Nicole Monahan is an illustrator and freelance artist, offering art classes for both children and adults in her creek-side studio, surrounded by ferns and evergreens, on the outskirts of Seattle. Her furry sidekick, Cricket, loves to greet clients and students while watching for wildlife that walks by. He is a certified therapy dog who looks forward to visit nursing homes, hospitals, and the occasional college campus to comfort people.

After 10+ years as an Architect and then directing a Seattle Art Gallery, Nicole decided to focus on her passion of illustrating for clients and teaching art around the world. Her work has a nature connection which shows her deep passion for the interconnected web of life nature has and how it is possible to live harmoniously with nature.

For Nicole, this lifelong journey with art began in childhood, where she spent countless hours pouring over children’s books in her mother’s book store and even more hours outside exploring the bugs, plants and critters she came across. She would often draw fun characters in detailed nature settings. From painting a mural on the wall of her childhood home, to building in her father’s workshop, Nichole’s parents fostered her love of creativity and today, Nicole enjoys helping others find their inspiration and artistic voice. 

In her personal time, Nicole enjoys exploring the wild of the Pacific Northwest with the company of her family and the wide variety of pets they love, including dogs, cats, lizards, a turtle, frogs, a snake, goats, chickens, and fish. Every one of them provide a lot of creative inspiration and many are even wonderful models for animal life drawing workshops.

Nicole is an Active member of SCBWI, NAEA, Woodinville Chamber, founder of the Woodinville Teen Arts Alliance, and is Vice President of the Woodinville Arts Alliance. She is an award winning Artist, and works with clients world-wide. Nicole enjoys being a judge for juried shows, speaking engagements and was a guest presenter for the 2018 NAEA (National Arts Education Association) national conference. Nicole has had several commissioned public art works. She was selected as an artist for the Peacepole project at Woodinville Deyoung Park and  at Woodinville City Hall. She has painted many public and private murals, including a large nature mural over 1,000 s.f in size along the Sammamish Valley trail. She currently teaches in her studio, at Bellevue College, Britney Park Retirement Village, Yoga and Art Adventures, and other various venues.