Nicole van Dam
Encyclopedia
M. Nicole van Dam is an internationally licensed artist and author, as well as a Professor in Entrepreneurship and member of both the Art Department and Business Department at Santa Barbara City College
Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
of immigrant parents from the Netherlands
, M. Nicole van Dam attended Harvard University
while still in High School and ultimately degreed from University of Pennsylvania
, Cornell University
, and University of Southern California
. Nicole is married and lives in the California Central Coast area with her husband, Nicole van Dam is primarily inspired by her family (her husband and a Leonberger
dog, a rescue Chihuahua dog mix, and two Bourke’s Parrots) and her garden, as shown by the biographical information set forth in various books that she has authored and her blog http://www.our1earth.com.
city logo contest, shortly followed by her creation in approximately 1978 of a mural of the constellations at the Harvard-Smithsonian Observatory Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics . In her younger career she also served as Art Director for a small local high school magazine (“Flotsam & Jetsam”) and shortly later as Art Director of University Television at University of Pennsylvania
in the early 1980s. Nicole’s writing career also began with early recognition, including her winning first prize in an Orange County, California
poetry contest in 1974. In addition to publishing non-fiction writing pertaining to business matters such as “Multimedia and Software Agreements” published by The Daily Journal Corporation
in connection with the Digital World 95 Conference, Nicole combined her love of art and business in the “Art Avenue” column (which was published in both the “Equine Image” and “Canine Image” magazines).
Through her Dutch parents, Nicole was exposed from an early age to beautiful European art at a wide array of museums, and Nicole was particularly influenced by the Dutch Kröller-Müller Museum
. Nicole has written that while at the Kröller-Müller Museum
, she was influenced by Vincent Van Gogh
's "Sunflowers," Pablo Picasso
's "Nude Descending a Staircase," and other great works, all seen in a particularly influential visit by Nicole to the Kröller-Müller Museum
's then (according to Nicole's description) uncrowded setting that encouraged close engagement with the art. Nicole's artistic preference became the great Impressionists - particularly Claude Monet
and Vincent Van Gogh
with their lively colors and movement. Nicole has written that she also enjoys the compositional freedom of early Modernist Marc Chagall
, the beautiful lighting techniques of Johannes Vermeer
, the sfumato
techniques of Leonardo da Vinci
, the cheery interplay of simplicity and complexity of Andrea della Robbia
, and the style of Louis Comfort Tiffany
. The majority of Nicole's compositions (for example "Passion Flower" and "Chef at the Farmer's Market"), shows these influences at play. The overall impact of Nicole's diverse background is a body of artwork that has a recognizable style and feel. As a California native born of Dutch immigrant parents and educated in the East, Nicole’s work expresses strong West Coast, East Coast, and European influences, artistically blended with an Impressionist flair. Nicole’s has written that she strives for a style and distinctive color palette that gives each work a joyously whimsical feel that is yet somehow also reminiscent of a time when life was less hectic. It is this feel to her works that is the basis for Nicole's motto: "Art that makes your heart sing with the memory of what could be."
Current Career: M. Nicole van Dam currently is an internationally licensed artist and author, as well as a Professor in Entrepreneurship and member of both the Art Department and Business Department at Santa Barbara City College
Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. As an international artist, her work is licensed by international manufacturers for many products, such as glass plates, tile wall murals, collectibles, etc., and as a result people around the world have purchased her work, and she has been written up in collector newsletters. Examples of the many products made using licensed images of Nicole's art can be seen at http://www.artstudio.bz. In 1978, Nicole as a solo artist did a mural of the constellations and astrological symbols inside the Harvard/Smithsonian Observatory dome Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. A list with images of M. Nicole van Dam's most well-known works is also available online.
