Owner/Creative Director

   A native of Southern California, Nichole Blackburn has been drawing and painting for as long as she can remember. With knowledge in all areas of color and design, Nichole has done everything from murals to faux finishing, three-story ceilings to murals in elevators, and specializes in decorative wall finishes and custom interior painting.

   As a student, Nichole's art teacher noticed her talents early on and recommended her for the Otis Art Center, where she continued on a scholarship in the Young Artist's Program. Nichole went on to receive her B.A. in Fine Art and Design from San Diego State University, where as a student, Nichole worked her way through college by doing murals. Nichole has taught children's art classes at the San Diego Museum of Art, as well as worked as a designer for the San Diego Union Tribune, even dabbling in set design. Taking her love of drawing and painting to the next level, Nichole has traveled to over 25 countries worldwide in order to experience art in every form possible.

  Some of the projects Nichole has been involved in has brought her unique style and artwork to Los Angeles hot spots. Her decorative finishes can be seen at Club Dragon on the Hermosa Pier, the Nick Roth Salon in Manhattan Beach, and Nikko Sushi in West Hollywood. Her work has also been highlighted in the Manhattan Beach Sandpiper Home Tour: In 2004, Nichole was featured in 2 out of the 3 homes, and in 2005 she completed 4 rooms of mural work. In 2006, Nichole completed a whooping 8 rooms of amazing mural work, including a Game Room, both Dining Rooms, the Entry and all five of children's rooms. The featured piece of 2007 was a two-story, hand-painted ceiling mural of an antique "Old World" map, complete with gold leafing and wood-grained molding.

     Always maintaining a creative edge, Nichole continually invests her time into new painting classes and seminars. She has trained all over the world with the top muralists and decorative painters in the industry. In August of 2006 Nichole spent a month on the East Coast apprenticing under William Cochran, one of the country's leading trompe l'oeil muralists. During this time she joined a selected team of six artists who worked on a five-story public mural project called "The Dreaming". Nichole has also studied under world-renowned  artists Nicola Vigini and Sean Crosby, as well as Melanie Royals of Royal Design Studio.

        In her spare time, Nichole works hard on her non-profit organization, which donates large-scale murals to orphanages and children's facilities around the world. During the summer of 2007, Nichole, donated a 25 foot mural to a children's school in Phuket,Thailand, then travelled to Dublin, Ireland, the following month to donate another 18 foot mural. Nichole then went on to the Philippines to complete a 30 foot donation mural at an orphanage in Manila. In 2008, Nichole will be travelling to Bolivia, as well as Mexico, to do two more donation murals, both at orphanages. She sees this as an opportunity to enrich children through art, bring awareness, as well as inspire and give back to the community.

  When Nichole is not painting, she enjoys spending time with her twin sister, Lori, practicing yoga, hiking, and travelling to far off places.