridays Artwalk and we also all hang out and catch up on what’s going on. Last but not least I would introduce them to the ARTSPACE a Untitled.

Located downtown Oklahoma City they have lots of workshops of block printing and they have annual steamroller festival where artist have boots and print the block prints with a large steamroller.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shout out to my parents, my wife and my three daughters for help along this pathway to see things through different eyes and with different possibilities.

Also shout out to my photography, hair and make up and Model friends for the lending hands to create these amazing experiences. Also shout out to all the museums galleries and exhibitions for the opportunities to push and hone my skills. It’s easy to get lost in the day to day stuff and loose what your original goals are. Hold yourself accountable and open your ears and listen to what others say don’t drop what you’re feeling originally but maybe a different perspective will help you view it different eyes.

Website: www.nicolemoan.com

Instagram: @nicolemoan

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-moan-529a099

Twitter: @ceramiccorsets

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/nicolemoan

Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/nicolemoan

Other: http://nicolemoan.storenvy.com/

Image Credits
Model Stevie Cunningham