Artist Biography
My name is Dimitrious Nichols. I was born and raised in the mountains of Santa Cruz California. I am a contemporary painter of ocean-themed art using primarily acrylics and mixed mediums. I try to capture the essence of the ocean and the serenity of the ocean’s rhythms in each and every piece. My paintings are on a diverse number of materials and I often integrate found objects such as driftwood, sea glass and shells into my work. I also have a habit of incorporating a wide variety of reclaimed wood and construction materials into my art as a way to help reduce waste to the environment and create something of beauty instead of adding to the stress on the planet.
I began my lifelong relationship with the romance and mystery of the sea on the day of my birth. My Dad took me straight from Dominican hospital to Twin Lakes Beach near the boat harbor in Santa Cruz to celebrate my arrival and await the first sunrise of my new life. Santa Cruz is more of less my permanent home, but my passion for experiencing a deeper connection between the ocean and the beauty of art has taken me to multiple locations. Many trips up and down the California coast, pilgrimages to the Hawaiian Islands and most recently to the amazing city of Paris for an epic tour of the captivating city have all helped define and inspire my body of work. It was during my soul searching trips to Oahu and Maui that I felt a strong purpose and a new vision to start creating art with more passion and as a way to get more hands-on in our ever encompassing age of social media norms.
My paintings explore the dreamlike and spiritual state experienced while immersed in the “spirit of the waves” through the bold use of bright colors, themes, and reclaimed materials. I have exhibited locally with both group shows and solo presentations in Santa Cruz and have a small but growing list of private collectors. My artistic journey has brought me into contact with such internationally known artists as Rob Heeley, Clark Takashima, Richard Fields, and Ashton Howard. Recent examples of Dimitrious Nichols Ocean Inspired Art can be found through the links below. Aloha and be blessed!
Ocean Inspired Arts can also be seen on
For original commissions and ideas email