Meet Nigel Clouse: Artist

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

Hi Nigel, what matters most to you?
One of my personal core values is resourcefulness. A resourceful individual is able to analyze and allocate their available resources to solve problems—creating something from nothing. I believe creativity and critical thinking skills are essential when problem solving in the 21st century in both personal and professional life. My artistic philosophy revolves around being resourceful with available materials, which harkens back to both the Bauhaus minimalistic design aesthetic and the inclusion of found objects within works of art. I find there is an unmistakable satisfaction when an individual completes a project using only the resources available to them and their own ingenuity.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I question reality in my artwork by incorporating chaos and technology into the creation process using various methods, including augmented reality and visual glitches. Augmented reality is technology which composites computer-generated media and reality into one seamless experience. When individuals view my artwork on their smartphones, they are transported from the real world into an alternate dimension; experiencing an effect similar to the computer graphics used to create the living paintings within the Harry Potter Universe. I also create artwork using visual computer glitches, which provide unexpected results by overheating computer components, data swapping between multimedia devices, and manually creating glitches through creative software. The glitches cause visual distortions within the image, including color separation, repetitive overlays, and encoding errors—all encouraged as part of the artistic process.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
These are interesting places to visit in the valley: • 9 The Gallery (Contemporary art gallery) • Changing Hands (Book store) • Five15Arts @ Chartreuse (Contemporary art gallery) • Flyin’ K BBQ (Food truck) • The Lemongrass Shack (Food truck) • The Lodge Art Studio (Contemporary art gallery) • Mesa Contemporary Art Museum (Contemporary art museum) • Royse Contemporary (Contemporary art gallery) • Rustler’s Rooste (Restaurant)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be able to continue my quest without the support of my family and friends, especially my wife Loriann and son Hendrix—my two biggest fans. I also need to give a shoutout to two fantastic local galleries: 9 The Gallery located in Phoenix and Royse Contemporary in Scottsdale. These galleries have supported me during my professional career and provide great venues to see provocative art, meet interesting individuals, and connect with others. Although the pandemic has changed how we interact, these galleries continually produce content and showcase art on their social media platforms; check them out!

Website: www.nigelclouse.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nigelclouse/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nigelclouse