Nicholas Coleman – Painting the Heritage and History of the American West

Nicholas Coleman – Painting the Heritage and History of the American West

Nicholas Coleman is an ultra-talented, hard-working artist based out of Provo, Utah, and he paints some of the most interesting and beautiful works I’ve ever seen. His primary subject matter is the American West, with a focus on landscapes, natural history, wildlife, Native American culture, and exploration. I came across Nick’s work on Instagram of all places—in the midst of the app’s thousands of images, noise, and distractions, one of Nick’s images boldly stood out from all the rest. It stood out so much that I wanted more, so I went to his website and was blown away by his work.  The more I learned about Nick, the more impressed I became—he is a multifaceted individual with a fascinating back story.

Nick is not your stereotypical artist. He is a devoted hunter, fisherman, and trapper, and he’s also a voracious reader who probably knows more about western history than many college professors. He has a focused and disciplined approach to his art, working six days a week and never sitting around waiting to “get in the mood” to paint. With his deep love of art and the West, combined with his rock solid work ethic, it’s no surprise that he has been able to build a stellar reputation in the super-competitive and challenging world of professional art.

I could’ve talked to Nick for hours, because so many of his interests overlap with mine. We did manage to dig into the details of his art and artistic process.  We chatted about his international travels to South America, Africa, and New Zealand, as well as his thoughts on how those adventures have influenced his life and work. We discussed his education as an artist, as well as his advice for those aspiring to make art a full-time career.  We also talked a lot about Teddy Roosevelt, which is always fun. See below for the full list of topics covered.

Thanks to Nicholas Coleman for joining me on the podcast. I hope you enjoy!

All photos courtesy of Nicholas Coleman

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Episode Notes

Topics Covered

Information Referenced

• Nicholas Coleman Art
• Nicholas on Instagram
• Nicholas on Facebook
• Theodore Roosevelt
• The Naturalist: Theodore Roosevelt, A Lifetime of Exploration, and the Triumph of American Natural History by Darrin Lunde
• Carl Akeley
• An African Obsession: The Life and Legacy of Carl Akeley by Penelope Bodry-Sanders
• Michael Coleman (Nicholas’s father)
• War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle by Stephen Pressfield
• Indian Y Stories by Frank B Linderman
• Crowfoot: Chief of the Blackfeet by Hugh A Dempsey
• Vital Ground
• Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
• The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
• Man Meets Gizzly by F.M. Young
• Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park by Lee H Whittlesey
• National Geographic – Lewis and Clark – Great Journey West
• Wild Russia
• Maynard Dixon: Art and Spirit
• Long Way Round
• Yosemite National Park
• Adirondacks