Debutante Artist

By Ruth Ann Ruiz

The Post Newspaper Features Editor

Her body of multi-medium art is growing as she moves from fine, focused detail as a makeup artist and fingernail artist to creating on canvas. Reyna Nicole’s debut showing of her paintings was at the Juneteenth marketplace. “I was very nervous at the Juneteenth event,” said Reyna.

Her debut showing was a success. She landed several sales of her art and began building her network of new people who admire her work.  She will be showcased  in future art shows. 

“She is a phenomenal young black woman artist, and her future is bright,” said Lawanda Ward, who discovered the young artist and invited her to participate at the marketplace. “Reyna is a very gifted artis and she is on the rise,” Ward added.

Reyna was part of the first class of students to attend Ball High School’s STEM program in 2015. “I was fascinated with science when I was younger,” said Reyna. But she opted to pursue art rather than dig into science and math. 

Well, she did almost end up going in the direction of math with a degree from Galveston College, where she studied business. But she really loved her drawing classes at GC, and she had been drawing since she was a little girl. 

Cosmetology school is where she was able to develop her skills as a makeup artist and focus on what makes her happy, which is creating. Her family and friends rave about her makeup artistry. 

Currently when painting, she uses acrylics and is discovering the many ways a brush can add layers and meaning to a canvas. She also adds other mediums to her painted canvases to create a three-dimensional finished work of art. Some of her pieces are finished off with a clear epoxy glaze. 

She would like to continue to develop both as a visual artist with creative pieces which people can admire again and again as well as build her skills and client base as a makeup artist. Her work as a makeup artist is a more temporary art but adds beauty and joy to the moments and events of her clients’ lives.

“I love all mediums of art and would like to continue to learn more,” said Reyna.

Taking time to enjoy life and experience the richness of life is very important to Reyna. “I like to live in the moment and not over think things,” she said.

Finding inspiration for her work comes to her as she spends time in the scriptures or meditation. “God gives me a vision for what I should paint,” said Reyna. 

Nicole grew up in Galveston and enjoyed life with her friends riding throughout the town on their bikes exploring all the “ghostly haunts” that Galveston provides. She and her friends made many treks down to the beach on their bicycles. 

“Being bored was never a problem when I grew up, I had lots of neighborhood friends,” said Reyna. 

Raising her four-year-old daughter, Morgan, is part of her driving passion to reach her own dreams as an artist. “I want my little girl to know that you can grow up and be anything and do anything,” said Reyna.  

She is the middle sister to an older brother and a younger brother. Her mom is also an artist and a poet. Reyna continues to call Galveston her home and enjoys the island lifestyle. She is young and the world is her canvas on which she will create and fashion her impressions for others to enjoy.