Welcome to The Artist Lounge — A Creative Space Just for You 🎨

Hi, I’m Nicki Traikos—artist, author, and founder of life i design, and I’m so excited you’re here!

I am best known for my online classes and books, Watercolor Made Simple, but when I look at my studio, it’s filled with containers of brushes, ink pens, oil paints and collage papers! I love filling my sketchbooks with explorations of mediums, mark making, paints and words. To sit in my favorite nook in the studio with a hot coffee in hand and a paint brush or pen in another is bliss to me.

When I started instructing, I started to realize how many fellow artists were just like me. Curious and filled with a passion to make art, often not knowing what to create or sometimes how.

Making art approachable and doable is something I want everyone to enjoy if your heart is calling you to make art.

I want you to make art period.

Good or bad.

To explore, play and connect with that very personal side of you that looks for color, shapes, texture and to lean into the full expression of you!

This space is being created with you in mind. An artist who wants to grow, feel inspired and authentic in their art practice. Someone that is curious about trying new techniques and building a personal art practice that feels fulfilling and joyful, without pressure or perfection.

✨ Inside The Artist Lounge, I will guide you as you experiment and explore through supporting you with:

• Monthly creative prompts & painting inspiration

• Behind-the-scenes stories & tips from my studio

• Traceable line drawings to help you get to painting more

• Watercolor & various painting tutorials to help grow your skills & confidence

• Occasional live chats so we can connect in real time

• Examples of a variety of paint mediums, tools and products to help your art practice

• Sketchbook practices and how to fully incorporate them into your personal art practice and enjoy all the benefits

• Creative book club chats with book recommendations

• Exclusive announcements, offers, and discounts from our partners who we love to collaborate with

… and a cozy corner to return to when your creative spark needs a boost or you need a creative hang out with fellow artist friends!

Whether you’re just getting back into art or carving out more time for your creativity, I want this space to feel like your favorite studio nook—welcoming, supportive, and soul-filling.

👉 Full experience coming soon! Subscribe for updates 😁

For now, I’ll be sharing a look into my personal art practice, studio and philosophy around art. My hope is that you fall in love with your practice as much as I have.

I don’t know about you, but I am craving more time to sit and be in a tactile state of creating and experimenting. I’m craving more connection and community. More doing vs. consuming, and a place to share it with a group of artists who are craving the same.

If this speaks to you and you are ready to grow your art skills, try things like watercolor painting, mixed media expression, collaging and a little bit of everything else in-between, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss a thing—and feel free to reply and say “hi!” I’d love to know what you are working on in the corner of your studio and hope you share it here with me, in The Artist Lounge.

Let’s make art and share the beauty of the making together.

Nicki xx