Nicholas Cordeiro
Nicholas Cordeiro is a New York City-based artist born in Massachusetts. He graduated from Boston College in 2019. In college, Nicholas studied Finance, Studio Art Illustration, and Theology. Since graduating, he has worked as a Consultant focusing on the office of the CFO. In December of 2021, he began both painting and writing poetry. Nicholas is a Poet, Photographer, and Painter. His typical subject matter is often driven by fleeting emotion, past trauma, self-acceptance, as well as commentary on philosophical and theological ideas. His work is greatly influenced by his life, relationships, transcendental meditation, and the stories he writes in his poems.
Collect Bean: What does growth mean to you?
Nicholas Cordeiro: Growth is a moving target. The constant journey of self-discovery, learning, and adaptation to life's ever-changing landscapes. It's about pushing boundaries, embracing discomfort, and evolving into a more authentic version of myself with each passing experience. Growth is failing forward, taking ownership, and becoming the magician of your mistakes. Growth is humbly seeking more.
Collect Bean: What does an ideal day in your studio look like?
Nicholas Cordeiro: I like to get to the studio late at night. The best time to get there is after 10 PM. I like to stop at the Bodega near my studio first and grab a black coffee, water, and some lollipops. I'll get to my studio and prime a canvas, while that dries I'll work on some small works on paper on the ground or set up and get ready to paint. I'll paint for an hour or two; then, I'll begin working on another piece so I don’t exhaust my mind on that first piece. I'll work on this piece for a bit, and by this time, I'll be out of coffee, and it’ll be after midnight. I'll get back to work after I step outside for a break, and usually, I'll listen to Ethiopiques, Vol 4 on repeat until about 3AM. I like to paint until I'm spent or until I've finished some goal I've set out. Working between 2 AM and 4 AM is my most productive time.
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Nicholas Cordeiro: People. I love to watch people, see how they interact with one another. Maybe how they interact in isolation as well. I think people say scary things sometimes, funny things too. I'm more interested in emotions evoked from certain interactions rather than the scenes themselves. I like to tell stories, oftentimes my own, in some sort of over-folded metaphor with motifs only I would understand.
Collect Bean: How do you decide on the subject matter for a painting?
Nicholas Cordeiro: I find myself getting obsessed and somehow emotionally connected to the subject of my work. A lot of my work is character-based or figurative, these forms are often representing portions of myself. I'm writing a lot of poetry these days and the words in writing will often inspire the subject of a painting. I like flowers, they're a recurring subject in my work often symbolizing some exchange of love. My inspiration lies in the dramatization of my deepest wounds and the highest peaks in my journey toward self-actualization.
Collect Bean: How do you think your work has evolved?
Nicholas Cordeiro: My work has evolved through a journey of self-discovery, a deepening exploration of theme and technique, and a willingness to embrace vulnerability as the crucible of transformation. It reflects the ever-unfolding tapestry of my inner landscape, a testament to the power of art to transcend the boundaries of the self and touch the essence of the human experience. I like to use new tools and new techniques as if I were a child. I love using tools the wrong way. I don't want to know the answer to how to do a certain thing or how to use a certain medium. I want to discover it myself, even if that means making a mess or a mistake. I like to make mistakes; all the greatest evolutions in my work have come from mistakes.
