The Shape of Energy

Nicole Tunheim’s creative work stems from her fascination with the energy that animates all life.

“In our world there is a thread, a frequency or energy that resonates through all things, material, animal, and human. I have worked to allow these energies to showcase themselves as visual art. They often show up as strange faces with odd insights and confusing angles, but all resonate with the energy they are imparting,” she says.

“These faces that appear are really interesting. I like the idea that there are helpers. You could think of them as angels, aliens, fairies, or the Fae—whatever fits your system of belief.”

Nicole’s entry to visual art came from her work as a practitioner of Reiki and Reflexology, both forms of energy healing.

“A colleague said, ‘Hey you see energy, and you can paint. You should paint people’s energy.’”

The art pieces that emerged are abstract—a portrait of the individual’s unique frequency, says Nicole. “I see energy as a colourful cascade of shapes and lines. It’s almost like the colours dance across the paper.”

She now brings this energy-based approach to a variety of subject matter, often working on paper in chalk pastel. For example, a chalk pastel drawing called Womb Magic expresses feminine power.

“For this piece, I was thinking about how many women over their lives have issues with their reproductive system, and how central that can be for women’s sense of self. This painting of a beautiful goddess figure came out of that. I use a lot of red in the painting, because we are talking about the root of ourselves, how we connect with the earth, and how we produce life.”

Contact Nicole: nictunheim@gmail.com | 250-208-6360

Instagram: @silverspiritstudios

See Nicole’s work on Denman Island: Keep an eye out for exhibits featuring Nicole’s work.