THE STUDIO
VIBRANT WORKS
BIG COLORS A West Virginia Artist Makes Immersive Murals in Appalachia and Beyond BY ELLEN KANZINGER
FROM A YOUNG AGE, NICHOLE WESTFALL DECORATED
her bedroom walls with colorful imagery, adding her own mark to plain surfaces. Now she’s just as comfortable painting from an aerial lift 20 feet in the air as she is in front of her easel, and her art is on the side of buildings, hanging in galleries, and adorning interior walls. Combining large blocks of vibrant colors and childlike imagery, Westfall—who works at Base Camp Print Co., a letterpress shop in her hometown of Charleston, W.Va.—creates intricate and layered paintings that explore fantastical worlds and identitydriven narratives. Her intention is to use art to examine ways people navigate society. “It gives us a moment of self-reflection, to find something shared in one experience, through two different people,” she said.
“As a practice, it’s a language that feels more natural than trying to have a conversation.” Across her large murals and smaller works, Westfall maintains a similar style, a mix of realistic and illustrative elements. But when creating a piece for public consumption, she’s mindful about how others will interact with the piece physically and mentally. As she describes it, her murals are typically putting her happiest foot forward while her smaller works are more introspective, diving into darker themes. “I suppose the murals are the extroverted part of my personality, while the smaller works are the more introverted part,” Westfall said. Those themes have evolved over time, changing as she moves through various stages of life. At times when she was feeling angry or unapologetic or influenced by others, her art has reflected those internal and external influences.
The Technique Westfall, describing herself as a “Defender of the Decorative Arts,” values the intersection of form, function, and aesthetic principles. “I’m inspired by T O P : W E S T F A L L P A I N T S A M U R A L I N M I L T O N , W . VA . R I G H T: " A S L E E P " B Y W E S T F A L L . P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F T H E A R T I S T
MARCH 2022 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM
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