Exhibitions and Access: Nicole's art has been exhibited publicly many times at various venues, and one of her solo exhibitions in 2006 has been recorded by Marjorie Cronshaw on behalf of the Montecito, California
Montecito History Committee and Nicole was named an artist to watch by the "Montecito Journal." Since approximately 2008 Nicole's fine artwork has been on display at Santa Barbara, California
City Hall. Community Memorial Hospital
acquired a large collection of M. Nicole van Dam works which commenced display in February 2011, following a display of Nicole's artwork and poetry in 2010. A full portfolio of M. Nicole van Dam's artwork can be seen on the web at http://www.Artimagination.com. A list with images of M. Nicole van Dam's most well-known works is available online. Examples of the many products made using licensed images of her art can be seen at http://www.artstudio.bz. A retrospective of M. Nicole van Dam works has also been published, entitled “M. Nicole van Dam, A Retrospective 2010” M. Nicole van Dam’s gallery exhibitions often include recitations of her poetry and philosophy combined with her art, in large part taken from her book “Tempo – The Rhythm and Rhyme of the Artist”
Children's Books – “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini”: M. Nicole van Dam is also the author, illustrator and co-narrator with Dominic Byrne
for her children's book, "Inca Dink, The Great Houndini.". “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini” is available in traditional print and digitally (narrated version is digital primarily for Apple Inc. iPhone
, iPad
, and iPod Touch
. The main characters of “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini” are Hilary Mouse and Inca Dink, a Leonberger
dog magician
in training. Merchandise has been created themed towards these two “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini” characters
Adult Books - "Tempo - The Rhythm and Rhyme of the Artist" and "Through the Artist's Eyes": M. Nicole van Dam is also the author of several adult works, including "Through the Artist's Eyes" and "Tempo - The Rhythm & Rhyme of the Artist.". Each of these books pairs her artwork with her poetry and philosophy, such as the combination in "Tempo - The Rhythm and Rhyme of the Artist" of the "Voting Booth" painting with her poem "Politics". M. Nicole van Dam attributes her creativity in making these diverse works to the inspiration provided by her family, garden and pets, as shown by her blog http://www.our1earth.com.
How-To Books - In 2010-2011 M. Nicole van Dam authored three educational books regarding the internet, e-commerce, and social media, which are available on Amazon.com
. The first how-to book by M. Nicole van Dam is “SuperQuick™ Facebook Pages & Ads”, and it discusses how to use Facebook
and Facebook ads. The second how-to book is “SuperQuick™ WordPress: Easy, FREE and Fast Website, Smart Phone and e-Commerce Solutions!”, and it discusses how to use WordPress
to create e-commerce and blogging websites. The third how-to book by M. Nicole van Dam is “SuperQuick™ Solutions – Web Essentials”, which discusses social media and marketing, as well as e-commerce and intellectual property on the web.
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College is a two-year community college founded in 1909. It is located on a campus right over the beach in the city of Santa Barbara, California, USA. SBCC offers associate degrees in English, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and occupational and...
Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Biography
Born in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
of immigrant parents from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, M. Nicole van Dam attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
while still in High School and ultimately degreed from University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, and University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. Nicole is married and lives in the California Central Coast area with her husband, Nicole van Dam is primarily inspired by her family (her husband and a Leonberger
Leonberger
The Leonberger is a breed of large dog. The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. According to legend, the Leonberger was ostensibly bred as a 'symbolic dog' that would mimic the lion in the town crest...
dog, a rescue Chihuahua dog mix, and two Bourke’s Parrots) and her garden, as shown by the biographical information set forth in various books that she has authored and her blog http://www.our1earth.com.
