In this episode of The Artful Painter, I sit down with Western artist Nicholas Coleman to talk about what actually drives his painting process — it's not just technique, but also curiosity, memory, history, and places that won't let go of you.

Raised in the studio of his father, Michael Coleman, Nicholas grew up surrounded by Native models, reference materials, taxidermy, and the working realities of the art business. What stayed with him wasn't just technique — it was a deep respect for history and for the places that shaped it.

In this episode, we discuss his return to the Coors Western Art Exhibit, the tension between authenticity and trend-chasing, his recent exploration of African wildlife inspired in part by painters like Wilhelm Kuhnert, and why he sometimes ignores deadlines to get a painting "out of his head." We also talk about art school battles, conservation history, spaghetti westerns, and what happens when an artist receives a fifty-page contract connected to George Lucas. Have I got your attention now?

If you care about painting, place, and preserving something larger than yourself, this conversation will resonate.

Nicholas Coleman is certainly my kind of artist!

Links

Nicholas Coleman

Website: https://www.nicholascolemanart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholascolemanart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholascolemanart

Other Links

Bloody Bozeman: The Perilous Trail to Montana's Gold: https://amzn.to/4rer2UQ Henrik Coleman: https://www.henrikcoleman.com/ Mediocre Amateurs: https://www.youtube.com/@mediocreamateur