shiny spirits

 (dedicated to Ladhu Atisha)
Mixed media on fabric dolls. Miami, 2002

During her art therapy studies, the artist encountered many new, non conventional approaches to the act of creating. These dolls are typically used in hospitals to help psychologically prepare a child for a painful procedure. Another use for these dolls, for adults as well as children, is to help them creatively express hidden parts of themselves.

Once the first of these dolls had been created, she knew a whole family of them wanted to come out. Nicolala tried to paint during the last month of her pregnancy, but nothing of significance seemed to come, until she felt her yet-to-be born son inside of her. It was at this point that something very powerful took over. This series was completed over the course of three days and nights, working nonstop. Of these works Nicole says that "They are a universal family coming from all the dimensions, parts of all the worlds. They might look very different, but surely they belong together unmistakably as our world family does!"