Today we’d like to introduce you to S. Nicole Lane.
Nicole, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I started dancing, writing, and making art at a young age. I never knew anything else, really. In college, my incredible mother pushed me to do art—which is a rare thing to say—where I studied photography at Guilford College (Greensboro, North Carolina) with minors in contemporary dance and English literature.
I moved to Chicago in 2013 a few months after graduation and began writing exhibition reviews for galleries around the city. Starting a career in writing while also having a visual practice is tough, and not recommended. I began working with latex paint in 2014 as a sculptural material and around this same time, picked up writing about sex, women’s health, the LGBTQ voice, and the arts. I worked various side jobs (retail, nannying, administrative assistant) until two years ago when I officially decided to become a freelance journalist.
Since then, my visual practice and journalism career have somewhat coincided thematically as much of my work discusses anatomy, biology, and chronic illness.
Every day I walk to Pebble Beach in Hyde Park, winter or summer, and am so blessed to have sporadically moved to Chicago. I’ve been able to thrive every day for five fulfilling and creative years here.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I do and make a lot of things. My hands are in many projects.
For my career, I’m a journalist whose focus is in a variety of places. On a broad spectrum, I write about art and sex. My byline can be found in Playboy, IntoMore, Broadly, i-D, Narratively, and various other platforms. I have a column for Sixty Inches From Center called, “Intimate Justice” where I interview Chicago artists who make sexually charged work (a perfect blend of the visual arts and sexuality).
Before I wanted to make art, I wanted to write. It’s always been there as a tool to express and disseminate information. It’s easier for me than speaking, it comes more natural to me than sculpting a piece of art. I write for people who don’t have a voice, especially those suffering from unknown ailments or undiagnosed issues (i.e. vaginismus, LEEP complications, HPV, pelvic pain, cervical stenosis). I’ve always been an over-sharer, so for me, writing about kinks, so-called “taboos,” or personal dysfunctions comes naturally. I feel like it’s necessary for me to utilize that tool and publish and speak on topics where people feel uncomfortable or alienated on the subject.
As for my visual practice, I make my sculptures as a method of self-healing. Suffering from various health issues throughout my life, I find comfort in working with my hands, creating pieces that imagine non-binary anatomy, tissues, or tumors, that reflects my relationship to my body.
I want people to know that my artwork can be ugly, but it’s almost always pink. It can be hairy, and fleshy, and a little lumpy. It doesn’t always make sense to myself so I can’t expect it to make sense to others. It’s a vehicle for me to work through my physical pain.
My writing is for everyone. I’m surprisingly looking to reach out to more male-identifying readers as I wish that they would engage with my writing in a more positive light—I don’t think that sexual health is just reserved for non-binary or women-identifying people. But overall, of course, I do want to inspire and build connections to non-binary people and women on areas that are ignored or often reduced in seriousness by our medical care system or overarching public sphere.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
As a Virgo, I’m a workaholic, almost to a fault. I’m checking my email at the bar, I’m writing five articles at once. For me, this is how I’ve been able to become a full time freelance journalist in two years. Without that initiative, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Staying in on Saturday nights, having several side-hustles, and putting my work first led me to where I am right now.
Of course, this doesn’t work for everyone and I can’t be an example of how to achieve your goals. Because this isn’t my end goal yet. I’m still working at getting to where I want to be (wherever that may be).
I do believe in hard work through. I believe in utilizing all of the hours in the day. I think as an artist, we have a lot working against us. We have to go against the grain and take a detour on traditional ways of life.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My writing portfolio can be found on Contently (https://snicolelane.contently.com/?public_only=true ) and my visual work can be found on my website ( livelaughpeg.club ).
I have a video piece coming up at ICUQTs (International Chicago Underground Queer Transcendence) which is September 29th – 3oth.
I’ll also be having a solo show sometime next year at Rubberneck Gallery in West Town.
Contact Info:
- Website: livelaughpeg.club
- Email: nicolelanestudio@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/verified_virgo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicole.lane.9
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/snicolelane
- Other: https://snicolelane.contently.com/?public_only=true
Image Credit:
Sustain Gallery and the artist.
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
