Photo of Niki by Flo Li, Del Mar, California

A Show of Sands! Appreciating The Art of Niki J Sands

BY STACEY GUALANDI

When self-taught painter Niki J Sands first put oil to canvas in the mid-90s, she was ready to give up. “I took the painting and said, ‘Oh God, that is just awful,’ admits Sands. “So, I rolled it up and threw it in the garbage.”

Had she not changed her mind and kept that original crumpled portrait, she might have thrown away an entire career. (“I realized it wasn’t thaaaaat bad.”)

Since then, this former Detroit dental office manager has made a name for herself as a successful Las Vegas-based contemporary artist. Her figurative style is equal parts surrealism and cubism, with a hint of the abstract.

As a young girl, Niki always loved sketching her dad. “I love looking at people’s faces,” and she says she especially loved drawing people’s hands—one of the more challenging parts of the human form.

While painting came later in life, she now receives numerous commissions and charity donation requests, and her pieces are often on display at local events, art festivals, and restaurants around the country.

In fact, for the past five years, a rotating collection of her artwork hangs inside the Vegas Valley Winery, Clark County, Nevada’s only wine tasting room.

Fish Heads II by Niki Sands, Oil on Canvas

Owner Patty Peters wanted to highlight a local artist, and she has known (and bought) Niki’s work forever. Now she plans to hold a show in early 2023 featuring who else? Niki Sands.

“It’s all about the colors,” says Peters. “Everything about her screams art. You think you’ve got her down, and she comes up with a new idea, a new way of painting. It blows your socks off.”

“With a mutual fondness for wine (and our Detroit roots), what better place than a tasting room for Niki and me to grab a glass of wine and gab about her career, her process, and how you can now “wear” a Niki J Sands original.”

CHIC COMPASS: How did your career as an artist first get off the ground?

NIKI J SANDS: I moved from Michigan to Las Vegas and would spend all my time at the Sahara West Library, where there is a beautiful museum, and I pored over art books. They were having their Spring art exhibits for local people, and when my older sister came out to visit, she saw my crumpled painting…

CHIC: …the one from the trash?

1st Painting – This is the very first painting that Niki ever created. She crumpled it up and threw it away before changing her mind and keeping it.

NIKI: Yes, and she said, “Oh, I love this! We’re gonna submit it to this art exhibit!” And I said, “No, we’re not!” And she says, “Yeah, we are.” And sure enough, it got into the exhibit! I still have the painting.

CHIC: How did your work progress after that?

NIKI: I made my daughter a painting, and her boss saw it and said, “Oh God, you think your mom can paint me a Viking? I’ll pay her!” Then my daughter’s high school was doing a Shakespeare play, and they needed a painting of a queen, and I said I’ll do that and gave it to the school. So basically, it started with me giving things away. Haha.

CHIC: When did you finally start earning money for your art?

NIKI: I sold on eBay, and I would sell to people all over the world. It wasn’t a lot of money, but I would do a small painting and sell it. And one of my eBay customers was from Canada. When I told him I was doing my first show, he sent this gorgeous bouquet of flowers. I thought, “Oh my God, this is so crazy,” to have a guy from Canada who I’ve never met in my life take to my work and buy a lot of it. In fact, he has some of my very first pieces, so that’s nice.

Poetic Garden by Niki Sands

CHIC: How has your work evolved?

NIKI: There were a lot more faces in the beginning, what I called “lonely figures.” They were just the backs of women. I did a lot of that. Maybe it was subconsciously me because I was feeling alone. I had lost my parents and moved away from my whole family. I did not have a plan, and people thought I went a little cuckoo … ha! I was just divorced and had a young daughter. It was a very challenging time.

CHIC: What is your process?

NIKI: Well, when I’m doing work just to do work, it’s very intuitive. A lot of it has to do with what’s going on in my world and our crazy world. I’m constantly experimenting still. I’m now working with mixed media and a cold wax method. To grow as an artist, you need to pull out of your comfort zone. My comfort zone is just being in my studio by myself with a glass of wine … ha!

CHIC: What or who inspires you?

NIKI: My Greek godmother Nouna was a heavy-set woman with black hair who became my muse. All of my characters have a similar look to them. [Also] I love animals. My mom took me to Greece when I was 11, and seeing all the statues, the ancient art, the drawings, the paintings, and all of that, I was in heaven. When I was young, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I love the ocean and all that, so I’ve been drawn to nature very much all my life.

CHIC: How much of your work is about nature?

NIKI: I do a lot of the fish things. And I put a lot of rabbits in my work because my mom taught me how to draw them. That was the only thing she knew how to draw!

Desert Queen – Oil on Canvas

CHIC: What sets you apart as an artist?

NIKI: I think my art connects with people. Certain things speak to people, and they have an emotional connection to them.

CHIC: Where else can we see your work?

NIKI: My friend’s son, Nino Cutraro, lives in California, and he makes clothing (deflorencio.com) with my paintings on it. He does all the sewing! I’ve known him since he was born. He said, “I really like your work,” and I said, “I’m gonna give you whatever you want, and when you make it big, you can take care of your Auntie!” Haha!!

Fashion by Nino Cutraro, Artwork by Niki Sands

CHIC: How would you like to be known?

NIKI: Just as a person who loves to create. If you connect with my work and feel like you’ll have it for the rest of your life and pass it on to your kids, I find that touches my heart.

CHIC: Thank you, Niki! I think we are all grateful you didn’t take out the trash years ago. :)

Visit Niki’s website at: nikijsands.com

Photo of Niki by Flo Li, Del Mar, California

Fish Heads, Oil on Canvas