Our Story

Hi, I'm Nicole, the artist and maker behind Parkhart Studio.

I came to all of this later than most. For a long time I couldn't have pictured myself running a business, let alone calling myself a professional artist. Then I became a special needs mom, and that changed me in ways I never expected. My son gave me a love and a sense of responsibility I hadn't known before, and I'm better for it.

Art has been with me through all of it. When I was younger I struggled with depression and anxiety, and painting was where I went to find my footing. It still holds a large piece of my heart, but it serves a different purpose now. I paint because it adds to my happiness, and I've been able to build a life around that. The candles came later. I've always loved design and making beautiful things, and they give that part of me somewhere to go. Spending my days surrounded by the scent of them is a quiet perk.

My son lives with two rare conditions, bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria and eosinophilic esophagitis. Through everything, his spirit has stayed bright, and he is the inspiration behind this work. Parkhart gives me what a traditional job couldn't: the freedom to be with him on the good days and the hard ones. The name comes from our middle names, Parker and Hartley- he puts the Park in Parkhart.

Every order truly makes my day. Thank you for being here. Your support means more than I can say.

— Nicole

See the work

Everything starts as a soft pastel or ink drawing made here in San Diego. The prints are archival reproductions, printed in small runs and shipped from the studio; the originals are one of a kind.

• Seascapes & coastal landscapes — the shoreline, the storms, the sunsets
• Seashell prints — small studies of mussels, clams and shells from our beach walks
• Nautical & boat prints — sailboats, fishing boats, buoys and a life ring
• Small prints $30 & under — for gallery walls, shelves and gifts
• Original paintings — the originals themselves, signed and shipped flat

Or browse the full collection of coastal art prints.