Did my dog’s fur secretly inspire me?

June 17, 2026

Did my dog’s fur secretly inspire me? I’ve been painting the same thing over and over recently. Powder watercolor abstracts, the ones that have a nebula or galaxy vibe. I couldn’t stop, I was having so much fun making them. I also discovered that I could add another layer on top of the first layer.…

If I sleep on it, will the answer come?

June 15, 2026

I have several paintings started right now. They all began the same way, with my powder watercolor technique. I use them to create a fun, colorful, unpredictable background. Then try to figure out what kind of silhouette I can put on top of it. Maybe trees, a flower, or an animal. I tried some green…

Celebrate with me?

June 12, 2026

I got into my first group art show since I started taking my art more seriously in 2023. One of my milestone goals has been accomplished! I’m sending “I think I’m in love” to d’Art Center in Virginia for a show titled “Word of Art”. They received 434 submissions from 119 artists from 20 states.…

The chaos stopped when I picked up the brush.

May 25, 2026

The week before my show was a lot. I’d just gotten back from a family trip with no time to spread the load. The printer ran out of ink, and I ordered the wrong replacement. Lost two days right there. Labels, price sheets, art prints to prep, rails to hang, studio to clean, web design…

Red, yellow, and… blue?

May 21, 2026

Red, yellow and… blue? Sabri showed up wanting three octopuses. But I only had a red one and a yellow one that went together. Naturally, we needed a blue one to go with them. So we decided to make one. I painted two, because that’s what I do, just in case. And then let him…

Grief doesn’t pause for joy. And joy doesn’t wait for grief to finish.

May 18, 2026

Grief doesn’t pause for joy. And joy doesn’t wait for grief to finish. I learned that the hard way. When my dog died 10 years ago, I was sadder than I have ever been in my entire life. That kind of sad that sits on your chest. And somewhere in the middle of my sadness,…

How does the printer always know when to sabotage me?

May 15, 2026

My show is tomorrow. The studio is still a mess right now, but it’s on its way to looking incredible. I spent weeks finding the perfect picture rails, my husband and I tried to wrestle them onto the walls, but had to call in a contractor friend when the white wall turned out to be…

Do you test people before you let them in?

May 13, 2026

I don’t let people in quickly. But when I do, I go all in. I test the waters first. Let a small, slightly ridiculous thought slip out and watch what happens. If you laugh, really laugh, you might be my people. And then I’m done holding back. I rush in, full speed, ready to play.…

What they never told me…

May 11, 2026

Something nobody tells you about making art. Every painting starts with fear. Excitement too, they live right next door to each other. But fear shows up first. Fear that it won’t be good enough. That I’ll fail myself. That I’ll put in all that effort and hate what comes out. I’m a recovering perfectionist. Perfectionism…

I accidentally painted a mountain

May 7, 2026

This one surprised me. I was playing with a new painting technique: watercolor powders, black and red, loose and abstract. I was actually trying to fix something. A previous painting had too much going on, and I felt that it was too intense, with nowhere for the eye to land. So I tried painting it…

Pour Decisions (Great Art) – Press Release

April 27, 2026

Press release – for immediate release Contact: Nicole Hanusek | nicolehanusekart.com | RSVP: poply.com/r/aZHnBj Pour Decisions (Great Art): An Evening Open Studio with Nicole Hanusek San Francisco artist invites the public to an intimate cocktail-style art event on May 16th SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Bay Area artist, Nicole Hanusek, is opening the doors to her…

Am I too nutty of an organizer? Be honest.

April 14, 2026

Are you an organized person? Just how organized are you? Let me share the crazy levels I’ll go to… A year or two ago, I participated in the SuperFine art show. Artists who participate in that show are required to submit a PDF showing how their wall will be curated. That was the first time…