Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Barr.
Nicole, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a designer and illustrator in the Allston-Brighton area. I’ve been making art since I was young, and always had my sights set on a creative career. I graduated from MassArt in 2017 with a focus in illustration and animation, though I also pursued 3D work and creative writing in my time there.
My love of the natural world spurred a lot of my early work and continues to be a major theme– running through everything from my design to branding materials. When I first left college, I was scouted by a tattoo studio to become an apprentice, and briefly had my sights set on becoming a tattoo artist. I changed course, however, when I was asked to freelance for Harmonix.
Currently, I’m working as a 2D artist at Harmonix, an incredible video game studio in downtown Boston. I’m also a part of the Emo Night Boston team, where I work on flyers and promotional materials and help plan events. And in the (very little!) spare time left over, I freelance under the name Nicole Briar Illustration and Design.
Has it been a smooth road?
I think the path to where I am today, while rocky at times, was made smoother by the focus I felt regarding an art career. It’s one of the only aspects of myself I’ve never had to question– and that’s saying a lot for an anxious mind like mine! Making art always felt non-negotiable, and with that certainty, it’s been easier to mold my life around that goal.
It’s given me the ability to double down and endure the innumerable bad service jobs, the odd hours, the general uncertainty of being a young artist. Most of my struggles have been internal; I’ve had some pretty severe mental and physical health issues along the way, and there have been moments when I wasn’t sure if I could stay in school or have a career at all.
Since I was young I’ve had a lot of confusing, bizarre and poorly understood health problems, which were very isolating. Art got me through the worst of it, but these issues took a lot of my focus away from school and work.
Thankfully, just last year I finally discovered the connection between my health problems. I was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and since my diagnosis, it’s been a lot easier to navigate the rough patches and get on with my life and career! It’s been a grind, but so far I’ve been lucky enough to keep landing on my feet and have had some incredibly exciting and fun opportunities come my way since I graduated.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My primary business is my freelance, Nicole Briar Illustration and Design. I first and foremost am an illustrator, but also enjoy graphic design and branding. I’m at my best when putting all of those skills to use at once: creating logos, merchandise, record covers, posters and more.
I love music, and the Boston music scene– being able to contribute something to that scene is when I feel most excited about freelance. Being a part of the Emo Night Boston team has also been a blast, and has given me the freedom and space to shape a brand identity. I’m hoping to delve further into that realm as I continue to grow as an artist.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
My proudest career moment so far has been the absolute pleasure of working first with Harmonix as a freelancer, and then as a full-time employee. Harmonix is a video game studio in Boston, known for music games like Guitar Hero, Dance Central and Rock Band. When I applied to be a 2D artist there, I was at a low point in my life. I had to move on short notice, didn’t have a place to live, and was working a food service job that could barely hold me together financially.
I was crashing on the couches of kind friends and holing up at coffee shops when I saw the job posting, and had such low self-esteem at the time I almost didn’t apply. (Luckily my friends kicked my butt until I did.) I would just go to Panera all day and work on the application, worrying the whole time that it was out of my reach. When I got the job offer, I could not have been more ecstatic. It was a huge turnaround for me, and this summer working on Rock Band 4 has been a dream.
It’s one of the coolest feelings ever to see my own art come to life in a franchise my friends and I have grown up with– I still have to pinch myself every once in a while.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nicolebriar.com
- Email: nicole.barr.94@gmail.com
- Instagram: @nicole.briar
- Other: @emonightboston
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