38 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 12-18, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com ART The Maple Park neighborhood of Salinas has a distinct, lazy, residential vibe. The homes are comfortably spaced, with big gardens and little traffic. This is where Salinas-based watercolorist r. mike nichols has been living and painting since 2018. The life that he shares with his partner and the couple’s beloved dogs are the subject of nichols’ colorful, striking narrative art. Fine artists and illustrators have been considered two different tribes. It’s fine art that people want to collect— beautiful landscapes and portraiture. But for nichols, it was never enough to create something that was just art. “A landscape is just a landscape unless you imbue it with something that’s personal,” he says. “I always wanted to create art that told a story. I’m doing illustrative pieces that are my own commentary.” Take, for example, his floating series: quirky and whimsical pieces that show people and dogs strolling just a few feet above the ground. “I would always dream about leaping in the air and being able to float great distances,” nichols says. “That gave me such a feeling of euphoria, of being able to levitate, defy gravity, feel unencumbered by the sense of being attached to the ground.” Personal experience has been at the core of nichols’ art since he stopped working as a commercial freelance illustrator in 2018 and found complete artistic freedom. One of the paintings people respond to is “Summer in Salinas 2024,” which tells the story of how Covid impacted nichols’ life. It shows the artist and his partner in their garden wearing masks. In between them, their French bulldog Quorra sits on an opulent green armchair. There are two trees in the painting, one full of ominous birds with a poster attached to its trunk, showing Trump as traitor, the other one full of doves with a sign, advocating for peace. Nichols’ art is not usually political, but it can be if politics—as it does now— impacts him and his community. As opposed to his peers, nichols always knew he would be an artist, even though he expected to “live in an attic and be hungry all the time,” he says. Similarly, when he went to college, he already knew watercolors were his thing. “I just really liked the transparency of the medium and the way it flowed.” R. mike nichols is part of Carmel Art Association’s March Catalog Show opening Saturday, March 14 and on display until April 6 (see details, p. 34). DANIEL DREIFUSS Stories in Watercolor A Salinas artist finds that the message, more than the medium, inspires his art. By Agata Popęda Watercolorist r. mike nichols in his home in Salinas, with his artwork behind him. Once a commercial illustrator, nichols has been fully artistically independent since 2008. JOIN US FOR THE 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY STEM TALENT EXPO! MARCH 18 HOW IS STEM EDUCATION PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE WORKFORCE? Visit our website for full details: www.mcstemtalentexpo.com KEYNOTE SPEAKER Josh Metz Executive Director Monterey Bay Drone, Automation and Robotics Technology (DART) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2026 1:00 PM 4:00 PM HARTNELL COLLEGE STEM CENTER LOBBY Hosted by 146 12TH STREET • PACIFIC GROVE Party For Paddy! Celebrate St. Patrick’s with the Weed Trio! Talented fiddler John Weed and his musical sons, Tyler and Evan, will take us on a musical journey which begins and ends in Ireland with some interesting side trips along the way. SUN. MARCH 15•3PM Doors Open at 2:30pm Seasonal libations and snacks, and the world famous “Tatties with Toppings.” will be served. AdvAnce tickets AvAilAble At www.celticsociety.org $30 Adv/35 door kids (12 and under) $12 Adv/15 door For more info call or text 831-224-3819 CD RELEASE PARTY news talk insight a community service of CSU Monterey Bay
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