Career
Early Career: Nicole's first public recognition as an artist began when she won a Newport Beach, CaliforniaNewport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
city logo contest, shortly followed by her creation in approximately 1978 of a mural of the constellations at the Harvard-Smithsonian Observatory Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics . In her younger career she also served as Art Director for a small local high school magazine (“Flotsam & Jetsam”) and shortly later as Art Director of University Television at University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in the early 1980s. Nicole’s writing career also began with early recognition, including her winning first prize in an Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
poetry contest in 1974. In addition to publishing non-fiction writing pertaining to business matters such as “Multimedia and Software Agreements” published by The Daily Journal Corporation
The Daily Journal Corporation
The Daily Journal Corporation publishes legal and business newspapers, a monthly magazine and legal information.The Daily Journal Corporation's largest publications are the Los Angeles | San Francisco Daily Journal and California Lawyer. The Daily Journal provides news of interest to California...
in connection with the Digital World 95 Conference, Nicole combined her love of art and business in the “Art Avenue” column (which was published in both the “Equine Image” and “Canine Image” magazines).
Through her Dutch parents, Nicole was exposed from an early age to beautiful European art at a wide array of museums, and Nicole was particularly influenced by the Dutch Kröller-Müller Museum
Kröller-Müller Museum
The Kröller-Müller Museum is an art museum and sculpture garden, located in the Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo in the Netherlands.-Museum:...
. Nicole has written that while at the Kröller-Müller Museum
Kröller-Müller Museum
The Kröller-Müller Museum is an art museum and sculpture garden, located in the Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo in the Netherlands.-Museum:...
, she was influenced by Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
's "Sunflowers," Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
's "Nude Descending a Staircase," and other great works, all seen in a particularly influential visit by Nicole to the Kröller-Müller Museum
Kröller-Müller Museum
The Kröller-Müller Museum is an art museum and sculpture garden, located in the Hoge Veluwe National Park in Otterlo in the Netherlands.-Museum:...
's then (according to Nicole's description) uncrowded setting that encouraged close engagement with the art. Nicole's artistic preference became the great Impressionists - particularly Claude Monet
Claude Monet
Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to plein-air landscape painting. . Retrieved 6 January 2007...
and Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
with their lively colors and movement. Nicole has written that she also enjoys the compositional freedom of early Modernist Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century."According to art historian Michael J...
, the beautiful lighting techniques of Johannes Vermeer
Johannes Vermeer
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime...
, the sfumato
Sfumato
Sfumato is one of the four canonical painting modes of the Renaissance .The most prominent practitioner of sfumato was Leonardo da Vinci, and his famous painting of the Mona Lisa exhibits the technique. Leonardo da Vinci described sfumato as "without lines or borders, in the manner of smoke or...
techniques of Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
, the cheery interplay of simplicity and complexity of Andrea della Robbia
Andrea della Robbia
Andrea della Robbia was an Italian Renaissance sculptor, especially in ceramics. He was the son of Marco della Robbia. Andrea della Robbia's uncle, Luca della Robbia, popularized the use of glazed terra-cotta for sculpture...
, and the style of Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements...
. The majority of Nicole's compositions (for example "Passion Flower" and "Chef at the Farmer's Market"), shows these influences at play. The overall impact of Nicole's diverse background is a body of artwork that has a recognizable style and feel. As a California native born of Dutch immigrant parents and educated in the East, Nicole’s work expresses strong West Coast, East Coast, and European influences, artistically blended with an Impressionist flair. Nicole’s has written that she strives for a style and distinctive color palette that gives each work a joyously whimsical feel that is yet somehow also reminiscent of a time when life was less hectic. It is this feel to her works that is the basis for Nicole's motto: "Art that makes your heart sing with the memory of what could be."
Current Career: M. Nicole van Dam currently is an internationally licensed artist and author, as well as a Professor in Entrepreneurship and member of both the Art Department and Business Department at Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College is a two-year community college founded in 1909. It is located on a campus right over the beach in the city of Santa Barbara, California, USA. SBCC offers associate degrees in English, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and occupational and...
Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. As an international artist, her work is licensed by international manufacturers for many products, such as glass plates, tile wall murals, collectibles, etc., and as a result people around the world have purchased her work, and she has been written up in collector newsletters. Examples of the many products made using licensed images of Nicole's art can be seen at http://www.artstudio.bz. In 1978, Nicole as a solo artist did a mural of the constellations and astrological symbols inside the Harvard/Smithsonian Observatory dome Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. A list with images of M. Nicole van Dam's most well-known works is also available online.
