Waikanae Paper Artist | Nicky Bourke

  Something New is Blooming — My New Website is Live! So, who doesn’t like something NEW? There is something rather lovely about a fresh start. Something new can make us feel revitalised, inspired and perhaps give life a little more pizazz. And there is also something wonderful about finding something you absolutely love — whether it is a painting for your wall, a beautiful notebook, a card for someone special, or something for your home that simply makes you happy every time you look at it. Over the last couple of weeks, I have been doing two things at once. Painting — which I love. And… Building a website — which, quite frankly, terrified me slightly. But I am very happy to say: I DID IT! My new website, Waikanae Paper Artist , is now live. You can visit it here: Visit Waikanae Paper Artist Why Waikanae Paper Artist? Waikanae — which I rather like explaining as “Wai Can I?” — is the beautiful little coastal town I call home. It is on the North Island of New Zealand, around an ho...

Finding Your SOUL — Your Sense Of Unique Life There is something wonderfully empowering about finding your “soul”. S ense O f U nique L ife. We begin our journey following directions. We are influenced by our parents, our peers, our responsibilities and all the noise that comes with simply surviving. We work our way through the skill tests, expectations and everyday pressures of life, often becoming very good at doing what needs to be done. But somewhere inside us, another voice is waiting. At first, it may be little more than a whisper: “Hey…what about me?” For a long time, that voice can be easy to ignore. Then, at some point, it is no longer quiet. It begins thrashing around inside you, demanding your attention and asking to be put to work. Perhaps it is the desire to create. Perhaps it is the ability to notice beauty and want to preserve it. Perhaps it is a longing to share the world through your own eyes—even if those eyes did not initially know how to see what was waiting there. ...

 Sometimes creativity does not ask for a plan. It simply asks us to begin. This weekend, I stepped away from the familiar flow of watercolour and found myself painting with acrylics—a medium with a completely different set of rules. I am a self-taught intuitive artist, and one of the things I continue to wrestle with is the relationship between control, confidence and knowing when to stop painting. I have never believed that I can draw particularly well. Ask me to draw a portrait without guidance and the head, arms and other important bits might resemble pieces from a game of Operation . Putting everything together sensibly would be the real challenge! But perhaps that is also why intuitive painting feels so freeing to me. I do not need to begin with a perfect drawing. I can begin with my feelings, colour, emotion and movement—and discover the painting as I go. A Need to Create Joy Joy in Full Colour — original intuitive acrylic floral painting by Nicky Bourke. This weekend, someon...

You don’t need to live in the Hamptons to enjoy the relaxed beauty of coastal-inspired living. One of the wonderful things about home décor is that inspiration can come from anywhere in the world. I live on the beautiful Kāpiti Coast of New Zealand—not the Hamptons—yet I have always been drawn to the timeless elegance of soft blues, crisp whites, fresh florals and relaxed entertaining spaces that define this much-loved aesthetic. From my home, surrounded by ocean views and blue, white and blush hydrangeas growing in my garden, I began creating my own interpretation of coastal style—one inspired by nature, creativity and the beauty found in everyday life. Coastal style, reimagined on the Kāpiti Coast For me, coastal style is less about following decorating rules and more about creating a feeling. It is the quiet freshness of blue and white. It is natural light falling across a beautifully set table, flowers gathered from the garden and a favourite corner that feels calm and welcomi...

  From My Hands to Your Eyes — How My Art Travels There is a kind of work that happens long before anything is seen. It happens when you steal time — not from others, but from noise. Time to listen to your own thoughts. Time to sit with an idea without rushing it into usefulness. Time to teach yourself something new, even when no one is watching. This is where my work begins. The Workbench Stage — paint, paper, and quiet concentration This is where the ideas first arrive — messy, real, honest, full of colour. My tools stay close. My desk fills quickly. My hands get busy. Artist Nicky Bourke studio desk Turning artworks into shareable creations Some pieces sit together in ways that surprise me — a teacup, a paper bloom, a card, a colour test … all leading somewhere I can’t quite see yet. These aren’t just “products.” They began as moments at my desk — paint, paper, curiosity — transformed into something printable, giftable, or collectable anywhere in the world. When pai...

