Meet Nikki Baxendale, a photographer and artist extraordinaire. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing her for the past few years as an accomplished photographer. More recently, Nikki has launched herself as a new artist.

Perhaps it was the lockdown due to Covid or desperately needing a new creative outlet? Nikki’s Instagram account suddenly became a visual showcase of her recent works. My first thought was, she paints too?! Who knew? There isn’t much Nikki can’t do, nor is she afraid to try. She paints with a photographer’s eye; her artwork resembles her stills; she captures the moment perfectly.

“Nature is constantly painting its own gallery. I often walk with my head off track, following the patterns that flood through the trees or dance across the ocean. I am captivated by human expression, but my true focus is being able to grab a moment in time that’s not posed and says everything in one snapshot. Eyes are the window to the world; how they connect with viewers is their story.”

A native of England, she’s a graduate of Epson University for the Creative Arts, with qualifications in fashion, marketing, journalism and photography. Nikki left for New York at the age of twenty-five to pursue a career with an international design team. While there, her passion for photography grew, and she continued her studies at the International Centre for Photography in Manhattan. 

With a career spanning over 20 years in Art direction, fashion and editorial photography, Nikki has worked alongside many talented teams within the commercial sector and with private and celebrity clients, offering full-service design direction through to final edit. Whether it’s an image or a new product, it is her passion that finds new ways to excite the senses; she’s a non-stop creative. 

Nikki now resides in West Vancouver with her husband and their three active children. Life is busy on the home front, but that doesn’t prevent Nikki from pursuing her passions. While still keeping her finger on the pulse of the corporate scene as Creative Director and Brand Strategist for Lululemon, her work as an artist and photographer has taken centre stage.

Oh! And did I mention she has an award-winning blog as well? Check out Literally Life which is full of interesting tidbits!

I recently had the opportunity to work with Nikki during a photo shoot for my ICOVET blog. I would highly recommend trying it for someone who’s never done this before. If at least once in your life. Honestly, it was so much fun, and yes, modelling can be hard work; who knew?! Learning poses that seriously felt anything but natural, “Put my hand where?” All that aside, Nikki’s attention to detail and professionalism made the entire experience very enjoyable.

From the onset of meeting Nikki, I couldn’t help but get caught up in her bubbly energy. Somehow, she manages to balance life at home with her busy family, photography, and her new artistic endeavours. I invite you to visit Nikki Baxendale’s beautifully curated works of fine art and photography.