Exhibitions and Access: Nicole's art has been exhibited publicly many times at various venues, and one of her solo exhibitions in 2006 has been recorded by Marjorie Cronshaw on behalf of the Montecito, California
Montecito, California
Montecito is an unincorporated community in Santa Barbara County, California. As a census-designated place, it had a population of 8,965 in 2010. This does not include areas such as Coast Village Road, that, while usually considered part of Montecito, are actually within the city limits of Santa...
Montecito History Committee and Nicole was named an artist to watch by the "Montecito Journal." Since approximately 2008 Nicole's fine artwork has been on display at Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
City Hall. Community Memorial Hospital
Community Memorial Hospital
Community Memorial Hospital of San Buenaventura is a hospital located in the city of Ventura, California.- External links :*...
acquired a large collection of M. Nicole van Dam works which commenced display in February 2011, following a display of Nicole's artwork and poetry in 2010. A full portfolio of M. Nicole van Dam's artwork can be seen on the web at http://www.Artimagination.com. A list with images of M. Nicole van Dam's most well-known works is available online. Examples of the many products made using licensed images of her art can be seen at http://www.artstudio.bz. A retrospective of M. Nicole van Dam works has also been published, entitled “M. Nicole van Dam, A Retrospective 2010” M. Nicole van Dam’s gallery exhibitions often include recitations of her poetry and philosophy combined with her art, in large part taken from her book “Tempo – The Rhythm and Rhyme of the Artist”
Children's Books – “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini”: M. Nicole van Dam is also the author, illustrator and co-narrator with Dominic Byrne
Dominic Byrne
Dominic Anthony Byrne is a newsreader for BBC Radio 1 and a presenter on the BBC News Channel.-Biography:Born in Norwich, Norfolk, Byrne attended St Ivo School before attending Bournemouth University for two weeks. However, he dropped out to work at a local radio station...
for her children's book, "Inca Dink, The Great Houndini.". “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini” is available in traditional print and digitally (narrated version is digital primarily for Apple Inc. iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, and iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
. The main characters of “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini” are Hilary Mouse and Inca Dink, a Leonberger
Leonberger
The Leonberger is a breed of large dog. The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. According to legend, the Leonberger was ostensibly bred as a 'symbolic dog' that would mimic the lion in the town crest...
dog magician
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
in training. Merchandise has been created themed towards these two “Inca Dink, The Great Houndini” characters
Adult Books - "Tempo - The Rhythm and Rhyme of the Artist" and "Through the Artist's Eyes": M. Nicole van Dam is also the author of several adult works, including "Through the Artist's Eyes" and "Tempo - The Rhythm & Rhyme of the Artist.". Each of these books pairs her artwork with her poetry and philosophy, such as the combination in "Tempo - The Rhythm and Rhyme of the Artist" of the "Voting Booth" painting with her poem "Politics". M. Nicole van Dam attributes her creativity in making these diverse works to the inspiration provided by her family, garden and pets, as shown by her blog http://www.our1earth.com.
How-To Books - In 2010-2011 M. Nicole van Dam authored three educational books regarding the internet, e-commerce, and social media, which are available on Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
. The first how-to book by M. Nicole van Dam is “SuperQuick™ Facebook Pages & Ads”, and it discusses how to use Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Facebook ads. The second how-to book is “SuperQuick™ WordPress: Easy, FREE and Fast Website, Smart Phone and e-Commerce Solutions!”, and it discusses how to use WordPress
WordPress
WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and publishing platform powered by PHP and MySQL. It is often customized into a content management system . It has many features including a plug-in architecture and a template system. WordPress is used by over 14.7% of Alexa Internet's "top 1...
to create e-commerce and blogging websites. The third how-to book by M. Nicole van Dam is “SuperQuick™ Solutions – Web Essentials”, which discusses social media and marketing, as well as e-commerce and intellectual property on the web.