Creative Everyday — From the Heart to the Hands Why small creative actions matter more than grand breakthroughs. Every artist dreams of the big moment — the masterpiece, the perfect collection, the day our work becomes “seen.” But what actually builds a creative life is never the big moments. It’s the tiny ones. The things we do when no one is watching. The quiet repetitions. The gentle returning. Most days, creativity doesn’t feel like fireworks. It feels like showing up with tired eyes and a hopeful heart. It feels like tidying the desk, loading fresh paper, washing brushes, thinking a little, sketching a little — and choosing, again, to keep going. That small act of beginning creates momentum. And momentum creates possibility. Tap to shop this New Zealand sparrow journal in my Zazzle store When we stop waiting for inspiration and start building a rhythm, something surprising happens: We discover that cre...

Become Disciplined – Quite the Paradox for a Creative Discipline and creativity may feel like opposites, but in truth they fuel each other. For any artist, maker, or storyteller, finding structure is not about limiting your spark — it’s about giving it the space to shine. In today’s world of instant downloads and global reach, organizing yourself (and your art) is no longer optional — it’s essential. Practical Steps Toward Creative Discipline 1. Organise Yourself Start with the basics. Keep your files neat, your computer folders clear, and your workspace ready to go. Chaos drains energy, while order gives it back. 2. Group Your Images Store photos and artwork in relevant collections or series. That way, ideas are always at hand when you’re ready to share or create. 3. Plan Your Creative Releases Choose a rhythm that fits — weekly, monthly, or seasonally — and stick with it. Consistency builds trust with your audience. If you sa...

Who I am today is because of who they were — and how we can now share it with others... Why this story matters Art isn’t only what’s on the paper—it’s the hands, the history, and the hilarious detours behind it. I grew up with paint-splattered mugs, half-finished vases, plates, rocks, and a mother who could turn a quiet afternoon into a full-blown creative experiment. Today, I’m bringing those pieces (and my great-grandmother’s watercolours from over a century ago!) out of the attic and into the world—thanks to a very modern toolkit. Growing up in Waikanae, a small town on the Kāpiti Coast of New Zealand, I spent quite some time watching as my mother learned to paint, asked for feedback, and continued navigating her own life in colour. My great-grandmother was a talented watercolour painter herself, but likely wasn’t aware of how her art would touch me 100 years later—a few of her pieces I’m lucky enough to have and enjoy as wall p...

Never Say Never — Creating From a Moonboot Finding comfort in colour, creativity, and community. It’s been a while since my mind felt full of thoughts worth sharing. A few years ago I broke my ankle; recently I had surgery to repair ligaments and clean out the joint. Six weeks of crutches and a moonboot later, I’m learning a new kind of patience. Not being able to drive, walk far, or do much without help has been its own awakening—and I’m deeply grateful for the love, kindness, and generosity of friends and family who keep showing up. It’s 5:15 on a Monday morning. Boston (my cat) is tucked beside me while rain taps the roof and windows. Creativity feels like comfort today, and the need to express it has me up early, typing away. You know my love for colour and my ongoing search to uncover my creative voice. With mobility limited, my focus has shifted: I’m discovering how technology—ChatGPT, Facebook, Zazzle, Instagram—can carry my thoughts and creatio...

 A Detour Into Creativity – Rebalancing Through Creative Living When the World Feels Heavy: Rebalancing Through Creativity Life doesn’t pause. The laundry piles up, meals need cooking, school pickups happen, bills arrive — all while we juggle work, relationships, and unexpected challenges. Sometimes it feels like walking through Sniper Alley — pressure coming at you from every side. And yet, in the background, life insists on carrying on. A Daughter’s Gentle Nudge A few years ago, after a difficult interview, my daughter Sienna (13 at the time) and I sat in silence, driving home. My mind was racing with everything that had gone wrong. Then, in the quiet, she softly asked: “Mum, is now a good time to tell you… you’re going the wrong way?” She was right — in that moment I had literally taken a wrong turn. But she was also right in a deeper sense. That phrase has stayed with me ever since: Am I still going where I want to go?  Creativity as My Compass I realised I didn’t just wa...