Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Matherly and Jeffrey Noble, a collaborative known as WE ARE NICE’N EASY LLC.
Allison and Jeffrey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We met in 2015 while both working at the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami. We were producing our own art independently at the time but had become disillusioned with the idea of making a living as artists. After dating for a couple of months, we decided to make art together for an upcoming exhibition; the Collabo Show 5. We approached the process differently than we did in our individual practices and made an effort to separate our thinking from old ideas we held about what art should be and be about. The work was well received by the public and from it came a number of opportunities to create installations as a collaborative.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We conceptualized Nice’n Easy not only as a collaborative umbrella for our work but also as our literal mantra. We can be overly ambitious and neurotic at times so Nice’n Easy reminds us to keep it simple. We have been privileged with a lot of opportunities, yet in spite of that, we can also be our own worst enemies; self-sabotage, imposter syndrome, low self-esteem, and doubting ourselves and our work are daily struggles that we think most artists suffer from. We try to embody Nice’n Easy as a way to level out the wavy sea of emotions that comes with putting your work out into the world. We are not the best, most important artists in Miami and that’s ok, because but we’re also pretty sure we’re not the worst people you’ll ever meet, we are nice’n easy.
We Are Nice’n Easy – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We are all about vibes. How does the subject, colors, patterns, light, all harmonize to create a mood or a feeling. We think this is best achieved through installation, working with 2D, 3D and ethereal elements such as light and sound to create immersive experiences. We also create murals and mixed media works in our studio that build upon and inform our work as a whole. Most of the themes present in our work come from the dynamic within our relationship. From melancholy and longing to sexual objectification or loving bliss, we try to channel the nuanced yet collectively shared emotions experienced within interpersonal relationships. All of this charged material is then mitigated by our chosen visual language of rather generic motifs such as water ripples, reflection, palm trees, pool toys and smiley faces. Most importantly, we try to have fun.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
We wouldn’t do anything differently. Every challenge and obstacle is a learning experience and brought us to where we are now. We try to take what we’ve learned and apply it to living in the present while keeping a hopeful outlook for the future(as difficult as that is sometimes! ; p).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.weareniceneasy.com
- Email: weareniceneasy@gmail.com
- Instagram: @weareniceneasy
Image Credit:
Zachary Balber
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