Meet my Poetic Life
Waspoppin — I’m Nicole Nicolas, aka Poetic Nicki.
I’m an artist, muralist, and mother of two baby girls, building more than artwork—I’m building community. I’m based in Phoenix, but my roots are 916, hands down, and that foundation shapes how I create, connect, and lead.
My work is centered around the Black experience—the tenderness, the joy, the resilience, the everyday moments that deserve to be seen and honored. My work is meant to be felt as much as it’s seen.
Motherhood reshaped not only how I create, but how I move. Balancing art-making with raising my daughters clarified my purpose: to build something lasting. I create in the in-between moments—between nap times and late nights—modeling for my girls what it looks like to honor creativity while nurturing life.
Recently, I hosted a major gallery show with over 900 RSVPs, a defining and very recent milestone in the growth of this work and the community around it. The show was more than an exhibition—it was a gathering. A space for people to show up for art, for one another, and for shared experience. Around that same time, my work and journey were featured on FOX 10 and highlighted by Phoenix New Times, expanding the reach of what’s being built.
The Collective is an open invitation to gather, create, and grow together.
This isn’t just my story. It’s ours.
Follow the dream team
Meet the Dream Team: The Faces Behind the Puff & Paint Experience
Over the past two years, I’ve been part of the production of sold-out creative experiences across Arizona, led by the ChillxChel Experience, with some events drawing over 100 attendees.
These Puff & Paints and Sip & Paints are creatively led and instruction-focused, with me guiding guests step-by-step through the artistic process while encouraging freedom of expression. Each event is supported by an incredible team—Chel as host, DJ Pootie Cat setting the vibe, and Boujee Brush leading marketing and outreach—working together to create experiences that feel elevated, welcoming, and intentional.
Beyond instruction, these gatherings are designed as safe, affirming community spaces where people can unwind, meet like-minded individuals, and create without pressure. The goal is always connection—using art as a bridge for conversation, joy, and shared experience. Every event centers creativity as a communal practice, allowing guests to feel supported, inspired, and confident in their expression while being part of something bigger than themselves.
