BIO
Nicole grew up in Atlanta, the capital of the American deep South. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a BFA in design and psychology, snarly hair, and a plane ticket to New York City. Nicole then worked in advertising in NYC for a year and a half, which was enough time for her to realize she’s not too crazy about advertising. Fortunately, after having had her fingers crossed for quite some time, Fabrica, The United Colors of Benetton’s young artists’ research center in Italy, selected her to become part their graphics department in March 2005. She spent fourteen months there in the company of immensely talented international artists, creating socially responsible graphics and illustrations with a psychological flair. Nicole is currently living in Brooklyn and creating a combination of art, comics, illustration, graphic design, and web design. In her own work, she strives for unfiltered honesty in making whimsical analyses of herself and her culture. Her claims to fame are that her "Boys in my life thus far" comic was described as "brilliantly conceived" and "wonderful" by Stefan Sagmeister and her "Piece of Meat" work was exhibited in the Centre Pompidou in Paris. She hopes to one day be as unabashed as her cartoonist idol, Robert Crumb, and to ride her bicycle around the world.

EXPERIENCE
artist, freelance illustrator, print and web designer | studio kenney | june 2003–present
activities include creating art—frequently illustrative and autobiographical, participating in gallery shows, and freelancing illustration, print, and web design.

grantholder | fabrica | www.fabrica.it | treviso, italy | march 2005–may 2006
after a tough selection process where roughly 7% of all applicants are accepted, fabrica invites
artists under 25 years of age from around the world to participate in this prestigious program for
one year. responsibilities include graphic design and illustration for personal projects, workshops,
and commercial projects, frequently socially-conscious in nature.

junior art director | blue | www.blueworldwide.com | nyc | september 2003–december 2004
responsible for the concept, design, and execution of a wide variety of print collateral and ads
for blue, the advertising affiliate of the world-renowned p.r. firm, edelman.

graphic designer | notre dame center for social concerns | south bend, in | august 2002–may 2003
responsible for all graphics for this non-profit community service organization.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2008
death + extinction: a polaroid exhibition | chicago art department | chicago
i co-curated this exhibition with ks rives. "before i die i want to..." exhibited

schaffas | schaffas website | urban cow gallery | adelaide, australia
custom toy called "cowboy" exhibited

fabrica: les yeux ouverts | the shiodomeitalia creative center | tokyo
curated by the centre pompidou; “piece of meat” exhibited

fabrica: les yeux ouverts | the shanghai art museum | shanghai
curated by the centre pompidou; “piece of meat” exhibited

art squared | washington art association | washington, ct
“being someone else for a night” exhibited

2007
pilsen art fair | chicago
represented by 32nd & urban gallery; “puttin’ my face on” and various prints exhibited

fabrica: les yeux ouverts | the milan triennale | milan
curated by the centre pompidou; “piece of meat” exhibited

high life | 32nd & urban gallery | chicago
all women show; “he makes me dinner in the tub” and various prints exhibited

get fit show | 32nd & urban gallery | chicago
“puttin’ my face on” exhibited

the young talent show | washington art association | washington, ct
“the boy in my life: how it all began” and various other works exhibited

2006
west looking east | fabrica features at artés | paris
“like, i think i see china,” exhibited

fabrcia: les yeux ouverts | centre pompidou | paris
“piece of meat” exhibited

meat market: fortification | instigator gallery | nyc
“beauty is my primal instinct” series exhibited

trust | trust museum | singapore
“trust in media” series exhibited

2005
experimentadesign2005: bienal de lisboa | lisbon
“l’abito non fa il monaco” exhibited

2003
bfa thesis exhibition | snite museum of art | south bend, in
“beauty is in the eye of the culture” installation exhibited

SELECT PUBLICATIONS
2007
chief magazine | nyc
interview and various works published

CMYK magazine | international
various works published

2006
paper magazine | nyc
“beauty is my primal instinct” featured and published

fab magazine | italy
“objects i keep so people don’t end” published

sugo magazine | international
“love letters to my friends” published

2005
relax magazine’s peace issue | japan
“rest in peace” published

étapes magazine 126; pyramyd | france
“l’abito non fa il monaco” published

fab magazine | italy
“boys in my life thus far” published

RECOGNITION
visual researcher grant to live and work for one year in italy, march 2005–may 2006
magna cum laude graduate honors from the university of notre dame, may 2003
emil jacques medal, art & design excellence & overall program contribution, april 2003
accepted into the psi chi psychology honor society, april 2003
william & connie greif scholarship, presented to outstanding bfa students, december 2002
intellectual initiative program grant to attend aiga voice conference, march 2002
dean’s list, fall 2000–spring 2003

ART & DESIGN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
festival international de la bande dessinée d'angoulême, angoulême, france, 2008
teach me conference participant, venice, italy, 2005
aiga power of design conference participant, vancouver, canada, 2003
aiga new york city chapter volunteer, 2002–2004
aiga voice conference participant, washington, dc, 2002
aiga student leader, south bend, indiana, 2001–graduation

COMPUTER SKILLS
mac platform proficient in quarkxpress, adobe illustrator, photoshop, indesign,
acrobat, distiller, microsoft word, powerpoint, and macromedia dreamweaver.

EDUCATION
school of visual arts, continuing education program, nyc, spring 2004–summer 2004
bfa design/psychology, the university of notre dame, magna cum laude, may 2003
parsons school of design and nyu summer program, nyc, 2002
semester abroad, notre dame london program, fall 2000

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
hospice volunteer, nyc, 2008—current
hospice volunteer, south bend, indiana, 2001–2003

OTHER INTERESTS
bicycle-riding, traveling, clowning