Nicole Santiago’s paintings are autobiographical in their inspiration, of which she says: “I intend to construct something universal that stretches beyond the limits of my own experiences, expanding into broader themes of love, loss, and duty.” Her pictorial spaces tumble with tilting planes and layered imagery and mark making, visual evidence of her intuitive approach to formal and narrative concerns that leaves a sense of unease and uncertainty in the final painting. Her domestic scenes are crowded with everyday objects, frequently punctuated by food and evidence of celebrations — cakes, gifts and wrapping paper, party hats and dresses, and sweets. Children and visible pregnancies speak to family, and all of the joys, struggles, and sacrifices that entails.
Santiago’s paintings have been exhibited in over one hundred solo and group exhibitions around the United States and garnered numerous juried awards. She holds a MFA in painting from the University of New Hampshire, Durham, and a BFA in studio art from Indiana University, Bloomington. Santiago is a Professor at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she has taught since 2006. She has also instructed at Berea College, Oregon State University, thw New Hampshire Institute of Art, the University of New Hampshire, and Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is the recipient of multiple William and Mary Research grants and was artist in residence at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ireland and the Vermont Studio Center. Her work has appeared in publications such as The Washington Post, East City Art, Fine Art Connoisseur, Jessica Bartlet Art, Painting Perceptions, and Art New England. Santiago is represented by First Street Gallery in New York City.
Santiago resides in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Instagram: Santiago_nicole_