Nicki and I (Junko) are the shop owners of nicki nicki gallery.
In 2009, I left the corporate world that I spent over twenty years to pursue my art - a burning desire I had for so many years. It was a risky and scary move, but I was so excited to begin the new journey. About the same time, I adopted a dog from a rescue group and named him "Nicki". He was a Chirstmas gift for myself! Since then, he has been my biggest inspiration for everything I do. That is why I named my business "nicki nicki". The idea came so naturally when I decided to start my own business. Nicki is such a happy dog and can bring sunshine to anyone's heart, and that is what I hope to bring to your heart and home through my art.

I started creating baby animal art without any particular reasons nor expectations besides that I love animals. Since then some years has passed, and my business turned out to be an art gallery for babies and kids. It happened organically and completely as a surprise especially since I don't have any children. I had no idea what kids would like or how nursery decor should be. Yet, my family thought it made a perfect sense because I LOVED animals when I was little (and I still do). In fact, one of my dreams back then was working at a zoo! I now feel so privileged to be able to dedicate my art and talent to young children who are just like a blank canvas. They absorb everything they see and hear straight into their brains and hearts. Whether it is visual art or a life experience they go through, the impact is often bigger than we can imagine. In short, the more comforting what come into their visions are, the more pleasant they will become, and of course it can be the other way around as well. That is why I pour my heart into my art. When I paint, one thing I always make sure is that what I create comes from the most loving place in my heart because that is what children will see and feel in their sub-conscious minds. To give a finishing touch to my work, I put a "Made with Love" stamp on the back of each piece. It is not just a part of design or decoration as you also see in some of the mass-produced products, but it is a symbol of the love and care I put into each piece. My art is also Eco-friendly. I use recycled and organic materials that I carefully selected. That's because I truly care about well-being of children. They also helped me so much and kept me going when I had a challenging moment in this fiercely competitive market. I never forget the time a little shy girl about the age of 8 came to me at a holiday art fair I participated last year. When she saw my little animals, it brought a big smile to her face, and she told me how much she loved my art. A while later, she came back to purchase one of my puppies with the money she saved up. She was so excited, and when I hand it to her, she thanked me and gave me the sweetest hug. She also told me that I was so talented! The experience like that truly makes my job special. At the same time, it made me want to protect those innocent little hearts. Today, my deepest hope is to create art that brings comfort and warmth to children’s hearts and home. Not so much about what I create, but what most important to me is the positive affect I can give through my art.

The art and being on Etsy have given me the wonderful opportunities to be connected with people around the world. It has been such a exciting journey, and I would love to share my art and stories behind it with more people, so please come visit my shop and follow me on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/NickiNickiGallery

My Shop:
http://www.nickinickigallery.etsy.com
My website:
http://www.nickinicki.com