A true artist – Nicholas Becker

Interviewed by Stephen M. Thompson, Ph.D.

Welcome to OpenBeast. Tell us about yourself.

I’m a twenty two year old artist, born and grew up in south St. Louis. I am a very peaceful, quiet, calm, collected, symbolic, spiritual nature person. Though, I am also the kind of person that does things, others wouldn’t. I’d sit on the ledge of a fifty story building and draw the clouds. Or sit on the shore of a river to catch each wave and the way they move, or sit in a cemetery and create the moods I feel. I am a true definition of an artist. The Life I live is a life that a lot of people wouldn’t be able to deal with. I have raised myself and taught myself the things I needed to know to live this far. Moving for the past several years is just a horror tale of its own. But I smile, and keep moving forward, all the ups and downs are just a roller coaster ride. I’m living off the adrenaline.

When did you first start drawing and creating, and when did you first consider yourself an artist?

I started drawing as a kid. All the abilities I have learned, I have taught myself. I never went to school for the art I do. It’s very therapeutic and a healing process. A way to let emotions and feelings go as true and deep as they possibly can. I can sit there and draw something, anything, and catch its spirituality and keep it on paper for the world to see.

How do you get inspired?

A lot of the inspiration I have comes from life and death. Not to be morbid, but it’s just where I came from, where I been, what I had to live through. And all the things that I still have to deal with. Drawing is a way of showing hope and beauty, by creating life and death the way it has been. Drawing has always been there through everything I have been through. Though inspiration can come from anything from a girl smiling, to a storm, to loosing someone close to me. Most of the time when I do draw, I listen to music, and it sets a very calm mood to everything.

What materials do you like to work with? Brushes, surfaces, paints, mediums and etc.?

I mainly use pencils and colored pencils. I can make some pretty good charcoal drawings, and paint very rarely. But there’s no other special trick then just doing it.

Do some of the drawings “fail”? If so what do you do with those works?

There are a lot of drawings people turn away, Like the nudes I draw, Or the “dark somber” ones. But I don’t see any as a fail. There’s always goanna be somebody out there who will understand it, even if somebody else doesn’t.

Talk to us about your signature?

My signature is the “Spider Web”. It represents a lot of different things. A home, growth, a place to hide, being caught, troubled and recovering. The spider web is always hidden for a reason, and in a different place. It has to be, so people can relate in their own way. But above all, I’m like a spider building its own web. I’m making it the way I want to, and no one else can but me.

What is the one best compliment you have received thus far?

The best compliment (smiles)? It’s hard to say. A lot of people crowd around me at times and adore the work I do. The best one though would be when someone can say what I was feeling at that time, or what the drawing means.

What are your leisure time activities?

In my leisure time, I enjoy being outside, I like to walk and travel far, even though I don’t drive. I like to write, listen to music. I’m not like the other kids. I don’t play much video games or hang out with the gang, I’ve always been the kid outside the circle.

Thank you.

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